Mechanisms of Epistemic Change: The Roles of Reflection and Social Interaction

Abstract

Fostering students’ epistemic beliefs is key for achieving a more nuanced approach to psychological knowledge. The Bendixen-Rule model on epistemic change posits epistemic doubt (questioning one's prior epistemic beliefs), epistemic volition (the will to change one's beliefs) and resolution strategies (strategies to overcome epistemic doubt by epistemic change) as three interrelated process components that lead to the development of more advanced epistemic beliefs. However, while the model has risen to relative prominence over the last years, the postulated mechanisms of change still lack empirical backing. In this article, we report on an experimental study with N = 153 psychology students that aimed at testing the effects of two specific resolution strategies—reflection and social interaction. This was realized by developing intervention components that target the two strategies, and by analyzing these components’ incremental effects on epistemic change. Results showed that reflection and social interaction might be promising strategies to address epistemic doubt. Psychology lecturers should thus give students room for reflecting on and discussing their beliefs once doubt has arisen.