Information Sources,Dogmatism,and Judgmental Modifications

Abstract

Teachers of adults, supervisors, personnel directors, and others are often concerned with the relative influence of the status of information sources upon the behavior of individuals. Therefore, this study was designed to provide an experimental situation wherein this question could be explored through the manipula tion of differing variables. Accordingly 36 Ss were divided among three treatments with each treatment group further sub-divided into two groups.

The findings reported in the study have been interpreted as sug gesting that peer group information may be assimilated and con formed with more readily than similar information from a superior in the employment situation; and dogmatism may not be a de pendable variable in conforming judgmental decisions. The experi ment data were analyzed by an analysis of variance technique extended to include a 2X3 factional analysis using the q statistic.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Asch, S.E. Social Psychology (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1952).

Knowles, Malcolm S. The Modern Practice of Adult Education (New York: Association Press, 1970).

Long, Huey B. "Factors Influencing the Relationship Between Dogmatism and Conformity in an Employee Group," The Journal of Social Psychology, LXXIV (1968), pp. 209-213.

Long, Huey B. "Status and Conforming Judgment," Adult Education Journal , XVIII (1968), pp. 239-246.

Newcomb, Theodore M. "The General Nature of Peer Group Influence," College Peer Groups, ed. by Theodore M. Newcomb and E. K. Wilson , (Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company, 1966), p. 13.

Rokeach, Milton , et. al. The Open and Closed Mind (New York: Basic Books, 1960).

Youniss, R.P. Conformity to Group Judgments in Its Relation to the Structure of the Stimulus Situation and Certain Personality Variables (Washington, D. C.: Catholic University Press, 1958).