PERSONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING INFORMAL REASONING OF ECONOMIC-ISSUES AND THE EFFECT OF SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

Personal factors influencing argument of federal budget-deficit solutions were investigated. Sixty-one adult participants were prompted for alternative points of view and reasons to support their solutions. Issue involvement and local knowledge were significantly related to one or more quality of argument measures. Specific and neutral prompts had similar effects on argument quality criteria, with the exception of counterargument. Guided direction favorably influenced the production of counterargument, but this effect was not maintained when prompts were withheld. Small-group exercises in issue argumentation may initiate desirable patterns of thinking; however, periodic prompts or challenges may be necessary to nurture sustained multilogical reasoning.