Can the Illusory Transparency Bias Be Modulated? Two Ways of Reducing It

Taking others’ perspectives is a challenging task, especially when inferring them from written reports. In three experiments, we investigated how to modulate the illusory transparency bias, an error in perspective taking during reading. We modified the traditional illusory transparency task by adding a final sentence that informed participants about an outcome. The outcome was either consistent or inconsistent with a biased response. We found that the illusory transparency bias disappeared when the outcome provided was inconsistent (Experiment 2) but increased when it was consistent (Experiment 1). Experiment 3 tested whether the size of the bias depended on the relationship between the event and the message. In the counterfactual condition, the message was dependent on the event, while in the semifactual condition it was not. Again, a modulation of the bias was obtained. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical implications and their relationship to other cognitive biases.