Seeing approach motivation in the avoidance behavior of others: implications for an understanding of pluralistic ignorance.

Full Abstract

Four studies tested the hypothesis that observers tend to interpret others' actions as approach motivated even when they recognize that their own identical choices were motivated by avoidance. Study 1 found that voters in the 2000 U.S. Presidential election who chose a candidate primarily because of their aversion to the alternative thought that others who voted for the same candidate liked him more than they themselves did. In Studies 2, 3, and 4 participants who learned that others made the same choice as themselves between 2 unappealing flavors of soda orjelly beans estimated that the others would pay more than they would for their common choice. The relevance of these findings for an understanding of pluralistic ignorance is discussed.

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Author information

Author/s: Miller, Dale T (DT); Nelson, Leif D (LD);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Princeton University, USA. miller_dale(-atsign-)gsb.stanford.edu

Grants: MH44069 (Agency:United States NIMH)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of personality and social psychology (J Pers Soc Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Nov; vol 83 (issue 5) : pp 1066-75

Dates: Created 2002/11/05; Completed 2003/02/21; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12416912, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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