The role of biased scanning in counterattitudinal advocacy

Two experiments tested the biased-scanning hypothesis that high financial inducement leads to greater cognitive contact with counterattitudinal arguments and thus to greater attitude change. In Experiment I, given time to listen lo only half of the pro- and counterattitudinal material, role-players attended primarily to counterattitudinal arguments. In Experiment II, given sufficient time to listen to all material, role-players sought out pro-altitudinal material first, regardless of inducement. No differences in biased scanning or attitude change were observed as a function of financial inducement. Contrary to the "open-mindedness" formulation, results were interpreted in the framework of reactance and of self-immunization to persuasion.