468 Part 4 Public Speaking
Persuasion Resistance ScaleAs you listen to other speakers (professors, parents, bosses, friends, classmates), you
often—consciously or unconsciously—assess their attempts to persuade you. The
extent to which you feel that your behavioral freedom is threatened or that your
choices are limited by their persuasive efforts is called your “resistance.” To determine
your level of resistance, read each statement that follows and indicate how much
you agree or disagree: 5 = strongly agree; 4 = agree; 3 = unsure; 2 = disagree, and 1 =
strongly disagree.1. I resist the attempts of others to influence me.
2. Being urged to change my views triggers a sense of resistance in me.
3. I find contradicting others stimulating.
4. When someone tries to persuade me, I usually think, “I’m going to do the exact
opposite.”
5. The thought of being dependent on others aggravates me.
6. I consider advice from others to be pushy.
7. I become frustrated when I am unable to make my own decision.
8. It irritates me when someone points out things that are obvious to me.
9. I become angry when others try to make choices for me.
10. Advice and recommendations usually induce me to do just the opposite.
11. I am content only when I make my own choices.
12. It makes me angry when another person is held up as a role model for me to
follow.
13. When someone tries to get me to do something, I resist.
14. It disappoints me to see others easily persuaded.
Add your numbers here: _____14–28: low resistance 29–55: medium resistance 56–70: high resistance
The higher your resistance, the less likely you are to be persuaded. You may even
strengthen an attitude that is contrary to the position of the person attempting to
persuade you, because you react so strongly to your choices and freedom being limited.
Lower resistance is associated with less perceived threat to your free will and more
willingness to change your point of view.
Source: Adapted from Hong & Faedda (1996).what about you?