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SP Thesis Final Version 7.23.18.pdf (615.92 KB)

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An exploration of cognitive reflection, identity threats, and directional information processing

Poulsen, Shannon
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1532001627639449

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Communication.
Are effortful thinkers more likely to process identity-threatening information accurately than those who tend to rely on their intuition? Or are they more likely to be biased? Extant literature finds a contradiction in that both outcomes occur. In this thesis, I examine a potential boundary condition to begin to reconcile these contradictory results. I predict that when threats are implicit, requiring substantial cognitive effort to detect, the amount of effortful, deliberate analysis, or cognitive reflection, will be associated with biased processing. Alternatively, when threats are explicit, cognitive reflection will not be associated with biased processing, as participants of all levels of cognitive reflection will detect threat and process information in a biased manner. I investigate this claim through an online quasi-experiment with a demographically diverse sample (N = 496). In the experiment, I examine whether cognitive reflection’s impact on biased processing is contingent on the explicitness of identity-threat. I find no support for a direct relationship between cognitive reflection and biased processing in the study, in contrast to the extant literature. Nor is there evidence of the predicted boundary condition: the relationship between cognitive reflection and biased processing does not appear to depend on the explicitness of identity-threatening information. I conclude by considering methodological and theoretical explanations for these unexpected results.
Robert Garrett, Dr. (Committee Chair)
Jason Coronel, Dr. (Committee Member)
133 p.
Communication
cognitive reflection, motivated reasoning, biased processing, information processing

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Poulsen, S. (2018). An exploration of cognitive reflection, identity threats, and directional information processing [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1532001627639449

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Poulsen, Shannon. An exploration of cognitive reflection, identity threats, and directional information processing. 2018. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1532001627639449.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Poulsen, Shannon. "An exploration of cognitive reflection, identity threats, and directional information processing." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1532001627639449

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1532001627639449
340
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.