Peter C. Wason's 1960 paper reports the first experiment showing that people testing a hypothesis about a rule overwhelmingly seek evidence that would confirm it rather than evidence that could disprove it, the founding demonstration of what later became known as confirmation bias.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
Peter C. Wason's 1960 paper, published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, is the peer reviewed founding demonstration of what later became known as confirmation bias, treated at the top tier as peer reviewed journal scholarship. NotesThe original peer-reviewed report of the effect, still cited as the founding study in cognitive psychology surveys of reasoning and belief persistence.
Citation
AuthorPeter C. Wason
PublisherQuarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol. 12, No. 3
Publication Year1960
URLhttps://doi.org/10.1080/17470216008416717
Source Typepeer-reviewed article
Claims Backed By This Source (17 claims)
This source backs 17 claims across the atlas. As facts: 13 well-attested. As cited relationships: 1 connected. Plus 3 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
- Psi Phenomena, 5 claims: 4 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Articles, 4 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 connected, 2 general references.
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