Levels of expectation are considered to be distributed along a continuum with realistic at one extreme and unrealistic at the other. Experimental data were analyzed with reference to the several criteria. Reliability and generality of the level of expectation were shown to be sensitive to the position of the expectations on the realism-unrealism continuum. Failure …
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Norton, M. I., &Goethals, G. R. (2004). Spin (and pitch) doctors: Campaign strategies in televised political debates. Political Behavior, 26(3), 227-248.
Political campaigns frequently set low expectations (using a “low pitch”) in televised political debates to make the later claim that their candidates have done better than expected. The limited credibility of campaign aides, coupled with the fact that perception often confirms expectations, makes this strategy psychologically problematic. In Study 1, when no post-debate information was …