SUSPICIOUSNESS, MENTAL SIMULATION, AND NORM THEORY

Seven studies were conducted to replicate the work of Miller, Turnbull , and McFarland (1989), who tested predictions from norm theory (Kahne man & Miller, 1986). The first three studies with stimulus materials i dentical to those used by Miller et al. failed to confirm that the eas e with which the event might be mentally simulated affected the degree of suspiciousness. In Studies 4, 5, and 6, the improbable events were made objectively more probable, but this did not produce significant results. In the 7th study, the objective probability and attitude towa rd the target were varied. Although there was a main effect for ease o f mental simulation, this effect was produced by only 1 of the 3 vigne ttes.