An Attributional Analysis of Experimental Norms

Actor's Status and Conformity to Norms: A Study of Students' Evaluations of Instructors

“…Although for years it has been known that people tend to produce behavior responses which are socially desirable (Edwards, 1957), little research has focused on this fact in an attempt to elucidate the conditions on which it depends and to place it within a hospitable theoretical context (but see Alexander and Sagatun, 1973). Rather, conformity to the desirable has been treated as a bothersome artifact of personality measurement such as a response set (Rorer, 1965) or as a reflection of a personality trait or need for social approval (Crowne and Marlowe, 1964).…”

On a General Model for Social and Cognitive Consistency

“…Yet this study did improve upon Aronson and Mills and the initiation-severity interaction is consistent with dissonance theory as well as with the general model being developed here. Alexander and Sagatun, 1973;Schlenker, 1975 (dissonance and attribution). Both of these studies involve the use of attribution as both stimulus and response variables.…”

The Discursive Social Psychology of Evidence

“…The above-described 'subjectification' process during human experimentation does not constitute deceit, willful misinterpretation, nor intentional distortion on the part of human subjects, but appears to be a general problem inherent in an ex-24 See Gergen (1982). 25 See Orne (1962) and also Alexander & Sagetun (1973). perimenter-controlled study of actively engaged, highly intelligent and perceptive, reasoning organisms. Similar findings have been obtained using the very experimenters conducting the laboratory research as subjects 26 .…”