Investigating Deliberative and Spontaneous Inferences as Outcomes of Associative Learning with High versus Low Contingency Awareness

In his insightful theoretical critique, De Houwer (2007) advocates an effects-based perspective regarding the meaning of evaluative conditioning (EC): evaluative conditioning can be defined as an observed change in liking that is due to the pairing of stimuli (p. 233). Embracing this effects-based perspective is stimulating a host of new research questions about associative learning. This perspective motivates competing theorizing about what causes the transfer of liking that takes place when stimuli co-occur (cf. De Houwer 2007; Jones, Olson & Fazio 2010). Additionally, recent studies featuring “non-evaluative” US’s as part of a conditioning procedure are beginning to show effects more diverse than a simple transfer of liking (e.g., Forderer & Unkelbach 2011; Galli & Gorn 2011; Glaser & Walther 2013; Meersmans et al. 2005; Miller & Allen 2012). Said another way, conventional EC methods and procedures are now being utilized to examine a wide array of questions about associative learning beyond simple, direct affect transfer from US to CS.