ATTRIBUTION IMPACTS IMPLICIT (AND EXPLICIT) EVALUATIONS

Two studies examined whether the attributional framing of negative events affected explicit evaluations, as measured by differences in liking, and implicit evaluations, as measured by the Implicit Association Test (Greenwald et al., 1998). In Study 1, participants read negative information about a novel target ordered to elicit internal or external attributions. Participants in the internal attribution condition evaluated the target more negatively than did those in the external attribution condition on both implicit and explicit measures. Study 2 replicated these results and tested the effects of attribution on recently formed negative evaluations. Participants who evaluated targets before and after receiving additional negative information about them demonstrated implicit and explicit evaluative change consistent with the attributional framing of that information. This research provides clear evidence that attribution influences the formation and change of implicit evaluations; however, these effects were weaker than those on explicit measures of evaluation.

Automated summary

Two studies found that attributional framing of negative events influenced explicit and implicit evaluations. In Study 1, participants who made internal attributions evaluated the target more negatively than those who made external attributions. Study 2 replicated these findings and also showed the effects of attribution on recently formed negative evaluations. Overall, the research provides evidence that attribution influences implicit evaluations, although these effects are weaker than on explicit evaluations.