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The Role of Attitude Extremity and Political Ideology in Effecting Change Versus Resistance Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2012 Attitudinal Responses to Mixed Evidence: The Role of Attitude Extremity and Political Ideology in Effecting Change versus Resistance Jessica Barber Virginia Commonwealth University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd Part of the Psychology Commons © The Author Downloaded from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/327 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ATTITUDINAL RESPONSES TO MIXED EVIDENCE: THE ROLE OF ATTITUDE EXTREMITY AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY IN EFFECTING CHANGE VERSUS RESISTANCE A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University By: JESSICA M. BARBER M.S., Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 B.S., Lebanon Valley College, 2007 Director: Natalie J. Shook, Ph.D. Title: Assistant Professor of Psychology Department of Psychology Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia April 2012 ii Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank several people. Thank you to Myles for his love, support, and unending patience during one of the most stressful, yet ultimately most rewarding, times of my life. Thank you to Natalie for her tireless dedication to my success, even from so far away. Thank you to Kris, who has talked me down from many a ledge and believes in me, even when I don’t. Thank you to my Shook Lab mates, who have been constant companions throughout the trials and tribulations of graduate school. Last but not least, thank you to my wonderful family, whose strength and love supports me always. iii Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................vi List of Figures ...............................................................................................................................vii Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................ix Introduction ....................................................................................................................................1 Political Ideology .................................................................................................................2 Personality differences ...............................................................................................3 Epistemic and existential motives ..............................................................................8 Sociopolitical orientations ..........................................................................................9 Rigidity of the right ..................................................................................................11 Ideological extremism ..............................................................................................14 Right-wing rigidity versus ideological extremity .....................................................19 Attitude Polarization: What Explains “When Persuasion Backfires”? ..............................22 Discussion-induced polarization ...............................................................................23 Thought-induced polarization ...................................................................................24 Information-induced polarization .............................................................................25 Biased assimilation in applied contexts ....................................................................33 Integrating Political Ideology and Attitude Polarization ....................................................38 Purpose and Aim of Present Studies ..................................................................................41 Hypotheses ..........................................................................................................................44 Study 1 ..........................................................................................................................................46 Hypotheses ..........................................................................................................................46 Method ................................................................................................................................48 Participants ...............................................................................................................48 Measures and Materials ............................................................................................49 Procedure ..................................................................................................................52 Results .................................................................................................................................52 Descriptive Statistics .................................................................................................53 Tests of Main Hypotheses .........................................................................................54 Conclusions .........................................................................................................................57 Study 2 ..........................................................................................................................................60 Hypotheses ..........................................................................................................................60 Method ................................................................................................................................62 Participants ...............................................................................................................62 Measures and Materials ............................................................................................63 Procedure ..................................................................................................................66 iv Results .................................................................................................................................66 Descriptive Statistics .................................................................................................66 Tests of Main Hypotheses .........................................................................................67 Accuracy as a Mediator of the Extremity-Polarization Relation ..............................72 Conclusions .........................................................................................................................74 Study 3 ..........................................................................................................................................78 Hypotheses ..........................................................................................................................79 Method ................................................................................................................................81 Participants ...............................................................................................................81 Measures and Materials ............................................................................................81 Procedure ..................................................................................................................85 Results .................................................................................................................................85 Descriptive Statistics .................................................................................................85 Tests of Main Hypotheses .........................................................................................87 Effects on difference scores ..........................................................................87 Effects on self-reported attitude change ........................................................88 Accuracy as a Mediator of the Extremity-Polarization Relation ..............................90 Mental Rigidity as a Mediator of the Ideology-Polarization Relation ......................90 Conclusions .........................................................................................................................91 Study 4 ..........................................................................................................................................96 Hypotheses ..........................................................................................................................96 Method ................................................................................................................................98 Online Data Collection .............................................................................................98 Participants ...............................................................................................................99 Measures and Materials ..........................................................................................100
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