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Marketing textbook, chapter 3

Consumer behaviour → Mental processes → Activating processes → Attitudes (Chapter 3.4.1.4)

The implicit association test (IAT) developed by Greenwald et al. (1998, p. 1464 ff.) is based on the principle of priming, whereby a distinction must be made between semantic and affective priming (Wittenbrink, 2007, p. 25 ff.).

Semantic priming means that individuals react more quickly to a word (e.g. „cow“) if a word with an associative connection (e.g. „milk“) was mentioned shortly beforehand. In comparison, the reaction time is longer if they have previously been confronted with a word without an associative link (e.g. „aeroplane“). This phenomenon is explained by activation by means of the associative link between the two words „cow“ and „milk“. Similarly, affective priming occurs when a person reacts faster because they were presented with a stimulus with the same valence (e.g. „beach“ = positive) before the stimulus to be evaluated (e.g. „sun cream“ = positive). The reaction time is correspondingly longer if the previously presented stimulus has a different valence (e.g. „dirt“ = negative). The evaluation of the IAT is based on the assumption that different reaction times when assigning terms to relevant attitude objects represent different attitudes (Lane et al., 2007).

The following example illustrates the ideal-typical sequence of the IAT: This involves the attitude of conservative East German consumers towards products of different origins. The results of the IAT provide reaction times that can be used to test the assumption that the test subjects have a more negative attitude towards products from West Germany than towards products from East Germany.

The test consists of the following five phases. By pressing the „A“ and „L“ keys, the test subjects have to categorise stimuli that either consist of a specific attribute (positive or negative terms) or belong to one of two target concepts that do not overlap (Eastern product or Western product).

  1. In the first phase („target concept classification“), the test subjects have to assign various randomised stimuli to the correct target category as quickly as possible by pressing the correct button for „East product“ or „West product“.
Schematic representation of a psychological allocation test (IAT) on the topic of East and West products with key assignment and classification list.left area (test interface): At the top is the instruction „Press the correct key as quickly as possible!“. Two key fields are defined below this: Button A for „East product“ and button L for „West product“. The word „Little Red Riding Hood“ appears in the centre as the current stimulus.right-hand area (target concept classification): A table assigns various brands: eastern products: Rotkäppchen, Halloren, Vita Cola, Born mustard. Western products: Krombacher, Nutella, Maggi, Milka.
Figure 1: First phase of the IAT - target concept classification
  1. In the second phase („attribute classification“), the task is to assign various randomised stimuli to the correct attribute category as quickly as possible by pressing the correct button for positive or negative words. The first two phases of the test serve to familiarise the test subjects with a specific action pattern (assignment of „eastern product“ or „positive“ → „A“ button / „western product“ or „negative“ → „L“ button).
Schematic representation of a psychological allocation test (IAT) for the classification of positive and negative attributes with key assignment and word list.left area (test arrangement): Above two buttons is the instruction „Press the correct button as quickly as possible!“. Button A is assigned to the „positive“ category. Button L is assigned to the „negative“ category. The word „laugh“ is displayed in the centre as the current stimulus.
Figure 2: Second phase of the IAT - attribute classification
  1. The first actual measurement takes place in the third phase of the test („mixed classification“). Here, the target categories from phase 1 are linked with the attribute categories from phase 2. The test subjects are now asked to assign the listed stimuli as quickly as possible to the correct category formed from the attribute and target concepts using the answer keys.
Illustration of an IAT test with combined classification: Eastern products/positive versus Western products/negative. test arrangement (left): The instruction requires a quick reaction to the displayed terms. Button A: Combined category „East product positive“. Button L: Combined category „Western product negative“. Stimulus word: „honest“ is displayed as the current term Mixed classification (right): The table shows the assignment of brands and attributes: Eastern product / positive: honest, Little Red Riding Hood, Halloren, Vita Cola, laugh, Born mustard, advantage, happiness. Western product / negative: annoyance, defective, Krombacher, death, Nutella, Maggi, arrogant, Milka.
Figure 3: Third phase of the IAT - mixed classification
  1. In the fourth phase („reverse target concept classification“), the test subjects must again assign various randomised stimuli to the correct target concept category as quickly as possible, as in the first phase. However, the corresponding buttons are reversed. The assignment „Western product“ → button „A“ and „Eastern product“ → button „L“ now applies. The behaviour pattern „learned“ in the previous phases is therefore broken.
Illustration of the test with swapped button assignment for West and East products.left area (test interface): The assignment of the products to the buttons has been swapped compared to the first illustration: Button A: „Western product“ category. Button L: „Eastern product“ category. Red Riding Hood„ is displayed as the stimulus word in the right-hand area (reversed target concept classification): The table reflects the new key assignment: western product: Krombacher, Nutella, Maggi, Milka. Eastern product: Rotkäppchen, Halloren, Vita Cola, Born mustard.
Figure 4: Fourth phase of the IAT - reverse target concept classification
  1. In the final test phase of the IAT („reverse mixed classification“), the test subjects must assign the randomised stimuli to the correct category formed from the attribute and target concept as quickly as possible, as in the third phase. However, the categories are now mixed in reverse, so that the categorisation in phase 5 corresponds to the reverse target concept-attribute classification from phase 3. The assignment „Western product/positive“ → button „A“ and „Eastern product/negative“ → button „L“ must therefore be carried out.
This figure represents the most complex phase in which the learned categories from the previous steps (Figures 3 and 4) are combined, but in a new, „reversed“ pairing: Reverse mixed classification with the pairing West product/positive versus East product/negative.left area (test arrangement): The subject sees the instruction „Press the correct button as soon as possible!“. Button A: Assigned to the combined category „Western product positive“. Button L: Assigned to the combined category „East product negative“. Stimulus word: „honest“ is displayed as the current term.right-hand area (table): The list shows the assignment of stimuli for this test phase: western product / positive: honest, laugh, Krombacher, Nutella, happiness, Maggi, Milka, advantage. Eastern product / negative: Little Red Riding Hood, Halloren, defective, Vita Cola, death, Born mustard, arrogant, trouble
Figure 5: Fifth phase of the IAT - reverse mixed classification

The evaluation is carried out by comparing the reaction times in the third phase with those in the fifth phase, as here the stimuli had to be assigned to the combinations of target concepts and attributes. This means that, due to the priming effect, there must be faster and slower reaction times in these two phases, depending on which combination in which phase corresponds more closely to the respondent's associations (Felser, 2015, p. 258 ff.). Normally, people react faster in the phase that has a compatible association for them, i.e. strong associations between attribute and target concept considerably simplify the correct assignment of a stimulus. Incompatibility between the two stimulus categories, on the other hand, leads to longer reaction times. A more positive attitude of the test subjects towards eastern products would therefore be noticeable in the difference in reaction time between the third phase (short reaction time) and the fifth phase (long reaction time). The IAT effect is therefore interpreted as a measure of the strength of associative links between the target concepts and the attribute values.

Sources:

  • Felser, G.: Werbe- und Konsumentenpsychologie, 4th edition, Berlin - Heidelberg 2015.
  • Greenwald, A. G./McGhee, D. E./Schwartz, J. K. L.: Measuring individual differences in implicit cognition: The implicit association test; in: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1998, Vol. 74, No. 6, pp. 1464-1480.
  • Lane, K. A./Banaji, M. R./Nosek, B. A./Greenwald, A. G.: Understanding and Using the Implicit Association Test: What We Know (So Far) about the Method; in: Wittenbrink, B./Schwarz, N. (eds.): Implicit Measures of Attitudes, New York 2007, pp. 59-102.
  • Wittenbrink, B.: Measuring Attitudes through Priming, in: Wittenbrink, B./Schwarz, N. (eds.): Implicit Measures of Attitudes, New York 2007, pp. 17-58.

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