GETTING AT THE TRUTH OR GETTING ALONG - ACCURACY-MOTIVATED VERSUS IMPRESSION-MOTIVATED HEURISTIC AND SYSTEMATIC PROCESSING

Two studies examined the heuristic and systematic processing of accura cy- versus impression-motivated individuals expecting a discussion wit h a partner believed to hold either a favorable or unfavorable opinion on the discussion issue. Given the goal of having a pleasant interact ion, impression-motivated (versus accuracy-motivated) participants in both studies were particularly likely to express attitudes that were e valuatively consistent with the partner's opinion, reflecting their se lective use of a ''go along to gel along'' heuristic. Study 2 yielded stronger evidence for the distinct nature of heuristic and systematic processing in the service of accuracy versus impression goals. In this study, the evaluative implication of impression-motivated participant s' low-effort application of a ''go along to get along'' heuristic bia sed their more effortful, systematic processing, leading to attitudes consistent with the partner's views; In contrast. given the goal of de termining an accurate issue opinion, accuracy-motivated participants e xhibited relatively evenhanded systematic processing, resulting in att itudes unbiased by the partner's opinion. The results underscore the u tility of a dual-process approach to understanding motivated cognition .