Variability and abstraction in evaluative conditioning: Consequences for the generalization of likes and dislikes

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The present work examines whether the variability of attitude objects at attitude acquisition increases the generalization of likes and dislikes. In particular, variability might enhance the discriminative learning of cues, resulting in attitudes towards abstract entities rather than concrete instances. Using evaluative conditioning as an experimental paradigm to study attitude acquisition, we manipulated the variability of conditioned stimuli (CSs) that were paired with unconditioned stimuli (USs) of negative or positive valence. CSs resembled Chinese characters that could be grouped into categories by one common component. In the invariable condition, one item per category served as CSs. In the variable condition, multiple items per category were used as CSs. We measured participants' evaluations of the CSs and novel Chinese characters (generalization stimuli), and included a recognition memory task and evaluative measures of CS components. As compared to the invariable condition, the learning condition that introduced variability among CSs facilitated generalization towards novel stimuli, diminished recognition memory performance, and produced evaluative ratings of CS components that were more extreme for common components. The findings suggest the formation of attitudes towards abstract cues rather than concrete instances in the variable relative to the invariable condition, and propose that high variability facilitates the generalization of likes and dislikes. We discuss mechanistic explanations as well as practical implications with regard to the formation of prejudice and intergroup biases.