The Persuasive Effect of Journalistic Storytelling: Experiments on the Portrayal of Exemplars in the News

Abstract

This study aims to deepen our understanding of the persuasive effects of exemplars in the news by addressing the role of character depiction. Exemplification theory and narrative persuasion research are integrated to shed light on the psychological mechanisms mediating the persuasive effect. Two replicative field experiments (N = 389) were conducted manipulating the depiction of the character within a print news article in three factor levels (no exemplification, external view, and internal view). Regardless of the depiction of the character, presence of an exemplar increased narrative involvement that mediated indirect effects on message-consistent attitudes and behavioral intentions.