How Do People Resolve Conflict Between Implicit and Explicit Attitudes?

Abstract

How Do People Resolve Conflict Between Implicit and Explicit Attitudes? How do implicit attitudes influence behavior when they are in conflict with explicit attitudes? In Study 1, smokers' negative implicit attitudes and positive explicit attitudes towards smoking were activated. Then emotions were measured. The stronger the negative implicit attitudes that the smokers held, the stronger the conflict experienced. Study 2 showed that cognitive capacity allows for this conflict, as positive explicit and negative implicit attitudes may be applied simultaneously. The stronger the negative implicit attitudes the smokers held, the stronger the conflict experienced. Smokers resolved the conflict through the inhibition of implicit attitudes (by smoking cigarettes). Without cognitive capacity, only implicit attitudes were applied, and thus no conflict was aroused. Study 3 confirmed that smoking cigarettes inhibited negative implicit attitudes.