Abstract
The effect of affective bias on the inferences made by 239 children in Grades 1–8 was examined. Children heard brief stories that presented the main character in a positive or negative light. “Yes” responses to test items indicated an inference of a negative outcome for the main character from ambiguous information. An unintended outcome was that preexisting biases about the characters had a major impact on children’s inferential responses. A manipulation involving a within-story bias influenced children’s inferring a negative outcome in the expected direction only when the negative characterization of the story was concordant with a preexisting bias in regard to the character. Some grade differences were apparent, but were not developmentally systematic.
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We thank Howard C. Avril, Principal, and the participating teachers and students at St. Helen School, Vero Beach, FL, for their aid in the collection of data.
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Marx, M.H., Henderson, B.B. Development of inferences over elementary-school grades: IV. Affective bias as a determinant of inferences. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 31, 149–151 (1993). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334166
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334166