FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR AN APPROACH-AVOIDANCE INTERPRETATION OF SELECTIVE EXPOSURE

Lowin (1967) proposed an approach-avoidance model of exposure to discrepant information which argued that approach would be favored by a higly confident actor anticipating an easily refutable message. In this study, actor confidence and message ease of refutation were independently manipulated in a factorial design. While the message ease of refutation hypothesis was again confirmed, the actor confidence hypothesis received no support. Other relevant studies and implications of the theory are discussed. © 1969.