Exploring the effect of task instructions on topic beliefs and topic belief justifications: A mixed methods study

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate whether task instructions that asked adolescents to evaluate the merit of both sides of a controversial issue would affect their topic beliefs and topic belief justifications after they read belief-consistent and belief-inconsistent information. In the quantitative phase, we conducted an experiment in which high school students (n= 45) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions and received their respective pre-reading task instructions. Quantitative analyses showed that task instructions affected topic beliefs and belief justifications. However, inspection of topic belief scores within each condition indicated that some individuals' beliefs became weaker, whereas others' became stronger. In the qualitative phase, we conducted interviews to explain why this occurred. The interview data revealed two distinct reader profiles: belief-reflection and belief-protection. The data sets were complementary: the quantitative data indicated group differences in topic beliefs and belief justifications, and the qualitative data allowed us to explain differences within and across groups.

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Work Title Exploring the effect of task instructions on topic beliefs and topic belief justifications: A mixed methods study
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Matthew T. McCrudden
  2. Phillip C. Sparks
Keyword
  1. Task instructions
  2. Reading
  3. Topic belief change
  4. Mixed methods
License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Contemporary Educational Psychology
Publication Date October 22, 2013
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2013.10.001
Deposited August 09, 2023

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added CEP_2014_task_instructions___topic_beliefs.pdf
  • Added Creator Matthew T. McCrudden
  • Added Creator Phillip C. Sparks
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword, Subtitle, Publication Date Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Task instructions, Reading, Topic belief change, Mixed methods
    Subtitle
    • A mixed methods study
    Publication Date
    • 2014-01-01
    • 2013-10-22
  • Updated