Suppose that you hold a strong attitude against capital punishment and you are shown an essay that opposes your position.According to a study by Pomeranz,Chaiken,& Tordesillas (1995),you would be likely to perceive the essay arguments as
A) strong, but do not change your position.
B) strong, and slightly change your position.
C) weak, but nevertheless change your position.
D) weak, and do not change your position.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the study, individuals who hold strong attitudes are likely to process information in a biased manner, perceiving information that supports their existing beliefs as stronger and information that contradicts their beliefs as weaker. Therefore, individuals who hold a strong attitude against a particular issue, such as capital punishment, are likely to perceive arguments that oppose their position as weak and are unlikely to change their position. Therefore, the best choice is D, weak and do not change your position.

Suppose That You Hold a Strong Attitude Against Capital Punishment