Effects of Counterattitudinal Refutations of a Controversial Topic on Postintervention Learning and Motivated Reasoning

• In Event: 69.058 - Poster Session 16
  In Poster Session: 69.058-7 - Understanding Instruction, Learning, and Motivation in Literacy

Abstract

Our objective was to test whether refutation texts on a controversial topic could overcome adverse outcomes predicted to result from unfavorable attitudes towards correct claims. In an experimental design, 120 undergraduate students self-reported their prior attitudes about genetically modified foods (GMFs) and were randomly assigned to read an expository or refutation text. After reading, participants wrote an essay upon which we applied a series of text-mining analyses to assess learning and motivated reasoning. Results showed an interaction between attitude and text condition wherein those with initially unfavorable views engaged in fewer instances of motivated reasoning and more positive views of GMFs, demonstrating the effectiveness of refutation texts for controversial topics. Implications for educational design and future research are discussed.

Authors

• Greg Trevors, University of South Carolina

• Krista R. Muis, McGill University

• Reinhard Pekrun, University of Essex

• Gale M. Sinatra, University of Southern California

• Philip H. Winne, Simon Fraser University