title: Motivation modulates the effect of approach on implicit preferences.
abstract: With three studies, we investigated whether motivational states can modulate the formation of implicit preferences. In Study 1, participants played a video game in which they repeatedly approached one of two similar beverages, while disregarding the other. A subsequent implicit preference for the target beverage emerged, which increased with participants' thirst. In Study 2, participants approached one brand of potato chips while avoiding the other: Conceptually replicating the moderation observed in Study 1, the implicit preference for the approached brand increased with the number of hours from last food intake. In Study 3, we experimentally manipulated hunger, and the moderation effect emerged again, with hungry participants displaying a higher implicit preference for the approached brand, as compared to satiated participants. In the three studies, the moderation effect was not paralleled in explicit preferences although the latter were affected by the preference inducing manipulation. Theoretical implications and open questions are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Milano-Bicocca , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zogmaister
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Milano-Bicocca , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perugini
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Milano-Bicocca , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richetin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D012527:Satiation; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Approach; Explicit attitudes; Hunger; Implicit attitude formation; Implicit attitudes; Thirst