Glossary / Lexicon

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Sleeper in the psychology context, often referred to as the sleeper effect, is a phenomenon where a message or information initially has little to no persuasive impact on an individual but becomes more influential over time. This effect is usually observed in situations where the message is accompanied by a discounting cue, such as a dubious source or weak argument, which initially undermines its persuasiveness. Over time, however, the association with the discounting cue diminishes, and the message gains influence, seemingly "sneaking up" on the individual.

Description

The sleeper effect was first identified in studies of persuasion and attitude change. It describes how people can gradually become persuaded by information they initially dismissed or considered unreliable. For example, if someone hears a persuasive argument from a source they distrust, like a biased news outlet or an untrustworthy spokesperson, they might initially reject the argument. Over time, as the specific details of the source fade from memory, the core message may linger and start to influence their beliefs or attitudes.

The effect relies on the differential decay of message content and the discounting cue. While the impact of the source or cue that undermined the message diminishes, the message itself remains and gains credibility because it is no longer tied to the discrediting information. This delayed persuasion is counterintuitive because, typically, the credibility of the source is a key factor in immediate persuasion.

Sleeper effects have implications in various fields, including advertising, propaganda, public health messaging, and interpersonal communication. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for recognising how information can shape attitudes and beliefs over time, even when initially discredited.

Application Areas

Sleeper effects are relevant in several psychological and social contexts, including:

1. Advertising and Marketing: Advertisers may rely on messages that initially seem unconvincing but could become persuasive over time as the source becomes less memorable.
2. Political Communication: Political campaigns might use persuasive arguments from controversial sources, expecting that, over time, the message's impact will grow as the association with the source fades.
3. Public Health Messaging: In efforts to change public behaviour, such as promoting vaccinations or healthy lifestyles, messages might initially be resisted due to mistrust but could gain acceptance over time.
4. Social Influence and Persuasion: The sleeper effect can play a role in social interactions, where initially dismissed advice or opinions from others become influential later.
5. Propaganda and Misinformation: The sleeper effect can make misinformation particularly dangerous, as individuals may eventually accept false claims despite initial scepticism.

Well-Known Examples

1. Propaganda in Wartime: During World War II, some propaganda messages were initially dismissed due to the untrustworthy sources delivering them. However, over time, the core messages persisted and influenced public opinion even after the source was forgotten.
2. Negative Political Campaigns: Attack ads against political candidates often feature discounting cues, such as biased commentators. Initially, these ads may be dismissed, but over time, the negative messages can stick.
3. Advertising from Disliked Celebrities: An advertisement featuring a disliked celebrity may not immediately persuade viewers. However, the message about the product may still influence purchasing decisions later as the celebrity endorsement is forgotten.
4. Public Health Warnings: Early resistance to public health warnings from distrusted authorities (e.g., during the COVID-19 pandemic) may diminish over time, leading to eventual acceptance of the underlying health messages.

Treatment and Risks

In psychological practice, understanding the sleeper effect can be important when addressing misinformation or harmful beliefs that clients may have internalised over time. For example, in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), therapists may work with clients to critically evaluate and reframe beliefs that have gradually taken hold due to repeated exposure to unreliable sources.

A risk associated with the sleeper effect is that it can lead to the internalisation of false or harmful information, especially in an era of widespread misinformation through social media and other digital platforms. Recognising this effect underscores the need for ongoing media literacy and critical thinking education to help individuals better assess the credibility of information they encounter.

Similar Terms

• Persuasion: The process of changing someone’s beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours through communication.
• Attitude Change: The shift in a person's perspective or stance on a particular issue, which can occur immediately or over time.
• Credibility Decay: The gradual reduction in the impact of the source's credibility on the persuasiveness of a message.
• Misinformation: False or misleading information that can become persuasive over time, partly due to the sleeper effect.

Summary

The sleeper effect in psychology describes how messages initially perceived as unconvincing due to discounting cues, such as unreliable sources, can gain persuasive power over time. This phenomenon highlights the importance of understanding the long-term impact of information on beliefs and attitudes, especially in contexts like advertising, political communication, and public health. Recognising the sleeper effect can help individuals and professionals mitigate its potential risks, such as the unintended acceptance of misinformation.

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