Agency influences vicarious approach/avoidance effects

Cristina Zogmaister, Michela Vezzoli, Karoline Bading, Marco Perugini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

Abstract

Social learning plays a prominent role in shaping individual preferences. The vicarious approach-avoidance effect consists of developing a preference for attitudinal objects that have been approached over objects that have been avoided by another person (model). In two experiments (N = 448 participants), we explored how the vicarious approach-avoidance effect is affected by agency (model’s voluntary choice) and identification with the model. The results consistently revealed vicarious approachavoidance effects in preference, as indicated by the semantic differential and the Implicit Association Test. Agency increased the size of the preference assessed through the semantic differential but did not significantly impact preference in the Implicit Association Test. Identification with the model had no significant impact on the vicarious approach-avoidance effect. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1299-1314
Number of pages16
JournalCOGNITION & EMOTION
Volume37
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Social learning
  • agency
  • attitudes
  • propositional learning
  • vicarious approach-avoidance

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