Does a First Bias that goes against the Correct Normative Answer Persist?
Summary
The current study tested whether a first bias that goes against the normative correct answer persists in a free sampling phase. The current study presented participants with two options and aimed to induce a bias towards a supposedly better option using a pseudocontingency. According to pseudocontingency theory, participants are expected to form inferences by associating the frequent option and the frequent outcome, and the infrequent option and infrequent outcome. If a bias was successfully induced, we hypothesized that participants would not overcome their initial bias even though they were faced with a clear normative correct answer. The results showed that the current study failed to induce an initial bias towards the supposedly better option. Because of this, there was no maintenance towards this supposedly better but actually worse option during the free sampling phase. Instead participants did not show a preference for either options. Based on the current study’s results, future research is encouraged to continue exploring the boundary conditions in which a first bias is upheld even during repeated interactions.