ERIC Number: ED276656
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1986-May
Pages: 15
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Cognitive Consistency in Beliefs about Nuclear Weapons.
Nelson, Linden
The paper details a study supporting the hypothesis that people's opinions about nuclear arms control are influenced by their logically relevant beliefs about nuclear weapons, nuclear war, and the Soviet Union. The hypothesis should not be construed to imply that these beliefs are the only influences or the most powerful influences on arms control opinions for most citizens today. Rather, if most citizens are ambivalent and uncertain about arms control, and are probably also uninformed and uninvolved regarding this issue, their opinions may be strongly influenced by additional variables. Subjects were students (N=188) at the California Polytechnic State University who completed the Nuclear Weapons Policies questionnaire near the beginning of the summer quarter and again near the end of the quarter. (Seventy-two students withdrew or were absent for the second testing.) Three beliefs were shown to relate to opinion about arms control: (1) "Superiority is important"; (2) "Nuclear war is unlikely if the arms race continues"; and (3) "The Soviets are insincere and untrustworthy about arms control." These beliefs appear to function as psychological barriers to supporting arms control. An evaluation of the effects of three educational interventions provided some support for the hypothesis that logically relevant information and arguments may influence people to become more favorable toward arms control proposals. Tables showing attitude scales of the Nuclear Weapons Policies questionnaire, correlations between beliefs and arms control opinion, psychological barriers to arms control, and pre and post treatment means scores and comparisons, and an appendix outlining the psychology of the nuclear arms race conclude the document. (TRS)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Researchers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States; USSR
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A