Group Grades:

Things to think about:

- attendance

- follow-through

- contribution of ideas

- cooperation (includes respecting, listening to other group members)

 

Provide justification for points you gave each group member

Turn in class after presentation

 

Ross, Lepper, Strack & Steinmetz, 1977

Study 1:

Control condition --

read Acase history,@

then rate likelihood of 5 outcomes

Explanation condition (2 version) --

read same case history,

then asked to explain either: suicide outcome or peace corps outcome

then told outcome actually not known

finally, rate likelihood of 5 outcomes.

Dependent Variable: likelihood rating of outcome

Found explaining an outcome increases likelihood estimate of explained outcome.

Study 2: Half subjects explain outcomes; other half explain hypothetical outcomes

Study 3: Additional outcomes tested; increases generalizability of results

 

Gilbert (1991)

To understand a statement requires temporarily believing it.


Descartes= model
: Comprehend, then accept or reject

Gilbert=s/Spinoza=s model: Comprehend and accept

[possibility for interruption]

AUnbelieve,@ if necessary; ACertify@ if not.

 

Descartes= system:

comprehension is passive (automatic)

belief and unbelief require effort

Gilbert/Spinoza=s system:

comprehension brings (at least temporary) belief

unbelieving requires effort

 

Both models yield same result under ideal circumstances: reject belief

However, under non-ideal circumstances, Gilbert/Spinoza=s model predicts bias to believe.

 

Gilbert, Krull, & Malone (1990) -- Hopi translations study

cognitive load -- condition under which people=s mental processing is taxed, usually because they are attending to an additional task.

lab manipulations (examples):

- subjects count backwards by odd number (e.g., 7)

- keep a multi-digit number in mind, or respond to a stimulus periodically.


Examples from study:

No load:

A twyrin is a doctor.

False.

Load:

A twyrin is a doctor.

[BUZZ!]

False.

Most errors: mistakenly called words that had been previously labelled false under cog. load as true

 

Wegner, Coulton, & Wenzlaff (1985) --

people influenced by information even when told in advance it is false