Karremans, Stroebe + Claus SUBLIMINAL priming + brand choice

Question 1

What is the aim of the study?

Answer 1

1. Assess whether subliminal priming of a brand name of a drink can affect people’s choice for the primed brand
2. Whether this effect is moderated by individual’s feelings of thirst

Question 2

What previous research is there for subliminal priming influencing brand choices?

Answer 2

1. Cooper + Cooper, 2002
   - subliminally primed ppt w/ pictures of cola + word “thirsty”
   ○ Priming manipulation had a positive effect on self-rated thirst
2. Dijksterhuis, Wegner + Aarts, 2005
   - ppt subliminally primed with the work “drink” vs “Cola” vs neutral words
   ○ Offered a drink + given choice between cola + mineral water
   ○ Experimental condition = drank substantially more
   ○ Cola priming = no affect on ppt’s choice of beverage

Question 3

• Based on recent findings by Strahan, Spencer + Zanna, 2002: argued subliminal priming only affect behavior if…

Answer 3

○ Subliminal priming is goal-relevant
○ People are motivated to pursue the goal
§ Demonstrated people who were thirsty were more likely to drink a beverage
§ Evaluated a thirst-quenching beverage as more positive AFTER they had been primed with thirst-related cognitions

Question 4

When can trait priming affect behaviour?

Answer 4

when a person is in the right context to which the traits are applicable (Higgens, 1996)

Question 5

What was the procedure of E1?

Answer 5

1. Visual detection task
   - string of b’s but priming ppl with Lipton vs control word
2. choose between Lipton ice vs Spa road
3. PPt’s thirst surveyed

Question 6

What were the findings of E1?

Answer 6

○ Choice: A significant positive association between amount of thirst + likelihood to choose Lipton Ice only in the Lipton Ice prime condition vs control prime condition

Question 7

What was the procedure of E2?

Answer 7

1. Thirst condition vs non
   - Dropje = salty sweet vs no sweets
2. subliminal priming of Lipton ice vs control
3. asked Lipton or Spa Rood?

Question 8

What were the findings of E2?

Answer 8

1. Lipton Ice prime = more likely to choose Lipton Ice
2. Thirsty = more strongly affected by Lipton Ice Prime
3. Thirsty + Lipton = more likely to choose Lipton
4. Not-thirsty + Lipton = weaker chance of choosing Lipton Ice

Question 9

What are some alternative explanations for the findings?

Answer 9

1. Ferguson + Bargh, 2004
   - goal-pursuit associated w/ autonomic positive evaluation of goal relevant object
   - thirsty? = water/ drink = positive
2. Misattribution of familiarity into the object
   - subliminal priming = temp increase in familiarity
   - misattribute ‘feeling’ to brand being’ right’ choice

Question 10

What are the limitations of the study?

Answer 10

1. Did not examine how long the effects of subliminal brand priming last
2. Could not choose between drinks that were actually offered to them