Do rhetorical questions make arguments more or less persuasive?

80 undergraduates were exposed to arguments advocating supplemental vitamin use. Ending arguments with rhetorical questions (when compared with statements) resulted in more favorable attitudes towards vitamin use and a more favorable profile of questions generated about the message topic. The question profile, principally reflecting uncertainty concerning personal nutrition, mediated the attitudinal effect.

Source: “Question effects on question generation and the mediation of attitude change.” from Psychol Rep. 1994 Aug;75(1 Pt 1):209-10.

Join over 135,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email here.

Related posts:

How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails

How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips

New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful