How associative is evaluative conditioning? An empirical investigation at the attitude acquisition and attitude change stages

Abstract

This doctoral thesis examines the contribution of associative learning toevaluative conditioning effects (EC). Associative learning in attitude researchis assumed to involve the automatic formation of unqualified links betweenconditioned (CS) and unconditioned (US) stimuli in memory. We addressed the« automaticity » assumption by examining the role of awareness in EC, and theefficiency of EC. The « unqualified » assumption was addressed by examiningthe reciprocity of US-to-CS and CS-to-US effects following CS-US pairings, andthe sensitivity of EC to a change in CS-US regularities. Results from multipleexperiments question both the automatic and unqualified EC assumptions.Therefore, this doctoral research challenges the view that associative learningprocesses play a role in EC and, more generally, the validity of dual-learningmodels of attitudes.