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Physiological mediation of attitudinal responses.

R A Detweiler, M P Zanna

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

|January 1, 1976

Summary

Attitudes are influenced by physiological responses, especially with low prior knowledge. This physiological mediation of attitudes is not verbally communicated and is strongest when any feedback is provided versus none.

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Area of Science:

Social Psychology
Cognitive Science
Psychophysiology

Background:

Understanding the complex interplay between physiological responses and attitude formation is crucial in social psychology.
Previous research has explored various models linking stimuli, physiological reactions, and expressed attitudes, with varying results.
The role of manipulated or bogus physiological feedback in attitude modification remains an area of active investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the optimal model describing the relationship between stimuli, physiological responses, and attitude formation.
To investigate whether bogus physiological feedback influences attitudes and how this mediation occurs.
To examine the conditions under which physiological mediation of attitudes is most potent.

Main Methods:

Participants indicated attitudes toward nations after receiving fabricated physiological response data.
The study manipulated bogus physiological feedback to assess its impact on attitude expression.
Experimental conditions varied prior knowledge and prior attitudes toward the stimuli.

Main Results:

Attitudes are generally physiologically mediated, suggesting a direct link between bodily responses and evaluative judgments.
Physiological mediation is strongest when individuals possess limited prior knowledge about the stimuli.
Bogus physiological feedback's influence on attitudes appears independent of prior attitudes and is not primarily verbally mediated.

Conclusions:

Attitudes are significantly influenced by physiological feedback, particularly in situations of low prior knowledge.
The presence of any physiological feedback, rather than its specific nature (change, increase, decrease), is key to its effect.
Findings suggest a non-verbal, direct pathway for physiological mediation in attitude formation.

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