A Fluency Heuristic Account of Supraliminal Prime Effects on Product Preference

Abstract

The effects of supraliminal primes on product preference have been explained by two activation mechanisms, goal activation and trait activation. In this research, an additional activation mechanism not explained by goals or traits is identified. Using the implicit association test as a process measure, this article provides evidence that the effect of supraliminal primes on product preference is the result of conceptual fluency and the fluency heuristic. To provide evidence that this mechanism affects preference nonconsciously, this article proposes a dual-processing framework where conscious effects are mediated by explicit attitude and nonconscious effects are mediated by implicit attitude and moderated by the motivation and opportunity to process information. The experimental findings support the authors’ propositions, which provide a number of theoretical, methodological, and practical implications.