T. Mussweiler et F. Strack, Hypothesis-consistent testing and semantic priming in the anchoring paradigm: A selective accessibility model, J EXP S PSY, 35(2), 1999, pp. 136-164
Results of four studies support the notion that anchoring effects are media
ted by mechanisms of hypothesis-consistent testing and semantic priming. Ac
cording to the suggested Selective Accessibility Model, judges use a hypoth
esis-consistent test strategy to solve a comparative anchoring task. Applyi
ng this strategy selectively increases the accessibility of anchor-consiste
nt knowledge which is then used to generate the subsequent absolute judgmen
t. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that absolute estimates depend on the hypoth
esis implied in the comparative task suggesting that a hypothesis-testing s
trategy is used to solve this task. Study 3 shows that limiting the amount
of knowledge generated for the comparative task retards absolute judgments.
This suggests that knowledge rendered easily accessible in the comparative
judgment is used for the subsequent absolute judgment. Finally, Study 4 su
ggests that self-generation of knowledge contributes to the robustness of t
he effect, thus resolving the seeming inconsistency that anchoring effects
are at the same time remarkably robust and mediated by typically fragile se
mantic priming mechanisms, (C) 1999 Academic Press.