Elastic shifts of opinion: Determinants of direction and durability.

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Abstract
Examined the effects of differential outcome contingencies on the operation of anticipatory position shifts in 2 studies with 81 female high school seniors and 125 undergraduates. Ss were found to shift their positions on an issue while they were expecting to engage an opponent in a discussion of that issue. As predicted, it was possible to influence the size and direction of such anticipatory shifts by manipulating the personal relevance of the discussion topic and the timing of the discussion onset. Shifts could also be nullified by canceling the expectation of discussion. Results are taken to support a general formulation of anticipatory shifts as strategic responses to immediate situational pressures rather than genuine changes in attitude. It was also found that the durability of anticipatory change was associated with the tendency to engage in cognitive activity supportive of the change. The possibility is discussed that most attitude-change studies have not involved attitude shifts but rather the elastic shifts obtained in the present experiments. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

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