As it turned out, the participants liked the stereo much more if they were told that the information they read came from an unbiased source such as Consumer Reports. They also said they would pay, on average, about $407 for the system, far more than the $282 offered by those who read the Cambridge Audio brochure. Sadly, it appeared that mistrust in marketing information runs so deeply that it colors our entire perception—even in the face of firsthand, direct experience—causing us to enjoy the experience much less than we otherwise would. (And this happens with relatively trusted brands. Just
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