Are the tabloids always wrong or is that just what we think? Need for cognition and perceptions of articles in print media

This study examines how need for cognition, source credibility, and communi cation strength influence perceptions of a print-media communication, parti cipants read a strong or weak communication about an evolutionary theory, p resented as an article from the Washington? Post (high credibility) or the National Enquirer (low credibility). Results revealed a significant Need fo r Cognition x Source x Communication Strength interaction. Low-need-for-cog nition participants who read the weak communication rated the article more positively when it was attributed to the high-credibility source than to th e low-credibility source. Source credibility did not affect impressions of the article and theory among participants high in need for cognition or rea ding the strong communication. However, articles from the Washington Post w ere rated as more believable, factual, accurate, and true than those from t he National Enquirer.