The persistence of experimentally induced cognitive change: A neglected dimension in the assessment of drug prevention programs

Abstract

Evaluations of alcohol education programs employing social psychological principles in an attempt to persuade subjects to adopt a favorable attitude toward responsible alcohol use have been mixed-some show attitude change while others find no significant impact. This inconsistency in the research literature may be a joint result of an unsystematic implementation of factors known to influence persuasion, and a neglect to study the persistence of experimentally induced attitude change. The present study, though a randomized split-plot design, sought to provide data relevant to a partial resolution of these inconsistencies. The results indicated that knowledge retention was greater under conditions of a 'credible' communicator and under conditions of 'low' fear appeal and, that these effects persisted through time. The findings regarding attitude change were somewhat disappointing-no significant differences were found upon post-experimental assessment and no significant differences emerged with the passage of time. The absence of a measurable impact on attitudes may reflect the fact that only a one week follow-up was used. If greater time spans were employed, real differences may emerge through the 'sleeper effect'. Given this likelihood, it is suggested that future research efforts incorporate the persistence factor in their statistical designs, thereby providing a firmer basis for assessing the true impact of alcohol education programs on altered cognitions and internalized attitudes.