Attitudes and Attraction: Optimism and Weight as Explanations for the Similarity–Dissimilarity Asymmetry

The positive link between attitude similarity and attraction is one of the fundamental outcomes in social psychology. However, attitude dissimilarity seems to be a stronger driver of this relationship than attitude similarity. The authors review the evidence on this similarity–dissimilarity asymmetry, and discuss two explanations. One is that people generally enter into interactions with optimism, and so supposedly neutral partners are often seen as mildly positive. Another is that dissimilar attitudes carry greater weight than similar attitudes in cognitive processes. Implications of these mechanisms for wider issues in person perception and attitude structure are discussed, connecting them with more recent theories of attitudinal ambivalence and evaluative space.     

Interrogative suggestibility and delinquent boys: An empirical validation study

This study has several aims. First, to validate the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS) among delinquent and adolescent boys placed in an assessment and short-term treatment centre. Second, to test the hypothesis that adolescent boys are particularly susceptible to suggestions when they are ‘pressured’ by negative feedback and instructions. Finally, to investigate the hypothesis that suggestibility is related to memory recall and self-esteem. The GSS was administered to 31 boys (ages 11 to 16 yr) who had been independently rated by two teachers on measures of suggestibility and self-esteem. Suggestibility as measured by the GSS was found to correlate significantly with the teachers' ratings of suggestibility, supporting empirically the criterion-related validity of the GSS. Compared with young ‘normal’ adults the boys were no more likely to give in to suggestive questions than the adults, unless their performance was subjected to criticism and negative feedback. The results suggest that deliquent adolescents may be particularly responsive to interpersonal pressure during interrogation. The findings have important implications for police interrogation procedures.     

Drawn to the gloss: Examining the effect of product reflection on product aesthetics

While advertising products with reflections is a common industry practice, this research is the first to investigate their impact on product aesthetics. Reflections are endowed with an inherent shine since they are naturally formed by the interaction of light with an object and a reflecting surface. We draw upon this property along with Evolutionary Psychology (EP) research documenting an intrinsic human attraction towards gloss to predict their positive effect on product aesthetics. Further in line with the EP principles, we propose that this effect is mediated by enhanced pristineness perceptions about the product in the presence of its reflection in the ad. Finally, we draw upon the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) to identify product design complexity as a boundary condition for the positive effect of reflection on product attractiveness perceptions. For a product with relatively high (vs. low) design complexity, with design being the focal aspect that is elaborated via a central route, we predict the effect of a peripheral stylistic cue like product reflection to attenuate. Three experimentally designed studies employing different product types offer empirical support to these predictions. Our work extends prior marketing research studying the effects of executional elements in advertising on consumers' product reactions, particularly the aesthetic impact of product reflections as creative stylistic cues. The managerial implications of this work span both traditional and digital marketing channels. Incorporating a product reflection in advertising can work as an easy-to-implement option that can help practitioners elevate product pristineness and aesthetics. On the other hand, avoiding their use when advertising products with relatively complex designs can save both ad space and money.     

UZNADZE'S SET AND SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

L'A. classe en “ bons ” (N = 40) et en “ mauvais ” (N = 40), des élèves qui étudient le français (seconde langue) en comparant le total des notes normalisées obtenues à des tests de compréhension du français écrit et oral aux notes normalisées obtenues à un test d'aptitude scolaire (SCAT). Il pose en hypothèse que si L'on fait des mesures de fixation et d'extinction d'un “ set ” en matière de sensibilité bilité tactile, on trouvera des différences entre les “ bons ” et les “ mauvais ”. Reprenant la méthode d'Uznadze, il constate qu'entre les deux types d'élèves, il n'y a pas de différence significative (p > .05) dans le nombre d'essais nécessaires à la fixation d'un “ set ”, mais que, par contre, il y a une différence significative dans le nombre d'essais nécessaires à L'extinction du “ set ” : pour les élèves qui sont bons dans L'apprentissage d'une seconde langue, le nombre d'essais nécessaires à L'extinction est plus faible.