Position change in cognitive conflict as a function of the cue-criterion relationship and the initial conflict

A complex simulation was desigried to explore the effects of variations in two types of differences between parties on position change in a cognitive conflict. The nature of the cue discrepancy and the distance between initial predictions of a criterion variable were found to affect measures of position change and willingness to compromise. A discrepancy in cue weightings that served to polarize parties ideologically resulted in resistance to yielding; also, parties were more willing to compromise on the issue characterized by the shortest distance between initial positions.