Can Motivated Cognition Exacerbate a Bias?

This study examined the relationship between the need for cognition and impression formation, particularly with common biases. Upon listening to a speaker with either a heavy Japanese or Los Angeles accent, participants rated the speaker on how well-informed they believed she appeared to be on the subject she spoke about and on intelligence. Despite the need for cognition, speakers with a Los Angeles accent were rated less favorably on intelligence, compared to Japanese accented speakers. However, the high need for cognition participants utilized a stereotype in impression formation, as their ratings for both speakers resonated with the speaker’s respective stereotype. Contrary to previous research findings, this study suggests that high need for cognition individuals are actually not protected from common biases, and these biases affect people of varying levels of need for cognition in different ways.