Cited by 210Psychology of Social InfluenceSocial and Intergroup PsychologyNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Brain mechanisms of persuasion: how ‘expert power’ modulates memory and attitudes

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Klucharev, Vasily, Smidts, Ale, Fernández, Guillén·2008·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

Abstract

Human behaviour is affected by various forms of persuasion. The general persuasive effect of high expertise of the communicator, often referred to as 'expert power', is well documented. We found that a single exposure to a combination of an expert and an object leads to a long-lasting positive effect on memory for and attitude towards the object. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we probed the neural processes predicting these behavioural effects. Expert context was associated with distributed left-lateralized brain activity in prefrontal and temporal cortices related to active semantic elaboration. Furthermore, experts enhanced subsequent memory effects in the medial temporal lobe (i.e. in hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus) involved in memory formation. Experts also affected subsequent attitude effects in the caudate nucleus involved in trustful behaviour, reward processing and learning. These results may suggest that the persuasive effect of experts is mediated by modulation of caudate activity resulting in a re-evaluation of the object in terms of its perceived value. Results extend our view of the functional role of the dorsal striatum in social interaction and enable us to make the first steps toward a neuroscientific model of persuasion.

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  • Value signals in the striatum appear to reflect how much advice changes our opinion (e.g., valuing an option more highly after it is endorsed by an expert).

    “b) how much the advice changes our opinion (e.g., valuing an option more highly after it is endorsed by an expert) 50, 51”

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Authors
Klucharev, V., Smidts, A., & Fernández, G.
Affiliations
Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
Venue
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Published
2008-08-07
Volume
3
Issue
4
Pages
353-366
ISSN
  • 1749-5016 (ISSN-L)
  • 1749-5024
OpenAlex
W1942325435
Cited by
210
References
84
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 15
FWCI
19.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • ERIM Report Series Research in Management (submittedVersion)
  • SSRN Electronic Journal (submittedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • RePub (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychology of Social Influence
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
persuasion, expert power, attitude change, memory enhancement, caudate nucleus, dorsal striatum, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, medial temporal lobe, semantic elaboration, trust, reward processing, social interaction
MeSH terms
Association Learning, Attitude, Brain, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Memory, Oxygen, Persuasive Communication, Photic Stimulation, Young Adult

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