Correspondence Bias Analysis

Could Previous Experiences Help Identify and Overcome Biases? A common cognitive error is the correspondence bias, also know as the Fundamental Attribution Error. The correspondence bias is a phenomenon in which a person will attribute another’s actions as a result of their disposition and personality, not factoring in the effect the social and physical environment has upon one’s actions. This bias affects not only the current judgment, but it also attributes to stereotypes about certain people and groups. In fall of 2017. Carleton College’s Psych 101 class with Neil Lutsky and Adam Putnam replicated part of a famous study done by researchers Edward Jones and Victor Harris that first demonstrated the correspondence. In the class, the students

The results were conclusive, the argued essay in favor was rated as 4.41, and the one against 4.35. The results of the perceived beliefs of the author differed based on which essay was read, showing correspondence bias. The pro essay writer’s opinion was rated as 4.7 out of 7, while the con essay writer’s opinion of bonds was rated as 3.35. The class study’s results were conclusive with previous tests, but it made me wonder about how a student’s previous experience on being forced to write a similar essay a week prior would affect their opinion of the writer’s personal beliefs. Would they be able to use crystallized intelligence to recognize the writer’s pressures if they themselves had been forced to be in a similar position? Or would they simply default to correspondence

The test group would then be randomly split into two group by coin flip. One group would act as the test group, and another the control. The independent variables would be being assigned to pro or con essays, and whether or not the subjects had to write a essay with a forced opinion a week prior. The groups would be introduced to the experiment as a data gathering survey being taken to test different writing style’s effectiveness. The test group would be asked to write an argumentative essay a week prior to the survey, the position of the essay would be assigned. Then the group would come back and be randomly split into two groups by coin flip. They would analyze the essays, asking how effective they are as well as if they believe the writer’s beliefs align with the text, while also being told that the essay writer was assigned the topic and stance. The control group would not be forced to write an essay prior, but would follow all of the same steps