Abstract

<jats:p> Compliance in opinions was recorded for 96 students who were individually exposed to an influence procedure enacted by a partner of either superior or subordinate status. During three influence trials, the partner expressed consistently either conventional or unconventional opinions to some students. For others, he shifted in extreme viewpoint, thus contradicting himself from trial to trial. The status identity of the influencing partner and the consistency-inconsistency in expression of attitude were defined as independent dimensions of source trustworthiness. As such, the identity variable was more effective in shaping Ss' opinions than was the sequential content variable. Loss of influence due specifically to the inconsistency factor occurred initially with high status and later with low status partners. </jats:p>