A Meta-Analysis of the Functional Matching Effect Based on Functional Attitude Theory

The functional theory of attitudes (Katz, 1960 ) proposes that if persuasive messages target the reason why the audience possesses an attitude on that subject (the attitude's function) such messages will be more persuasive than if they target a different function. The "functional matching&...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Southern communication journal Vol. 77; no. 5; pp. 438 - 451
Main Author Carpenter, Christopher J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Memphis Taylor & Francis Group 01.11.2012
Southern States Communication Association
Subjects
Attitudes
Bias
Communication
Effects
Matching
Messages
Meta-analysis
Moderators
Persuasion
Theory
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Summary:The functional theory of attitudes (Katz, 1960 ) proposes that if persuasive messages target the reason why the audience possesses an attitude on that subject (the attitude's function) such messages will be more persuasive than if they target a different function. The "functional matching" effect was tested by meta-analyzing 16 articles, which reported 38 relationships between matching and persuasiveness and had a combined sample of 1,460. The functional matching effect was consistently strong across all moderators (r = .37). The use of the self-monitoring scale to identify functions produced a somewhat smaller effect than the average. Research employing other means of identifying attitude functions is called for. No evidence was found consistent with publication bias. Future directions for functional attitude theory research based on these results are discussed.
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ISSN:1041-794X
1930-3203
DOI:10.1080/1041794X.2012.699989