Are biases contagious? The influence of communication on motivated beliefs

Arbeitspapier

This paper examines the potential reinforcement of motivated beliefs when individuals with identical biases communicate. We propose a controlled online experiment that allows to manipulate belief biases and the communication environment. We find that communication, even among like-minded individuals, diminishes motivated beliefs if it takes place in an environment without previously declared external opinions. In the presence of external plural opinions, however, communication does not reduce but rather aggravates motivated beliefs. Our results indicate a potential drawback of the plurality of opinions-it may create communication environments wherein motivated beliefs not only persist but also become contagious within social networks.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Würzburg Economic Papers ; No. 109

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Design of Experiments: Laboratory, Individual ; Design of Experiments: Laboratory, Group Behavior ; Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
• Subject: Belief bias ; Social interaction ; Motivated beliefs

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Grunewald, Andreas ; Klockmann, Victor ; von Schenk, Alicia ; von Siemens, Ferdinand
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): University of Würzburg, Department of Economics
• (where): Würzburg
• (when): 2024

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.25972/OPUS-34893
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/282999
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-348936
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET