On the origin of illusory correlations

✍ Scribed by Klaus Fiedler; Uli Hemmeter; Carolin Hofmann

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 782 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0046-2772
• DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2420140206

✦ Synopsis

Empirical attempts to explain the genesis of illusory correlations have been largely confined to the demonstration of biased recall processes, although it has been acknowledged that perception and encoding processes may also contribute to the illusion. In the present research, illusory correlations between person types (a student versus a clerk) and educational attitudes (liberal versus authoritarian statements) are demonstrated under conditions where selective recall processes are highly unlikely. The cognitive bias that gives rise to the illusion is shown to already be effective when the stimulus in formation is perceived. Interestingly, there are marked interindividual differences between experimental participants. The results are discussed in the context of the literature on illusory correlations.