Evaluating The Believability of Sequential Arguments

Earlier research points out that sequential causal arguments judged as technically correct may still be unpersuasive. The current research examines a possible reason for this: the framework an individual uses to assess an argument. The results demonstrate that people examine an argument and determine whether or not to assent based on the quality of the justification provided. These justifications do not reside in the structure of the argument but in the content of the argument and the interaction of the content with the belief system of the message receiver.