The influence of negation and task complexity on illusory correlation.

In 3 experiments with a total of 463 undergraduates, signs, disorders, or both signs and disorders were negated. Exp I negated the disorder but resulted in no reduction in illusory correlation, measured several ways. Exp II replicated Exp I but informed Ss that some of them would be in a zero-relationship condition. Again, no reduction in illusory correlation was found. Exp III included conditions negating not only the disorder but also the sign and the sign and the disorder, and again no reduction due to negation was obtained. An additional experiment (153 Ss) manipulated the number of disorders per sign and resulted in significant effects due to complexity. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)