Successful Mediated Priming via Associative Bonds

Abstract

The effects of indirect priming via forward and reverse associative bonds were investigated using a word-association test to measure changes in associative frequency. Preceding each cue-stimulus on the association test were three priming words, selected because they were known to elicit the desired response (Group 1, N = 38) or to be elicited by it (Group 2). For every stimulus word studied, forward indirect priming (Group 1) increased the probability of occurrence of the desired response. The effects of reverse indirect priming (Group 2, N = 50) were random and insignificant. Some implications of these findings for future research were suggested.