Attitude inoculation involves:

Attitude inoculation is a psychological technique aimed at making individuals resistant to persuasion by exposing them to weak forms of opposing arguments. This process prepares individuals to counter stronger arguments they may encounter in the future. By engaging with these mild challenges to their attitudes, they can strengthen their existing beliefs and develop counter-arguments, which enhances their resilience against future persuasive attempts.

This method is analogous to a vaccination where a small, harmless exposure helps the body to build a defense against more serious threats later on. In this context, the exposure to opposing viewpoints is structured in a way that allows individuals to critically analyze and reinforce their own attitudes, rather than simply accepting new ones based on peer pressure or majority influence.

This understanding allows individuals to be better equipped to maintain their beliefs in the face of more persuasive or confrontational arguments, distinguishing this approach from merely reinforcing existing attitudes through consensus or developing new attitudes. The focus is primarily on the strategic exposure to counter-arguments, not on filtering information or promoting majority views.