Influence and Interference: Combining two affective priming paradigms

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate affective priming phenomenon (impact of a previously activated valence in subsequent processing) by contrasting two of the main experimental paradigms used in this domain: interference and influence paradigms. In two experiments, data referring both to the evaluative response bias and response times were analyzed. Experiment 1 demonstrates that the presentation of a valenced prime-word facilitates (interferes) processing of a subsequent congruent (incongruent) stimulus. The analysis considering the type of response given by the participants reveals a higher number of errors for incongruent trials. Experiment 2 demonstrates an influence effect given that judgments of target-images portraying neutral objects are influenced in the direction of the valence activated by the primes. Response time analysis in this paradigm revealed faster responses by the primes. Advantages and disadvantages associated in both types of paradigms are discussed considering their relevance to affective priming effect and their applicability as attitudes implicit measures.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17575/rpsicol.v22i2.348