Feeling more neutral? Evaluative conditioning can increase neutral affective reactions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7149878 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Karen Gasper (0000-0002-9960-4757, Pennsylvania State University, corresponding author), Danfei Hu (0000-0001-6228-692X, Pennsylvania State University), Elise Haynes (0000-0003-4776-8378, Pennsylvania State University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 535-553 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cognition & Emotion (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0269-9931 • E-ISSN: 1464-0600 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02699931.2024.2372385 |
| PMID | 38973178 |
| OpenAlex | W4400429034 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 56 |
While it is important to learn what is good and bad, can people learn what is neither? The answer to this question is not readily apparent, but it has important implications for how people learn affective responses. Six experiments examined whether evaluative conditioning (EC) can instill neutral affect. They tested four hypotheses: EC, in which novel conditioned stimuli (CSs) are paired with neutral unconditioned stimuli (USs) (1) creates neutral affect, (2) forms stronger experiences of neutrality when the number of contingent CS-US pairings is high rather than low, (3) creates positive affect, due to mere exposure, and (4) forms responses that are distinct from no US pairings. Respondents rated how positive, negative, and neutral they felt about a CS before and after an EC task in which CSs were paired with USs (positive, negative, neutral, or no stimuli). The positive/negative US conditions increased/decreased positivity, decreased/increased negativity, and decreased neutrality ratings, respectively. Supporting hypotheses 1, 2, and 4, the neutral US, but not the no US, condition increased neutral evaluations when respondents experienced a high (vs. low) number of CS-US pairings. Hypothesis 3 was not supported. The results reveal that people learn not only valenced, but also neutral, preferences
Cognitive psychology · Conditioning · Feeling · Negativity effect · Neutrality · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Communication · Cultural Differences and Values · Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |