Persuasion Knowledge Scale

What it measures

Measures consumers' knowledge of and ability to cope with persuasion attempts by marketers. Based on Friestad & Wright's (1994) Persuasion Knowledge Model, this scale captures how well consumers understand the tactics, motives, and effects of marketing persuasion. High persuasion knowledge is associated with scepticism toward advertising claims and greater resistance to influence attempts.

Response format

Likert (1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

• I know how advertising works to persuade people.
• I understand the tactics advertisers use to persuade consumers.
• I have a lot of experience with advertisers' persuasion tactics.
• I can tell when an advertiser is trying to get me to buy something.
• I can recognise when a salesperson is trying to influence me.
• I know why advertisers use certain appeals in their ads.
• I understand how marketers use different techniques to sell products.
• I can identify the persuasion tactics used in most advertisements.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

(R)=some items reverse-scored. Score = mean. Higher = greater persuasion knowledge. Widely used in research on native advertising, influencer disclosure, and targeted advertising. Persuasion knowledge moderates ad effectiveness — consumers with higher PK are more likely to discount persuasive messages when their persuasive intent is made salient.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Bearden, W.O., Hardesty, D.M., & Rose, R.L. (2001). Consumer self-confidence: Refinements in conceptualization and measurement. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(1), 121–134.

Keywords