ATTITUDE ACCESSIBILITY AND BIASED INFORMATION-PROCESSING - THE MODERATING ROLE OF SELF-MONITORING

High and low self-monitors read and evaluated two studies relevant to the deterrent effects of the death penalty one that supported ifs dete rrent effects and one that did not. Low self-monitors' evaluations of the studies were significantly related to the accessibility of their a ttitudes toward capital punishment. The more accessible their attitude s were, the more favorable, relatively, were their evaluations of the study that supported their personal attitudes reward capital punishmen t. In contrast, attitude accessibility was unrelated to high self-moni tors' relative evaluations.