Belief biases in integrated representations of conflicting documents: Moderating effects of embedded sources and justification beliefs

Given the documented biasing effect of prior beliefs on the mental representations of controversial information (text-belief consistency effect), it is important to identify conditions that reduce this effect. In this study, we investigated whether readers' prior beliefs bias their situation models of conflicting information as measured through an integrated argumentation task. Based on the literature on sourcing and the Two-Step Model of Validation, we also examined whether embedded citation style (whether and how embedded sources are incorporated in documents) and beliefs regarding justification for knowing by authority reduce belief biases in readers’ situation models. The study was based on 2 (text stance: Pro-Stance vs. Contra-Stance; varied within-subjects) × 3 (embedded citation style: Author-Prominent vs. Information-Prominent vs. Author-Absent; varied between-subjects) a mixed design. The participants included English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students ( N = 92). Consistent with previous evidence, readers' situation models were biased towards their beliefs. Furthermore, embedded sources moderated prior beliefs effects on the integrated cognitive representations of the information. Participants constructed more balanced mental representations of documents that included author-prominent followed by information-prominent embedded sources. Beliefs about justification for knowing by authority were also found to interact with readers’ prior beliefs and embedded citation style to moderate belief biases in reading controversial information. These results support the assumption of the Two-Step Model of Validation that source information and knowledge beliefs may be crucial for whether readers engage in elaborative processes that lead to a more balanced representation of controversial information. • Prior beliefs bias readers' representations of conflicting textual information. • Embedded sources moderate the text-belief consistency effect. • Justification for knowing by authority moderate belief biases.