CONFLICT BETWEEN INCOMPETENCES AND INFLUENCE OF A LOW-EXPERTISE SOURCE IN HYPOTHESIS-TESTING

In a 2-4-6-like reasoning task, 69 subjects tested hypotheses followin g exposure to a low-expertise source proposing an alternative hypothes is. Subjects compared self- and source's competence either independent ly or interdependently Results show that interdependence leads subject s to assert self-validity and the source's invalidity, and to test hyp otheses through confirmation. Independence produces a conflict between incompetences, i.e. doubt concerning self- and source's validity, lea ding to disconfirmatory testing.