This thesis is an empirical and theoretical investigation of choice blindness, in particular in the domain of political attitudes. Choice blindness is a cognitive phenomenon in which people do not notice dramatic mismatches between what they choose and what they get while still offering seemingly introspective arguments to explain their (putative) choice. In four papers, it is demonstrated that the effect also applies to salient political attitudes and evaluations of political candidates. All studies took place in close connection to real elections, and new tools building of the underlying choice blindness methodology has been developed to collect the data. Further, the potential downstream effects are explored, such as influence on voting intentions, and lasting attitude changes. The potential mechanisms behind the effect are also investigated and confabulatory reasoning stands out as an important part in facilitating the observed attitude changes.
Polarization is increasing in American politics and frequently involves disagreement over basic facts. Although this phenomenon is rare, the domain of social and political issues provides an environment where emotions may influence opinions and decisions in seemingly irrational ways. This research explores how individuals judge and respond to evidence about controversial socio-political issues, considering whether behavior is more appropriately modeled by accounts of motivated reasoning or Bayesian updating rules.We find evidence of an attitude congruency bias, where people judge information to be of higher quality when it aligns with their existing attitudes on an issue. However, we find that this bias does not necessarily lead to polarizing. Instead, people's change in attitudes is better described by Bayesian updating, where people are sensitive to the amount and quality of information they are presented with. This behavior does not seem to be driven by affect or knowledge in a domain.Judgment of information, in the form of argument rating, was analyzed by creating separate measures of objective argument quality and individual rating bias. Both factors were found to model attitude change, indicating that participants are sensitive to both the objective quality of evidence and to the effects of their own biases. Accounts of Bayesian information processing and motivated reasoning both predict behavior when information is modeled in terms of these two factors.Finally, this research explores the role of information choice and shows that a bias toward choosing attitude-congruent information may lead to motivated attitude change, where exposure to a biased set of evidence models attitude change in line with one's existing views. People exhibit more sensitivity to information quality when they do not choose which information to view, indicating that choice may play a special role in allowing individual bias to outweigh information quality. These findings inspire questions about the role of curated information and people's capacity for rational behavior in a tense political climate.
Although there are several attitude resistance techniques, attitude inoculation most effectively serves the purpose of withstanding attacks from conflicting arguments.[1] Inoculation treatment methods are comparable to that of medical vaccination, where a patient is exposed to a small, weakened dose of a pathogen. In this case, the pathogen is simply a counter-argument offered against an advertisement claim aimed at attitude change.[2] These techniques are typically tested within a political domain, rarely in a commercial context. In this research the effects of inoculation treatments are investigated. We find that strong counter-arguments initially have a strong impact on an existing attitude, but their effect quickly dissipates. However, weaker counter-arguments, although initially not as effective as strong, are shown to be more influential over a longer period of time. Attention is also given to potential moderators of this main effect.
Though deliberative theory has a bias toward rigorous argument and democratic social relations, it presumes that an ideal discursive process otherwise has a neutral stance with respect to particular ideologies and cultural values. This essay provides a preliminary test of that assumption by examining attitude change across a wide range of Deliberation Polls held across the globe. We analyzed 65 questionnaire statements on which Poll participants significantly changed their views on a wide variety of issues. By coding each of these survey items on various value dimensions, we were able to look for any obvious patterns of attitude change. Despite its small size and the exclusion of items showing no attitude change, this sample showed that Poll respondents tend to move toward more cosmopolitan, egalitarian, and collectivist value orientations. Further analysis showed the strongest value-laden shifts were on empirical statements, with public opinion on such questions shifting moderately toward cosmopolitan and collectivist beliefs. The conclusion considers the implications of these findings for deliberative theory, research, and practice.
Humans share their biology with other animals and in each of their actions should consider the consequences for all life. A series of measures can be taken by governments and individuals that would minimise inter-specific transfer of pathogens from wildlife and reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Though deliberative theory has a bias toward rigorous argument and democratic social relations, it presumes that an ideal discursive process otherwise has a neutral stance with respect to particular ideologies and cultural values. This essay provides a preliminary test of that assumption by examining attitude change across a wide range of Deliberation Polls held across the globe. We analyzed 65 questionnaire statements on which Poll participants significantly changed their views on a wide variety of issues. By coding each of these survey items on various value dimensions, we were able to look for any obvious patterns of attitude change. Despite its small size and the exclusion of items showing no attitude change, this sample showed that Poll respondents tend to move toward more cosmopolitan, egalitarian, and collectivist value orientations. Further analysis showed the strongest value-laden shifts were on empirical statements, with public opinion on such questions shifting moderately toward cosmopolitan and collectivist beliefs. The conclusion considers the implications of these findings for deliberative theory, research, and practice.
In November, 2002, a randomly sampled body of citizens was brought together to participate in a deliberative poll on the issue of a bill of rights. Participation in deliberative polls is thought to cause attitude change and an increased sense of political engagement, but the underlying processes are little understood. We surveyed poll participants before and after the poll, proposing that either exposure to information, fair treatment or identification as a poll participant would predict attitude change and engagement. None of these affected attitude change but all three predicted political engagement. Results suggested that participation in the poll increases levels of political engagement through its capacities to (a) give people an opportunity to exchange views in a respectful atmosphere and (b) create or increase a sense of connection to a relevant social group.
In November, 2002, a randomly sampled body of citizens was brought together to participate in a deliberative poll on the issue of a bill of rights. Participation in deliberative polls is thought to cause attitude change and an increased sense of political engagement, but the underlying processes are little understood. We surveyed poll participants before and after the poll, proposing that either exposure to information, fair treatment or identification as a poll participant would predict attitude change and engagement. None of these affected attitude change but all three predicted political engagement. Results suggested that participation in the poll increases levels of political engagement through its capacities to (a) give people an opportunity to exchange views in a respectful atmosphere and (b) create or increase a sense of connection to a relevant social group.
The purpose of this paper is to present and analyse current level of management, innovation and technological practices of FBiH´s forest management companies (FMC) and suggest new innovative technologies and management concepts. Qualitative methods are used to present and analyse data. Research was performed in two stages: first step was literature, government reports and FMCs sustainability reports review. The second step was an analysis of data from reviewing surveys, reports and data driven from direct communication with the company's management. Five leading FMCs in wood industry of BiH are selected. The paper is the first attempt to examine the development of management, innovation and technological practices in order to fully develop their potential in the future.
This work deals with women's approach to career planning development change. As a 30 years ago woman had planned a career and how a young woman today is planning her careers. The aim of the study is to set woman attitudes change in career development opportunities. Therefore the following goals have been set: 1. Describe women's career and career planning concepts. 2. Describe the concept of career women in influencing the social context of 30 years ago and now. 3. Identify women's approach to career development opportunities 30 years ago and now. The paper starts with the theoretical background to identify woman's career conception. Describe how in non-fiction different authors write about woman's career, what career models of release. Also describe career planning concept, models, which is the best to talk about woman's career. In this part of the work is delineating social context which influence women's attitude in career planning 30 years ago and now. The present study presents the results of the interview with women's to which 30 years ago was 20 -30 years and with women's to which now is 20 -30 years. After empirical investigation was identify that elder women and young women understand career similarly, because exclude similar elements which helps to identify career concepts. The same way in the interview attended women understand and career planning. But how they understand career depends on social politic and economic politic, which dominate 30 years ago and which is now. It means that women's career is different from each other, but women understand it similar.
This work deals with women's approach to career planning development change. As a 30 years ago woman had planned a career and how a young woman today is planning her careers. The aim of the study is to set woman attitudes change in career development opportunities. Therefore the following goals have been set: 1. Describe women's career and career planning concepts. 2. Describe the concept of career women in influencing the social context of 30 years ago and now. 3. Identify women's approach to career development opportunities 30 years ago and now. The paper starts with the theoretical background to identify woman's career conception. Describe how in non-fiction different authors write about woman's career, what career models of release. Also describe career planning concept, models, which is the best to talk about woman's career. In this part of the work is delineating social context which influence women's attitude in career planning 30 years ago and now. The present study presents the results of the interview with women's to which 30 years ago was 20 -30 years and with women's to which now is 20 -30 years. After empirical investigation was identify that elder women and young women understand career similarly, because exclude similar elements which helps to identify career concepts. The same way in the interview attended women understand and career planning. But how they understand career depends on social politic and economic politic, which dominate 30 years ago and which is now. It means that women's career is different from each other, but women understand it similar.
This work deals with women's approach to career planning development change. As a 30 years ago woman had planned a career and how a young woman today is planning her careers. The aim of the study is to set woman attitudes change in career development opportunities. Therefore the following goals have been set: 1. Describe women's career and career planning concepts. 2. Describe the concept of career women in influencing the social context of 30 years ago and now. 3. Identify women's approach to career development opportunities 30 years ago and now. The paper starts with the theoretical background to identify woman's career conception. Describe how in non-fiction different authors write about woman's career, what career models of release. Also describe career planning concept, models, which is the best to talk about woman's career. In this part of the work is delineating social context which influence women's attitude in career planning 30 years ago and now. The present study presents the results of the interview with women's to which 30 years ago was 20 -30 years and with women's to which now is 20 -30 years. After empirical investigation was identify that elder women and young women understand career similarly, because exclude similar elements which helps to identify career concepts. The same way in the interview attended women understand and career planning. But how they understand career depends on social politic and economic politic, which dominate 30 years ago and which is now. It means that women's career is different from each other, but women understand it similar.
What brings about normative change in developing states with histories of corruption and poor governance? Post-NAFTA Mexico gives us a unique opportunity to study a single norm (rule of law) applied to two different sectors (environment and labor). Much can be controlled – the timing of new oversight pressures from outside (NAFTA and the US) as well as inside (courts and freedom of information agency). Socialization of rule of law norms is therefore best explained by looking carefully at differences between the relevant agencies. I show that variation in 1) levels of professionalization among agency officials; and 2) permeability of domestic agencies to outside influence, explains much of the variation between labor and environmental officials over attitudes to rule of law. Labor agencies were far more constrained by legacies of highly influential vested interests, and this limited their capacity to adapt to new normative pressures. These findings sharpen our understandings of how a pro-rule of law culture can be embedded, because the two sectors were simultaneously subject to the new oversight and spotlighting pressures. ; ¿Cómo podemos entender los cambios normativos en Estados en vías de desarrollo con historias de corrupción y gobernanza débil? Después de la entrada en vigor del TLCAN, México nos da una oportunidad única para estudiar una norma -el Estado de Derecho o "rule of law"- aplicada a dos diferentes sectores, el ambiental y el laboral. El TLCAN y la democratización crearon nuevas presiones sobre el gobierno mexicano, tanto desde fuera (producidas por el TLCAN y por Estados Unidos) como desde el interior (a través de las cortes y del IFAI). Así, la socialización del principio del Estado de Derecho se entiende mejor a través de las diferencias entre las agencias relevantes. Mostraré que 1) los niveles de profesionalización en las agencias estatales; y 2) la permeabilidad de las agencias a la influencia externa, son las variables más importantes para explicar el Estado de Derecho. Cuando dichos niveles son altos, es más probable que se respete el Estado de Derecho. Las agencias laborales también estuvieron muy limitadas por la influencia de fuertes intereses, los cuales acotaron la capacidad de dichas agencias para adaptarse a las nuevas normas.
Mass education expansion is a necessity outcome that occurs in a society where the effects of high dependency and density ratios are less mitigated by policy/institutional opportunities. Population pressure effects such as land scarcity and diminishing returns to labour lead to a decline in farmers' valuation for agriculture. Farmers do not longer consider agriculture as significant and primary as it used to be when resources are in abundance. They start to value other livelihood strategies such as wage labour or migration to urban areas. Since there is a lack of cash constraints for the expansion of wage labor in rural areas and since migration requires prior network, farmers tend to prefer and opt for education if and when schools are available. They believe that education is important for intensive agriculture, non-farm occupation and migration. Mass education is a result of farmers' valuation decline for smallholder agriculture, non-tradable nature of the non-farm sector and society's positive attitude change towards education. Government intervention, which was historically effective in creating elitist education, and school building does not by itself create a demand for mass education in rural areas.
Attitude change is a critical component of health behavior change, but has rarely been studied longitudinally following extensive exposures to persuasive materials such as full-length movies, books, or plays. We examined changes in attitudes related to food production and consumption in college students who had read Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma as part of a University-wide reading project. Composite attitudes toward organic foods, local produce, meat, and the quality of the American food supply, as well as opposition to government subsidies, distrust in corporations, and commitment to the environmental movement were significantly and substantially impacted, in comparison to students who had not read the book. Much of the attitude change disappeared after 1 year; however, over the course of 12 months self-reported opposition to government subsidies and belief that the quality of the food supply is declining remained elevated in readers of the book, compared to non-readers. Findings have implications for our understanding of the nature of changes in attitudes to food and eating in response to extensive exposure to coherent and engaging messages targeting health behaviors.
