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METHOD

One hundred and sixty-nine students registered in the elementary psychology course at the University of Michigan completed all parts of the experiment reported here. [...] During Session 1 a number of tests were administered, which included among others the California F Scale (1) and scales for measuring attitudes toward six issues (9), including Negro housing segregation. Four to five weeks later in Session 2, change procedures were administered in experimental groups, while controls were given other tasks. Three weeks subsequently in Session 3, attitudes were again measured, and Ss were asked to list all the good consequences that people might suggest to be the result of removing Negro housing segregation. They were then instructed to underline those results that they accepted as their own. As the next task, they listed bad consequences and underlined those accepted. The order of listing good and bad consequences was counterbalanced from person to person. Control and experimental groups received identical treatment at Times 1 and 3. At Time 2, controls performed tasks that were unrelated to the attitudes being measured. Procedures at Time 2 were the same for both experimental groups, except for the direction of pressure. [...] One statement, about an alleged good consequence of removing segregation for the antisegregation group, or about an alleged bad consequence for the prosegregation group, was written on the top of each of four sheets of paper. For six minutes SB listed reasons in support of one statement. They then turned to the next and did the same for another statement in support of the same view, and so on. [...] After each of four statements was elaborated in this way, "scoring" sheets were handed out, listing a number of points that "might have been made in support of each statement." Ss were asked to mark in spaces provided on the scoring sheet, those consequences which corresponded with the ones that they had written; and in other spaces, to check the ones they had failed to give. [...]

Attitude Measures Three different scales measuring attitudes toward segregation were administered. [...] In the analysis reported here, a ranking scale developed from Coombs' unfolding technique was used to establish attitude position. [...]

Information Measures The Ss listed reasons for or against removing Negro housing segregation under the instructions already described. [...] Each of the units of information thus isolated was coded in order to make these distinctions: (a) whether or not the item was included in the change communication; (b) whether 5 regarded it as a good or a bad consequence or characteristic; and (c) whether 5 accepted the item or only knew about it. The third distinction was made on the basis of whether S had underlined a statement. [...]