One-mediator model of exposure effects is still viable
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10156129 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michael H Birnbaum (0000-0002-2584-2007, corresponding author), Barbara A Mellers (0000-0001-9869-5880) |
| Year | 1979 |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 1090-1096 |
| Publication date | 1979-06-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315 |
| Publisher | American Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1037/0022-3514.37.6.1090 |
| OpenAlex | W4231019395, W2146954087 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 11 |
| References cited | 1 |
Birnbaum and Mellers criticized the use of partial correlation and multiple regression by Moreland and Zajonc to argue for two independent effects of stimulus exposure on liking. The null hypothesis that one variable mediates the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variables was not tested by their analyses. In response, Moreland and Zajonc reanalyzed their data, using structural equations analysis, and replied that there is evidence to support their previous conclusions. However, the present article shows that the small residuals from the one-mediator model may be due to shared nonlinearity (correlated errors) in three of the dependent variables. This simpler interpretation achieves a better fit to the Moreland and Zajonc data than the two-mediator model they advocated. Since the null hypothesis of one mediator is still viable, the burden of proof rests on those who contend that there is more to the exposure effect than stimulus recognition. Moreland and Zajonc (1977) replicated the exposure effect, that is, the finding that stimuli that are presented with greater frequency will be rated more favorably. They also asked their subjects to rate their familiarity with the stimuli, and they found a significant partial correlation between liking and exposure frequency when rated familiarity was partialed out. This partial correlation (and related regression analyses) led them to conclude that there is an additional, "independent " effect of exposure frequency on liking that is not mediated by stimulus recognition. Birnbaum and Mellers (1979) questioned the use of partial correlation and regression in this argument. They pointed out that the null hypothesis that a single variable (e.g., recognition) mediates the effect of the independent variable on both dependent variables predicts that both partials should have the same sign as the original correlations. Only if the dependent variable measuring recognition is assumed to be perfectly correlated with the mediator does the regression analy-Requests for reprints should be sent to Michael
Cognitive psychology · Correlation · Econometrics · Mediator · Null hypothesis · Partial correlation · Regression · Regression analysis · Statistics · Stimulus (psychology · Variables · Aesthetic Perception and Analysis · Color perception and design · Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging · Mathematics · Psychology · Sensory Analysis and Statistical Methods · Social Psychology
Applications of covariance structure modeling in psychology
Exposure and affect
Multivariate Analysis with Latent Variables
Mere Exposure
Evaluating cognitive explanations of communicative phenomena
Effects of prior group memberships on subsequent reconnaissance activities
Reaction to Cummings on addiction
Reaction to Cummings on addiction
Exposure effects may not depend on stimulus recognition
Featural processing in face preferences
Thinking and feeling
| Citations per year | 0.28 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 1979 - 2003 (25) |
| Highly cited | No |