Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Confirmatory bias in the evaluation of personality descriptions: positive test strategies and output interference
1Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College, University of London, London, England. psa01mfd@gold.ac.uk
Abstract:
The operation of confirmatory bias in the endorsement of personality descriptions was examined in 4 studies. Unlike M. F. Davies (1997), who provided only inferential evidence for the role of this bias, the present studies provided direct evidence through the experimental manipulation of supporting versus contradictory cognitions. Generating supporting thoughts resulted in greater acceptance whereas generating contradictory thoughts resulted in lower acceptance of personality descriptions. Supporting cognitions were found to be generated before contradictory cognitions in line with a positive test strategy but evidence was also found for an output interference effect (generating one type of thought interfered with the generation of the opposite type) and it was suggested that confirmatory bias is due to the operation of both mechanisms.
Related Concept Videos
Confirmation Biases
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Implicit Personality Theories
Strategies of Self-Presentation II: Self-Verification
Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
Self-Report Tests of Personality
