Heuristic processing can bias systematic processing: Effects of source credibility, argument ambiguity, and task importance on attitude judgment.

High- and low-task-importance Ss (367 undergraduates) read a strong or weak unambiguous message or an ambiguous message that was attributed to a high- or low-credibility source. Under low task importance, heuristic processing of the credibility cue was the sole determinant of Ss' attitudes, regardless of argument ambiguity or strength. When task importance was high and message content was unambiguous, systematic processing alone determined attitudes when this content contradicted the validity of the credibility heuristic; when message content did not contradict this heuristic, systematic, and heuristic processing determined attitudes independently. Finally, when task importance was high and message content was ambiguous, heuristic and systematic processing again both influenced attitudes. Yet, source credibility affected persuasion partly through its impact on the valence of systematic processing, confirming that heuristic processing can bias systematic processing when evidence is ambiguous. Implications for persuasion and other social judgment phenomena are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of personal values, perceived surveillance, and task labels on task preference: The ideology of turning play into work.

In Exp I, with 34 male and 26 female undergraduates, Ss who endorsed the work ethic spent more free-choice time performing the target activity that had been labeled as work than did Ss who opposed the work ethic. The effect was eliminated or reversed if the activity had been labeled as a leisure pastime. Exp II, with 19 male and 21 female undergraduates, demonstrated that the relation between personal values and task preference was mediated in some Ss by a belief that the experimenter would know what they did, whereas other Ss seemed unaffected by that belief. Implications for intrinsic motivation and for attitude-behavior consistency are discussed. In particular, "turning play into work" by means of explicit labels may increase intrinsic motivation among persons who truly value work. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Spatial and temporal information as cues in a time-sharing task.

Investigated the effects of directional and nondirectional cues on a task where 17 male undergraduates responded to moving visual stimuli that entered critical zones in each of 3 visual displays. Ss given directional cues that supplied spatial and temporal information performed significantly better than ss in the nondirectional group, who received only temporal cues, and a control group that did not receive any experimental cues. Furthermore, ss in the control group performed as well as ss given nondirectional cues. Thus, temporal cues did not lead to enhanced performance unless the display requiring attention was designated by a spatial cue. These data indicate that increased speed stress led to linear decrements in performance. (22 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Task cues, dominance cues, and influence in task groups.

Both basic and applied research indicates that women are generally seen as less competent and are less influential in task groups than men. Two studies were conducted, with both female and male speakers, to examine the effectiveness of influence attempts when displaying task cues (behaviors that imply ability or task competence) or dominance cues (attempts to influence or control through threat). Results indicated a significant positive effect of task cues on perceived competence and actual influence, whereas the display of dominance cues was ineffective in gaining status and influence and resulted in negative reactions from others. Furthermore, this pattern held for female and male speakers. These results suggest that the display of task cues is an effective means to enhance one's status in groups and that the attempt to gain influence in task groups through dominance is an ineffective and poorly received strategy for both men and women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of normative information on task performance.

80 undergraduates volunteered for a work simulation project requiring them to place ice cream labels on lids for pint ice cream containers. Normative information for Ss was presented either on a wall chart or by having on the table the actual work completed by a previous S. There was a relevant and an irrelevant chart (individual performance of 5 people vs aggregated weekly performance for 5 wks) and relevant and irrelevant completed works (lids completed by a previous S vs computer cards sorted by S in a previous experiment). 20 Ss performed in each of the 4 cells formed by crossing the chart and actual work conditions. Results show that actual work information had a significant positive effect on performance, while the chart did not. It is suggested that normative information results in some degree of arousal that is translated into increased attention to one's performance. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of anxiety on attentional allocation and task performance: an information processing analysis

An information processing signal detection methodology was employed to examine attentional allocation and its correlates in both normal comparison (NC) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participants. In particular, the impact of neutral distractor and negative feedback cues on performance of an attention vigilance task was investigated. Individuals with GAD (N = 15) evidenced impaired performance on an attention vigilance task relative to NC participants (N = 15) when neutral distractor cues were presented. Contrary to prediction, no group differences in performance were detected under conditions in which participants were presented negative feedback cues they were told were relevant to their performance. Instead, GAD participants exhibited improvement during the experimental task such that their performance was equivalent to NC participants. Across trials, the clinically anxious group endorsed significantly higher levels of worry and negative affectivity; however, they failed to respond with concomitant physical arousal (e.g. increased muscle tension). These data are discussed within the context of Eysenck and Calvo's (1992, Cognition and Emotion, 6, 409-434) processing efficiency theory. Additionally, the results of this investigation provide support for Barlow's (1988, Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic) conceptualization of anxiety as requiring the interaction of cognitive schema and physiological arousal.     

The effect of motivation of judgment depends on the difficulty of the judgment.

Three studies tested the hypothesis that high levels of motivation facilitate accurate judgments when judgments are relatively easy but debilitate judgments when judgments are relatively difficult. Each study focused on a different judgmental heuristic, and each made use of different motivation and task difficulty manipulations. In all 3 studies, high levels of motivation increased judgmental accuracy in the case of easy judgments and decreased judgmental accuracy in the case of difficult judgments. Theoretical implications and ecological limitations of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Positive and negative emotion enhances the processing of famous faces in a semantic judgment task.

Previous work has consistently reported a facilitatory influence of positive emotion in face recognition (e.g., D’Argembeau, Van der Linden, Comblain, & Etienne, 2003). However, these reports asked participants to make recognition judgments in response to faces, and it is unknown whether emotional valence may influence other stages of processing, such as at the level of semantics. Furthermore, other evidence suggests that negative rather than positive emotion facilitates higher level judgments when processing nonfacial stimuli (e.g., Mickley & Kensinger, 2008), and it is possible that negative emotion also influences latter stages of face processing. The present study addressed this issue, examining the influence of emotional valence while participants made semantic judgments in response to a set of famous faces. Eye movements were monitored while participants performed this task, and analyses revealed a reduction in information extraction for the faces of liked and disliked celebrities compared with those of emotionally neutral celebrities. Thus, in contrast to work using familiarity judgments, both positive and negative emotion facilitated processing in this semantic-based task. This pattern of findings is discussed in relation to current models of face processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Goal orientation and task demand effects on motivation, affect, and performance.

Two studies tested the joint effects of goal orientation and task demands on motivation, affect, and performance, examining different factors affecting task demands. In Study 1 (N?=?199), task difficulty was found to moderate the effect of goal orientation on performance and affect (i.e., satisfaction with performance). In Study 2 (N?≠&189), task consistency was found to moderate the effect of goal orientation on self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation. Results are discussed in relation to self-regulatory processes cued by goal orientations, attentional resource demands, and the need to match goal orientations to the nature of the task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality, motivation, and performance: A theory of the relationship between individual differences and information processing.

Presents a model to relate the personality dimensions of introversion–extraversion, achievement motivation, and anxiety to efficient cognitive performance. It is demonstrated how these personality dimensions in combination with situational moderators (e.g., success, failure, time pressure, incentives, time of day, stimulant drugs) affect the motivational constructs of arousal and effort. A general information-processing model that accounts for the systematic effects of these motivational states on certain task components (sustained information transfer and some aspect of short-term memory) is proposed. Empirical generalizations about task components in a structural model are combined, and testable predictions that differentiate alternative motivational hypotheses are derived. (132 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cooperative outcome interdependence, task reflexivity, and team effectiveness: A motivated information processing perspective.

A motivated information processing perspective (C. K. W. De Dreu & P. J. D. Carnevale, 2003; see also V. B. Hinsz, R. S. Tindale, & D. A. Vollrath, 1997) was used to predict that perceived cooperative outcome interdependence interacts with team-level reflexivity to predict information sharing, learning, and team effectiveness. A cross-sectional field study involving management and cross-functional teams (N = 46) performing nonroutine, complex tasks corroborated predictions: The more team members perceived cooperative outcome interdependence, the better they shared information, the more they learned and the more effective they were, especially when task reflexivity was high. When task reflexivity was low, no significant relationship was found between cooperative outcome interdependence and team processes and performance. The author concludes that the motivated information processing perspective is valid outside the confines of the laboratory and can be extended toward teamwork in organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of information about future interaction and peer's motivation on peer reward allocations.

Most equity studies dealing with children have defined inputs solely in terms of relative task performance. Yet in naturally occurring circumstances, children are presented with information about accomplishments in a context of other equally salient information. The present study determined what information 192 1st and 3rd graders weighted most heavily when formulating allocation decision rules. Ss allocated rewards to themselves and 2 unfamiliar players following a tower-building task. One player always constructed a shorter tower than the participant and the other player. Altruistic, aggressive, or no motivation information was attributed to the short-tower player. Half of the Ss anticipated future interaction with the players. It was hypothesized that both 1st and 3rd graders would utilize information concerning a peer's motivation in allocating rewards and that the prospect of future interaction would influence the use of the motivation information. Results corroborate the 1st hypothesis and indicate that prospect of future interaction information masked the effects of a peer's motivation for 3rd graders. First graders used this information only when no motivation information was given. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of task- and ego-achievement goals on information seeking during task engagement.

Two studies tested the proposal that information seeking is affected by achievement goals and by stages of skill acquisition (D. N. Ruble and K. S. Frey [1991]). 188 college students worked on problems in a task- or an ego-goal condition and could request task (best solutions), objective, normative, or no information after each. As expected, task-goal Ss requested more task information mainly for later problems. Ego-goal Ss made more normative requests also for early problems, and information requests were modified by skill level. These indications that self-assessment is accompanied by self-improvement concerns under task goals and by self-enhancing concerns under ego goals have implications for the debate between self-assessment and self-evaluation theories of information seeking and for research on help seeking and feedback effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between memory and judgment depends on whether the judgment task is memory-based or on-line.

Five alternative information processing models that relate memory for evidence to judgments based on the evidence are identified in the current social cognition literature: independent processing, availability, biased retrieval, biased encoding, and incongruity-biased encoding. A distinction between 2 types of judgment tasks, memory-based vs online, is introduced and is related to the 5 process models. In 3 experiments, using memory-based tasks where the availability model described Ss' thinking, direct correlations between memory and judgment measures were obtained. In a 4th experiment, using online tasks where any of the remaining 4 process models may apply, prediction of the memory–judgment relationship was equivocal but usually followed the independence model prediction of zero correlation. It is concluded that memory and judgment will be directly related when the judgment was based directly on the retrieval of evidence information in memory-based judgment tasks. (61 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of temperature, clothing, and task complexity on task performance and satisfaction.

Examined the effects of room temperature, clothing, and task complexity on task performance and satisfaction. 120 18–22 yr old male college students worked on either a mathematical problem-solving task or a collating task. Room temperature was maintained at either 65 or 78Φ during the task session. Ss were requested to wear either a suit (or sport coat), long sleeve shirt, and tie; or a short-sleeve shirt with no tie. Ss were administered the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. Results show that Ss wearing appropriate clothing for the temperature conditions showed higher levels of performance and satisfaction with the working condition than did those wearing inappropriate clothing, regardless of task complexity. Similar results were found for intrinsic task satisfaction only for the simpler task. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Heuristic versus systematic information processing and the use of source versus message cues in persuasion.

In Exp I, 183 undergraduates read a persuasive message from a likable or unlikable communicator who presented 6 or 2 arguments on 1 of 2 topics. High involvement (HI) Ss anticipated discussing the message topic at a future experimental session, whereas low-involvement (LI) Ss anticipated discussing a different topic. For HI Ss, opinion change was significantly greater given 6 arguments but was unaffected by communicator likability. For LI Ss, opinion change was significantly greater given a likable communicator but was unaffected by the argument's manipulation. In Exp II with 80 similar Ss, HI Ss showed slightly greater opinion change when exposed to 5 arguments from an unlikable (vs 1 argument from a likable) communicator, whereas LI Ss exhibited significantly greater persuasion in response to 1 argument from a likable (vs 5 arguments from an unlikable) communicator. Findings support the idea that HI leads message recipients to employ a systematic information processing strategy in which message-based cognitions mediate persuasion, whereas LI leads recipients to use a heuristic processing strategy in which simple decision rules mediate persuasion. Support was also obtained for the hypothesis that content- vs source-mediated opinion change would result in greater persistence. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accountability and judgment processes in a personality prediction task.

In this experiment, we investigated the impact of accountability—social pressures to justify one's views to others—on cognitive processing in a personality-prediction task. Subjects were presented with the responses of actual test-takers to 16 items from Jackson's Personality Research Form (PRF) and asked to predict how these individuals responded to an additional set of 16 items from the same test. Subjects were assigned to a no-accountability condition (they learned of the need to justify their responses before seeing the test-takers' PRF responses), and a postexposure-accountability condition (they learned of the need to justify their responses after seeing the test-takers' PRF responses). Preexposure-accountability subjects reported more integratively complex impressions of test-takers, made more accurate behavioral predictions, and reported more appropriate levels of confidence in their predictions than did either no-accountability or postexposure-accountability subjects. We conclude by considering possible psychological mediators of these effects as well as the broader theoretical implications of the findings for the development of contingency models of judgment and choice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of aptitudes, strategy training, and task facets on spatial task performance.

A pilot study, with 8 high school students, demonstrated that 3 item characteristics accounted for most of the variation in item difficulty in a paper-folding task: number of folds, number of obscured folds, and number of asymmetric folds. Retrospective reports suggested that Ss employed 2 strategies when attempting to solve these items: a visualization strategy and an analytic strategy. In the main experiment, these 2 strategies were demonstrated via motion picture models; 24 Ss received visualization training, and 24 received analytic training. Training effects of the demonstration films were compared with a performance feedback condition given to 8 Ss. All Ss performed 74 paper-folding items and 60 surface development transfer items following treatment. Error and latency data suggested that the treatments affected strategy selection and efficiency on both tasks. Treatment effects depended on item characteristics and response mode as well as on Ss' fluid-analytic/visualization and verbal abilities, as assessed by the Concept Mastery Test, WAIS Vocabulary test, and Raven Progressive Matrices. Sex differences were also noted, with verbal ability being important in the performance of females but not males. Implications for a process theory of human abilities are discussed. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of nicotine deprivation on alcohol-related information processing and drinking behavior.

This study examined the influence of smoking cues and nicotine deprivation on responses to alcohol among hazardous drinkers. Fifty-six daily smoking, hazardous drinkers were exposed to either smoking cues or control cues after either 6 hr of nicotine deprivation or no deprivation. Urges to drink alcohol, alcohol-related cognitive processing, and alcohol consumption were assessed after cue exposure. Results indicated that nicotine deprivation increased urges to drink, the accessibility of alcohol outcome expectancies, and the volume of alcohol consumed. There was little influence of the smoking cue manipulation on these processes. Implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying alcohol–tobacco interactions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interactive effects of situational judgment effectiveness and proactive personality on work perceptions and work outcomes.

This study was based on a sample of 139 employees. The results support the hypothesis that proactive personality (PAP) predicts work perceptions (procedural justice perception, perceived supervisor support, and social integration) and work outcomes (job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment, and job performance) positively among individuals with high situational judgment effectiveness (SJE) but negatively among those with low SJE. The findings on the disordinal SJE = PAP interaction effects show that high levels of PAP may be either adaptive or maladaptive, depending on the individual's level of SJE, and these findings caution against direct interpretations of bivariate associations between PAP and work-relevant criteria. Limitations and implications of the study as well as future research directions on the study of PAP and situational judgment are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)