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The impact of accuracy motivation on interpretation, comparison, and correction processes: accuracy x knowledge
D A Stapel1, W Koomen, M Zeelenberg
1Department of Social Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. spstapel@macmail.psy.uva.nl
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|May 7, 1998
Summary
Accuracy motivation can reduce assimilation effects but not contrast effects from primed information. Different mechanisms explain how accuracy goals and correction instructions influence judgment.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Perceivers are influenced by incidentally activated information.
- Accuracy motivation can mitigate some of these effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the boundaries of accuracy motivation's influence on processing primed information.
- To differentiate the effects of accuracy motivation versus explicit correction instructions.
Main Methods:
- Four studies were conducted.
- Participants' accuracy motivations and responses to primed information were measured.
Main Results:
- Accuracy motivation attenuated assimilation effects but not contrast effects.
- Correction instructions, unlike accuracy motivation, prompted contrast.
- Accuracy motivation involved adding interpretations, while correction involved removing influence.
Conclusions:
- Accuracy motivation has limits in overcoming accessibility effects.
- Distinct psychological mechanisms underlie accuracy motivation and correction instructions.