Conflicting Action and Inaction Primes
This study investigated the affects of primes on the implicit activation of goal driven behaviors. More specifically, it examines how certain primes have stronger effects on goal manifestations for certain people that enjoy and chronically engage in consistent behaviors. We hypothesize that if a person is active/chronically impulsive; the action prime should predominate over the inaction prime in goal activation. Correspondingly, if the person is inactive/chronically non-impulsive, the inaction prime should predominate.
To test this hypothesis, chronically impulsive and non-impulsive individuals were primed with both action concepts: "start" or "go," and inaction concepts: "stop" or "calm" simultaneously. Before taking the experiment participants took a questionnaire measuring impulsivity and exercise frequency using the BIS (Barrat Impulsivity Scale).
43 individuals participated in a Go/No Go task after being primed with action, inaction, and control concepts. We then measured false omissions and RT (Reaction Times), but unfortunately lost the crucial false alarm data. Furthermore, the ANCOVAS for false omissions had an adjusted R squared value of -.007. This is an insignificant affect of the prime on false omissions. The discussion of these results may illustrate that the lack of significance of the primes on RT (reaction times) and false omissions, corresponding to the covariant impulsivity, was due to several experimental errors. These results should not discourage experiments on prime conflict to be run in the future. The exploration of prime conflict is much needed goal activation literature. Additionally, prime conflict research may illuminate greater understanding of the subconscious triggers of goal driven behavior.
To test this hypothesis, chronically impulsive and non-impulsive individuals were primed with both action concepts: "start" or "go," and inaction concepts: "stop" or "calm" simultaneously. Before taking the experiment participants took a questionnaire measuring impulsivity and exercise frequency using the BIS (Barrat Impulsivity Scale).
43 individuals participated in a Go/No Go task after being primed with action, inaction, and control concepts. We then measured false omissions and RT (Reaction Times), but unfortunately lost the crucial false alarm data. Furthermore, the ANCOVAS for false omissions had an adjusted R squared value of -.007. This is an insignificant affect of the prime on false omissions. The discussion of these results may illustrate that the lack of significance of the primes on RT (reaction times) and false omissions, corresponding to the covariant impulsivity, was due to several experimental errors. These results should not discourage experiments on prime conflict to be run in the future. The exploration of prime conflict is much needed goal activation literature. Additionally, prime conflict research may illuminate greater understanding of the subconscious triggers of goal driven behavior.
School:
University of California at Merced
Department:
Psychology
Research Advisor:
Dolores Albarracin
Department of Research Advisor:
Psychology
Year of Publication:
2008