Who developed the analogy of inoculation in the context of mental persuasion?

The analogy of inoculation in the context of mental persuasion was developed by William McGuire. This concept is drawn from the idea of medical inoculation, where a small dose of a virus is introduced to build immunity against future infections. In the realm of psychology, McGuire proposed that exposing individuals to a weakened form of an argument can prepare them to counteract stronger versions of that argument later on. Essentially, just as a vaccine prepares the immune system to fight off illness, the inoculation theory suggests that individuals can develop resistance to persuasive messages if they are first exposed to a less potent form of those messages.

This concept has significant implications for understanding how attitudes can be defended against persuasion, as it highlights the value of preemptive exposure to counterarguments. This methodology is particularly relevant in fields such as marketing, communication, and psychology, where building resilience to persuasion is often a crucial goal.