%0 Electronic Article %A BROSIUS, HANS-BERND and BATHELT, ANKE %I SAGE Publications %D 1994 %D 1994 %G English %@ 0093-6502 %@ 1552-3810 %~ Katalog der Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig %T The Utility of Exemplars in Persuasive Communications %V 21 %J Communication Research %V 21 %N 1 %P 48-78 %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009365094021001004 %X Media accounts typically employ two types of information: (a) general statements about the range or importance of a problem (base-rate information), and (b) illustrative individual cases (exemplars) that are less valid but more vivid. A review of the psychological literature on judgments leads to the general hypothesis that the perception of a problem is influenced primarily by the quality and distribution of exemplars. In a series of five experiments, the researchers varied the number and quality of exemplars and their consistency with the base-rate information for several journalistic stories. The results indicate that base-rate information had almost no impact whereas exemplars had a strong effect on the perceived distribution of public opinion about story problems. Exemplars also had a moderate impact on subjects' personal opinions about the problem. Implications for communication research and journalistic practice are discussed. %Z https://katalog.ub.uni-leipzig.de/Record/ai-49-aHR0cDovL2R4LmRvaS5vcmcvMTAuMTE3Ny8wMDkzNjUwOTQwMjEwMDEwMDQ %U https://katalog.ub.uni-leipzig.de/Record/ai-49-aHR0cDovL2R4LmRvaS5vcmcvMTAuMTE3Ny8wMDkzNjUwOTQwMjEwMDEwMDQ