Mechanisms underlying approach-avoidance instruction effects on implicit evaluation: Results of a preregistered adversarial collaboration

Dessel, Pieter Van; Gawronski, Bertram; Smith, Colin Tucker; Houwer, Jan De

doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2016.10.004

Cited by 42 publications

(29 citation statements)

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“…As a result, there might be more associative transfer of positive valence to stimulus representations when participants receive self-agent approach instructions than when they receive stimulus-agent instructions. It should be noted, however, that a recent study provided little evidence for the involvement of representations of the self in AA instruction effects (Van Dessel, Gawronski, Smith, & De Houwer, 2017). It is, however, also possible that self-agent action representations are more positive because they have stronger associations with other valenced representations (e.g., representations of motivational systems of approach and avoidance, Neumann, Förster, & Strack, 2003), which facilitates associative transfer of valence in the context of self-agent instructions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Relational information moderates approach-avoidance instruction effects on implicit evaluation

2018

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Previous research demonstrated that instructions to approach one stimulus and avoid another stimulus can result in a spontaneous or implicit preference for the former stimulus. In the current study, we tested whether the effect of approach-avoidance instructions on implicit evaluation depends on the relational information embedded in these instructions. Participants received instructions that they would move towards a certain non-existing word and move away from another non-existing word (self-agent instructions) or that one non-existing word would move towards them and the other non-existing word would move away from them (stimulus-agent instructions). Results showed that self-agent instructions produced stronger effects than stimulus-agent instructions on implicit evaluations of the non-existing words. These findings support the idea that propositional processes play an important role in effects of approach-avoidance instructions on implicit evaluation and in implicit evaluation in general.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Relational information moderates approach-avoidance instruction effects on implicit evaluation

2018

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“…Prior studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of outcome expectancies induced by verbal suggestions in relieving itch and pain in healthy participants [ 21 , 22 ], and have shown that verbal suggestions are able to induce analgesic effects in various clinical patient populations, including patients with irritable bowel syndrome and patients undergoing thoracotomy [ 23 – 25 ]. A second way to influence health outcomes is by means of verbal suggestions that influence specific actions of approaching and avoiding certain stimuli without actually performing these actions, i.e., stimulus-response contingency instructions [ 26 – 29 ]. Verbal suggestions concerning stimulus-response contingencies were recently shown to alter evaluations of fictitious social groups or meaningless words [ 27 – 29 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A second way to influence health outcomes is by means of verbal suggestions that influence specific actions of approaching and avoiding certain stimuli without actually performing these actions, i.e., stimulus-response contingency instructions [ 26 – 29 ]. Verbal suggestions concerning stimulus-response contingencies were recently shown to alter evaluations of fictitious social groups or meaningless words [ 27 – 29 ]. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of gamified approach-avoidance trainings might be strengthened by verbal suggestions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of a gamified approach avoidance training and verbal suggestions on food outcomes

et al. 2018

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There is initial support for the effectiveness of approach-avoidance trainings in altering food-related health behaviors. Furthermore, outcome expectancies induced by verbal suggestions might optimize the effectiveness of these interventions, as shown in placebo research. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a gamified approach-avoidance training on food-related outcomes and whether verbal suggestions could strengthen those effects. A total of 120 participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: serious gaming only, verbal suggestions only, serious gaming combined with verbal suggestions, or a gaming control condition. Virtual food preference and food choice were assessed with a food choice task, with pairs differing in healthiness or in healthiness and attractiveness. Implicit food preference was assessed with an Implicit Association Test and food intake with a bogus taste test. Participants in both serious gaming conditions made healthier food choices for pairs differing in healthiness and attractiveness and had healthier implicit food preferences compared to gaming control. No effects were found on food intake. These findings provide the first preliminary support for the effects of a gamified approach-avoidance training on virtual food choice and implicit food preference. Future studies should further elucidate these effects, also in other health domains such as physical activity.

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“…Recent studies, however, have challenged the idea that evaluative effects are underlain by associations formed through repeated practice (see De Houwer, Van Dessel, & Moran, in press, & Corneille & Stahl, 2019, for reviews). An important observation in this debate is that evaluative effects can also be induced on the basis of mere instructions describing contingencies of stimuli and actions, without overtly practicing these contingencies (Van Dessel, De Houwer, Gast, Smith, & De Schryver, 2016;Van Dessel, Gawronski, Smith, & De Houwer, 2017). For instance, Van Dessel, De Houwer, Gast, and Smith (2015) instructed participants to approach one non-word and avoid another non-word.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Instructed Task-Switch Evaluation Effect: Is the Instruction to Switch Tasks Sufficient to Dislike Task Switch Cues?

Dessel

Liefooghe

Houwer

2020

Journal of Cognition

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It is often argued that people dislike situations in which there is conflict requiring cognitive control, possibly because it is effortful to resolve this conflict. In a recent study, Vermeylen, Braem, and Notebaert (2019) provided evidence for this idea in the context of task switching. They observed that participants evaluated cues signaling a task switch more negatively than cues signaling a task repetition in a task switching paradigm. The present study examined whether this evaluative bias can be observed also on the basis of mere instructions. We instructed participants that two non-words would either signal the requirement to switch or to repeat tasks in an upcoming task switching block, which was actually never administered. In Experiment 1, we did not observe more positive implicit or explicit evaluations of the instructed task repetition compared to the task switch cue. In Experiment 2, participants first completed a task switching block in which a first pair of transition cues were used. We then provided task switching instructions that described the signaling function of a second pair of cues, which would be used in an upcoming (but never administered) second task switching block. Participants showed a clear preference for both instructed and experienced task repetition cues on explicit but not on implicit evaluations. Experiment 3 replicated the instructed taskswitch evaluation effect on explicit evaluations in the context of prior task experience (but not without prior experience) and extended it to implicit evaluations. We discuss theoretical implications and potential explanations of this task-switch evaluation effect.

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Mechanisms underlying approach-avoidance instruction effects on implicit evaluation: Results of a preregistered adversarial collaboration

Cited by 42 publications

References 54 publications

Relational information moderates approach-avoidance instruction effects on implicit evaluation

Relational information moderates approach-avoidance instruction effects on implicit evaluation

The effects of a gamified approach avoidance training and verbal suggestions on food outcomes

The Instructed Task-Switch Evaluation Effect: Is the Instruction to Switch Tasks Sufficient to Dislike Task Switch Cues?

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