Validation of everyday knowledge: moderators and consequences of the heterogeneity norm
Validation of everyday knowledge: moderators and consequences of the heterogeneity norm
In everyday life people create and share knowledge about objects, individuals and situations. Individuals, however, do not only share knowledge. They are also concerned with the reliability or validity of the knowledge they share; and the ways through which they experience the feeling of truth might be considered one of the fundamental dimensions of cultural life (Kluckhohn, 1951) and can be associated with epistemic needs.
In this context, this research addresses the following question: What kind of informational cues are used in the process of validity attribution to knowledge obtained in social interaction? Following Festinger, Social Psychology has been highlighting the role of consensus on the process of validation of everyday knowledge. In previous studies, and following other authors, we run experiments to test the hypothesis that heterogeneity of those that share a given knowledge is also fundamental in its validation (Vala et al, 1998; Lopes, Vala, Garcia-Marques, 2007
In the present project, we intend to advance our knowledge of the heterogeneity norm studying its moderators and its impact on prejudice validation. Concerning the study of heterogeneity moderators, we will analyse the effect of the individualistic (self-group independence) or collectivistic (self-group interdependence) group contexts and the effects of its articulation with the facilitation of an epistemic motivation.
For more information, please see: Vala et al (1998) Social Science Information or Lopes, Vala & Garcia-Marques (2007). Group Dynamics: theory, Research and Practice.
This project is funded by FCT.
Validation of everyday knowledge; heterogeneity; consensus; social comparison
In everyday life people create and share knowledge about objects, individuals and situations. Individuals, however, do not only share knowledge. They are also concerned with the reliability or validity of the knowledge they share; and the ways through which they experience the feeling of truth might be considered one of the fundamental dimensions of cultural life (Kluckhohn, 1951) and can be associated with epistemic needs.
In this context, this research addresses the following question: What kind of informational cues are used in the process of validity attribution to knowledge obtained in social interaction? Following Festinger, Social Psychology has been highlighting the role of consensus on the process of validation of everyday knowledge. In previous studies, and following other authors, we run experiments to test the hypothesis that heterogeneity of those that share a given knowledge is also fundamental in its validation (Vala et al, 1998; Lopes, Vala, Garcia-Marques, 2007
In the present project, we intend to advance our knowledge of the heterogeneity norm studying its moderators and its impact on prejudice validation. Concerning the study of heterogeneity moderators, we will analyse the effect of the individualistic (self-group independence) or collectivistic (self-group interdependence) group contexts and the effects of its articulation with the facilitation of an epistemic motivation.
For more information, please see: Vala et al (1998) Social Science Information or Lopes, Vala & Garcia-Marques (2007). Group Dynamics: theory, Research and Practice.
This project is funded by FCT.
