A multi-method multi-trait test of the dual-attitude perspective

Yoav Bar-Anan*, Michelangelo Vianello

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

The dual-attitude perspective posits that it is useful for research and theory to assume two distinct constructs: explicit and implicit attitudes (or automatic and deliberate evaluation). Much evidence supports this perspective, but some important tests are missing, casting doubts on studies that relied on the perspective for inference. We used a multimethod multitrait design to extensively test the validity of the dual perspective. The dataset (N = 24,015) included measurements of attitudes in 3 domains (race, politics, the self) with 7 indirect measures, and at least 3 self-report measures for each attitude domain. The dual-attitude model fit the data better than a single-attitude model. Six of the 7 indirect measures were related to the implicit construct more than to the explicit construct. The evidence supports the dual-attitude perspective, bolsters the validation of 6 indirect measures, and clears doubts from countless previous studies that used only one indirect measure to draw conclusions about implicit attitudes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1264-1272
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Experimental Psychology: General
Volume147
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2018
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation2013214
Israel Science Foundation779/16

    Keywords

    • Attitudes
    • Automatic evaluation
    • Implicit measures
    • Implicit social cognition
    • Multi-trait multi-method

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