TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of self-instructed stimulus-affect plans on indirectly measured and self-reported evaluative responses
AU - Martiny-Huenger, Torsten
AU - Roth, Jenny
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2022/3
Y1 - 2022/3
N2 - Repeatedly experiencing a specific stimulus-affect contingency influences subsequent evaluative responses towards the respective stimulus (e.g., evaluative conditioning). In the present research, we provide further evidence that verbally processed stimulus-affect contingencies in the form of if-then plans have comparable evaluative consequences. We present three studies (N = 323) in which participants verbally linked cupcakes to either a positive (“delicious”) or a negative (“disgusting”) affective response while being instructed with the same health-related goal. We tested the evaluative consequences of processing these verbal stimulus-affect plans in a valence-based response-compatibility paradigm (Implicit Association Test, IAT) and self-reported liking ratings. We failed to observe the predicted effect in the first study and updated the methodology for the following two studies. With the updated procedure (two studies, N = 239), we found the hypothesized effect that processing a verbal stimulus-affect plan influences subsequent responses in the IAT and self-reported ratings in an evaluatively congruent direction. We discuss these results in relation to similar effects following directly experienced stimulus-affect contingencies and instructed evaluative conditioning. Furthermore, our present research highlights the potential to use verbal self-instruction in a stimulus-affect format to self-regulate one's evaluative responses towards specific stimuli (e.g., unhealthy snacks).
AB - Repeatedly experiencing a specific stimulus-affect contingency influences subsequent evaluative responses towards the respective stimulus (e.g., evaluative conditioning). In the present research, we provide further evidence that verbally processed stimulus-affect contingencies in the form of if-then plans have comparable evaluative consequences. We present three studies (N = 323) in which participants verbally linked cupcakes to either a positive (“delicious”) or a negative (“disgusting”) affective response while being instructed with the same health-related goal. We tested the evaluative consequences of processing these verbal stimulus-affect plans in a valence-based response-compatibility paradigm (Implicit Association Test, IAT) and self-reported liking ratings. We failed to observe the predicted effect in the first study and updated the methodology for the following two studies. With the updated procedure (two studies, N = 239), we found the hypothesized effect that processing a verbal stimulus-affect plan influences subsequent responses in the IAT and self-reported ratings in an evaluatively congruent direction. We discuss these results in relation to similar effects following directly experienced stimulus-affect contingencies and instructed evaluative conditioning. Furthermore, our present research highlights the potential to use verbal self-instruction in a stimulus-affect format to self-regulate one's evaluative responses towards specific stimuli (e.g., unhealthy snacks).
KW - Attitude change
KW - Implementation intentions
KW - Implicit association test
KW - Stimulus-response learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122254870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103485
DO - 10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103485
M3 - Article
C2 - 34999353
AN - SCOPUS:85122254870
SN - 0001-6918
VL - 223
SP - 103485
JO - Acta Psychologica
JF - Acta Psychologica
M1 - 103485
ER -