On the Persuasiveness of Similar Others: The Role of Mentalizing and the Feeling of Certainty

Abstract

We suggest that while receiving and processing advice, advice-takers have a motive to take the adviser’s perspective. Similar advisers are more persuasive because receiving advice from a similar adviser is compatible with this perspective-taking motive, and this compatibility creates a momentary feeling of certainty (a “feels right” experience) while a person receives advice from similar advisers. Our studies show that (1) advice-takers’ reliance on their feelings moderates the persuasiveness of similar advisers, (2) advice-takers’ self-reported “feels right” experience while receiving the advice mediates this moderation, (3) persuasiveness of similar advisers is attenuated if advice-takers misattribute their “feels right” experience to a source other than the advice, (4) persuasiveness of similar advisers is attenuated when advice-takers already feel certain (vs. uncertain), and (5) the relationship between advice-takers’ self-reported “feels right” experience and adviser similarity is attenuated if advice-takers are instructed to avoid taking the adviser’s perspective.