[PAPER] Preprint: Cross-valence inhibition in Forming and Retrieving Ambivalent Attitudes

[Pierpaolo Primoceri]

Dear colleagues,

We know that ambivalence is aversive and activates coping processes, especially when people need to make a choice. But is it possible that there is a basic process that works against holding ambivalent attitudes in the first place? Johannes Ullrich and I have conducted a number of studies on the idea that when people form attitudes about novel ambivalent stimuli, the fact that a stimulus implies high gains reduces their expectation of losses relative to the true value (and vice versa). Such cross-valence inhibition also emerged after actually experiencing the outcomes associated with the ambivalent stimuli.

 

To our knowledge, this mechanism is not reflected in current theorizing about ambivalence. We have published a preprint (https://psyarxiv.com/7gnk2/) and would be happy to receive your feedback (positive AND negative!!) before submitting this to a journal.

 

Best wishes,

Pierpaolo and Johannes

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University of Zurich
Dr. Pierpaolo Primoceri
Department of Psychology
Social Psychology
Binzmühlestrasse 14 / 15
CH-8050 Zürich
Switzerland

Phone: +41 44 635 72 74
Website: t.uzh.ch/10