Leigh Ann Vaughn

Reducing the Expression of Racial Prejudice

We conducted two experiments designed to evaluate the effects of normative influence on reactions to racism. The current problem of racism on college campuses provided the context for these studies. We found that exposure to strongly antiracist normative influence induced the expression of more strongly antiracist opinions, regardless of the number of influencing agents and regardless of whether persons expressed their opinions publicly or privately, than occurred following exposure to normative influence reflecting strong acceptance of racism. Overhearing others voice opinions that reflect strong acceptance of racism led persons to express less strongly antiracist opinions than when no influence was exerted.

Causal uncertainty and correction of judgments

Abstract We examined whether raising uncertainty about the causes of one’s judgments motivates correction. Specifically, we examined whether activating chronically accessible causal uncertainty (CU) beliefs with a conditional warning about possible bias enhances correction of weather judgments for tropical weather primes and of word frequency judgments for the availability bias. In two studies we showed that activating chronic beliefs led to careful correction of target judgments. Moreover, Study 2 revealed that chronically high-CU individuals who received a conditional warning felt more uncertain than did other participants, but that this uncertainty was suppressed somewhat by adjusting for the bias. Results are discussed in light of recent models of judgment correction (e.g., Wegener & Petty, 1997 ), and the causal uncertainty model ( Weary & Edwards, 1996 ).

Infant reaching to a hidden affordance : Evidence for intentionality

Abstract To act on an affordance requires discovery and motoric regulation by sensory information. To act on a “hidden affordance” additionally implies a response based on previously presented sensory information not present at the time of the activity. It is argued that to act on a hidden affordance provides evidence for intentionality. In Study 1, we examined infant perception of a hidden affordance by measuring responses before and after tasting a sweet or a bitter object. Participants were 38 infants, aged 2.5–5.8 months. We found that the proportion of post-tasting reaches, but not kicks, was higher for a sweet than a bitter object. To determine awareness of the particular object, participants in Study 2 tasted a different object. Twenty infants 2.3 to 5.6 months of age were tested. In this study, the post-tasting proportion of reaches and kicks did not differ by taste condition. Thus, infants show reaching behavior influenced by a hidden affordance, suggesting intentionality.

Effects of uncertainty on use of the availability of heuristic for self‐efficacy judgments

Under conditions of higher or lower uncertainty, college students recalled three or eight ways to improve exam performance and then estimated their likelihood of getting As on their easiest and hardest finals. Results supported the hypothesis that the availability heuristic is used only under conditions of uncertainty. Copyright