Making the Uncontrollable Seem Controllable: the Role of Action in the Illusion of Control

Abstract

It is well known that certain variables can bias judgements about the perceived contingency between an action and an outcome, making them depart from the normative predictions. For instance, previous studies have proven that the activity level or probability of responding, P(R), is a crucial variable that can affect these judgements in objectively noncontingent situations. A possible account for the P(R) effect is based on the differential exposure to actual contingencies during the training phase, which is in turn presumably produced by individual differences in participants' P(R). The current two experiments replicate the P(R) effect in a free-response paradigm, and show that participants' judgements are better predicted by P(R) than by the actual contingency to which they expose themselves. Besides, both experiments converge with previous empirical data, showing a persistent bias that does not vanish as training proceeds. These findings contrast with the preasymptotic and transitory effect predicted by several theoretical models.

Behavior and illusions: a model to study superstition in a participant replacement experiment

“…Elucidation of the illusion of control that emphasizes the role of coincidences between behavior and environmental changes is an important step toward providing a basic background for understanding behavioral and learning mechanisms that are related to the origins of false beliefs (Blanco, 2017;Blanco et al, 2009Blanco et al, , 2011Blanco et al, , 2012Blanco et al, , 2013Matute, 1996;Matute et al, 2007). The present data support this approach to better understand the general notion of the illusion of control.…”

The influence of presenting a record of responses on the probability-of-responding effect within active contingency tasks

“…e.g., Shanks, 1995; ∆ P e.g., Alloy & Abramson, 1979;Chapman & Chapman, 1967;Matute, 1996 probability of responding, P R Table 1 2 e.g., Blanco, Matute, & Vadillo, 2011;Hannah & Beneteau, 2009;2014;Matute, 1996 P R e ect Blanco et al, 2011;2014Blanco et al, 2011; 2014…”

Going for broke. From desire for illusion and the illusion of desire / De perdidos, al río. Del deseo a la ilusión y la ilusión del deseo

“…As is known, this adaptation of behaviour to the environment is learned by observing the pattern of covariation between actions and result (Jenkins & Ward, 1965) or by one's general learning history (Skinner, 1938). For a given behaviour to be effective, the consequence must be contingent upon the action performed; that is, the likelihood of it being the result of the response should be different to the likelihood that the result would occur in the absence of that response (Blanco, Matute, & Vadillo, 2011).…”