Abstract

This study examined a condition under which the effect of stimulus familiarity on the illusion of control is suppressed. According to Langer, stimulus familiarity induces a skill orientation even in a chance situation. However, this effect is postulated to obtain only as long as the person's focus of attention remains on the stimulus familiarity. When the focus of attention turns toward the chance elements in the situation, the illusion of control should disappear Subjects participated in a wagering session with an experimenter by picking a card out of a shuffled pack. The cards either were normal looking (familiar cards) or had a striking "Egyptian" look (unfamiliar cards). As predicted, people wagered more money when playing with the familiar cards unless they had to evaluate their probability of winning before placing their bet.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.