A common dilemma of evaluation researchers, that outcome findings do not confirm
program adninistrators' and recipients' perceptions of benefits occurring, is related to
a general proposition that participants will have positive perceptions of program effects, regardless of behavioral changes toward program goals. This phenomenon is shown to
occur widely, and to be predictable from both behavioral and cognitive social psy
chological theory, but has not been previously recognized explicitly. Implications are
drawn for the policy planning process and for the methodology of program evaluation.
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