The implicit association test as a general measure of similarity. |
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Authors: | Jan De Houwer Tanja Geldof Els De Bruycker |
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Institution: | Department of Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium. Jan.DeHouwer@UGent.be |
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Abstract: | The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is widely used as a measure of semantic similarity (i.e., associations in semantic memory). The results of previous research and of a new study show that IAT effects can, however, also be based on other types of similarity between stimuli. We therefore put forward the hypothesis that the IAT provides a general measure of similarity. Given that similarity is highly dynamic and context-dependent, our view that the IAT measures similarity is compatible with existing evidence showing that IAT effects are highly malleable. We provide further evidence for this in a new study in which the outcome of an IAT depended on whether the perceptual or functional characteristics of the stimuli were made salient. |
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