error-choice technique

an indirect attitude measure that consists of a series of objective-knowledge multiple-choice questions about an attitude object. These questions are constructed so that people are unlikely to know the true answers, but with response options that imply positive or negative evaluations of the attitude object. For example, an error-choice measure of attitudes toward capital punishment might include questions about the percentage of people falsely convicted for capital crimes and the percentage difference in the number of violent crimes in states with and without capital punishment. The procedure is based on the assumption that participants will use their attitudes as a basis for guessing; that is, they will tend to select answers that support their attitudes. Attitudes are assessed by computing the number of positive response options selected relative to the number of negative response options selected. Also called information-error technique.

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Psychology term of the day

February 1st 2025

interaural rivalry

the competition within the auditory system to comprehend conflicting inputs received simultaneously in both ears. Interaural rivalry has been employed in the study of temporal lobe lesions: Patients typically recall less of the information heard in the left ear if a lesion is on the right side, and vice versa. See also dichotic listening.