Case Closed? On the John F. Kennedy Assassination

Biased Assimilation of Evidence and Attitude Polarization

Dados Bibliográficos

ID23336366
AutoresJohn W Mchoskey (Clemson University, autor correspondente)
Ano1995
Volume17
Fascículo3
Páginas395-409
Data de publicação1995-10-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoBasic and Applied Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0197-3533 • E-ISSN: 1532-4834
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1207/s15324834basp1703_7
OpenAlexW2047830701
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas81
Referências citadas19

Vitriolic debate surrounds John F. Kennedy's (JFK's) death more than 30 years after the assassination. Whereas some endorse the official government conclusion that Oswald acted alone, others allege that some form of a conspiracy is responsible for Kennedy's death. The central thesis of this article is that due to the processes of biased assimilation and attitude polarization, personal theories about the perpetrator(s) of the assassination are essentially immutable, and therefore that the debate surrounding JFK's assassination will continue endlessly. Due to the process of biased assimilation, proponents of both the Oswald and conspiracy theories perceive the same body of evidence as supportive of their position. Biased assimilation leads to attitude polarization rather than to a moderation or reversal of existing attitudes. The results of the present study strongly support this line of reasoning. The study also examined the formation of assassination attitudes among subjects with no initial opinion. The majority of these subjects embraced the conspiracy theory at the conclusion of the study. However, authoritarianism was indirectly associated with the development of an Oswald theory stance via an increased endorsement of evidence consistent with the Oswald theory.

Authoritarianism · Democracy · Moderation · Polarization (electrochemistry) · Political science · Politics · Academic Freedom and Politics · Chemistry · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology