Report
Implications of Attitude Change Theories for Numerical Anchoring: Anchor Plausibility and the Limits of Anchor Effectiveness,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1006/jesp.2000.1431Get rights and content

Abstract

Effects of extreme versus moderate numerical anchors are investigated. Similar to past results in attitude change, three separate data collections show that extreme anchors can have less influence on judgments than more moderate anchors. Though difficult to account for using traditional “anchor-and-adjust” and recent “selective accessibility” views, the findings are consistent with theories of attitude change. Implications of an attitude-change view of numerical anchoring are discussed.

References (42)

  • R.M. Baron et al.

    The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations

    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

    (1986)
  • S. Bochner et al.

    Communicator discrepancy, source credibility, and opinion change

    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

    (1966)
  • R.F. Bornstein

    Exposure and affect: Overview and meta-analysis of research, 1968–1987

    Psychological Bulletin

    (1989)
  • G.B. Chapman et al.

    The limits of anchoring

    Journal of Behavioral Decision Making

    (1994)
  • A.H. Eagly et al.

    Width of the latitude of acceptance as a determinant of attitude change

    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

    (1972)
  • K. Edwards et al.

    A disconfirmation bias in the evaluation of arguments

    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

    (1996)
  • A.G. Greenwald et al.

    Measuring individual differences in implicit cognition: The implicit association test

    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

    (1998)
  • C.I. Hovland et al.

    The influence of source credibility on communication effectiveness

    Public Opinion Quarterly

    (1951)
  • C.A. Insko et al.

    Communicator discrepancy, stimulus ambiguity, and influence

    Journal of Personality

    (1966)
  • K.E. Jacowitz et al.

    Measures of anchoring in estimation tasks

    Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

    (1995)
  • Cited by (0)

    The results of Experiments 1A and 1B were presented at the 1995 meeting of the American Psychological Society, New York, NY. The authors appreciate comments on this work by the 1998–1999 Social Cognition Lab Group at Purdue University, the 1995–1997 Health and Emotions Lab Group at Yale University, and the 1995–1998 Group for Attitudes and Persuasion at Ohio State University.

    ☆☆

    Address correspondence and reprint requests to Duane T. Wegener, Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1364. E-mail: [email protected] or to Richard E. Petty, Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1885 Neil Avenue Mall, Columbus, OH 43210-1222. E-mail: [email protected].

    View full text