Effects of Affirmation and Acceptance on Incorporation of Opposing Information in Problem-Solving

Summary In an experiment on the way effective problem-solvers discuss opposing opinions to understand and incorporate their ideas, 33 college men and women discussed a dilemma with confederates (Cs) who took an opposing view. In the affirmation condition, Cs positively evaluated Ss' competence. In the acceptance condition, Cs minimized evaluative comments but indicated the other was arguing in a reasonable manner. In the disconfirmation condition, Ss were informed they were ineffective. Compared to the affirmation and acceptance conditions, disconfirmation resulted in uncertainty about the correctness of one's views, closed-mindedness toward opposing information, lack of interest in learning the other's position, misunderstanding the other's reasoning, unwillingness to incorporate the other's arguments, and dislike for the other.