Open-minded cognition: The attitude justification effect

• Autores: Chase Wilson, Victor Ottati, Erika Price
• Localización: Journal of Positive Psychology, ISSN-e 1743-9779, Vol. 12, Nº. 1, 2017, págs. 47-58
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • AbstractAlthough open-mindedness is generally valued, people are not equally open-minded in all situations. Open-mindedness is viewed as socially desirable when individuals encounter viewpoints that are compatible with conventional social norms. However, open-mindedness is viewed in less desirable terms when individuals encounter viewpoints that undermine these norms. The perceived desirability of open-mindedness is also influenced by the individual?s personal attitudinal convictions. Individuals ?inflate? the normative appropriateness of open-mindedness when it serves to reinforce their convictions, but devalue the normative appropriateness of open-mindedness when it serves to contradict these convictions. Conversely, normative prohibition of closed-mindedness is exaggerated when a closed-minded orientation threatens the individual?s personal attitudinal convictions, but is minimized (or reversed) when a closed-minded orientation reinforces these convictions. Paradoxically, the perceived appropriateness of open-mindedness is engendered (at least in part) by the motivation to confirm one?s prior attitudinal convictions. Evidence of this attitude justification effect is obtained in two experiments.