The effects of eating restraint and speaker characteristics on the processing of a weight -related message

The purpose of this study was to determine how differences in listener (i.e., participants' eating restraint level) and speaker (i.e., body weight and expertise) characteristics affect the following: evaluation of the speaker, evaluation of an anti-dieting message, cognitive processing of the message, and the persuasiveness of the message and speaker. One hundred and six undergraduates listened to an audiotaped anti-dieting message while viewing a photograph of a speaker who was either underweight or overweight and an expert or nonexpert. Participants completed a thought-listing task and measures that assessed their evaluations and persuasiveness ratings of the message and speaker. Overweight speakers were rated as more trustworthy and favorable than underweight speakers. No differences were found with respect to speaker or listener characteristics for cognitive processing of the message or persuasiveness of the message or speaker. Implications for the utility and application of the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion in the treatment of disordered eating are discussed.