Denial pamphlet shifted Holocaust belief independent of perceived endorsement

Evidence

The experimental subjects started off with a somewhat low belief in the Holocaust, 55.4, which dropped to 48.2 after reading Christophersen’s denial (p < .001). As a group, they now only “slightly agreed” that the Holocaust had occurred. Saying I did not necessarily endorse the article had no effect on its effect. — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 3154

Categorization

• QUESTION: What features made the material persuasive independent of source credibility signals? The neutrality statement’s null effect is striking.