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Priming Intelligent Behavior: An Elusive Phenomenon

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  • David R Shanks
  • Ben R Newell
  • Eun Hee Lee
  • Divya Balakrishnan
  • Lisa Ekelund
  • Zarus Cenac
  • Fragkiski Kavvadia
  • Christopher Moore

Abstract

Can behavior be unconsciously primed via the activation of attitudes, stereotypes, or other concepts? A number of studies have suggested that such priming effects can occur, and a prominent illustration is the claim that individuals' accuracy in answering general knowledge questions can be influenced by activating intelligence-related concepts such as professor or soccer hooligan. In 9 experiments with 475 participants we employed the procedures used in these studies, as well as a number of variants of those procedures, in an attempt to obtain this intelligence priming effect. None of the experiments obtained the effect, although financial incentives did boost performance. A Bayesian analysis reveals considerable evidential support for the null hypothesis. The results conform to the pattern typically obtained in word priming experiments in which priming is very narrow in its generalization and unconscious (subliminal) influences, if they occur at all, are extremely short-lived. We encourage others to explore the circumstances in which this phenomenon might be obtained.

Suggested Citation

  • David R Shanks & Ben R Newell & Eun Hee Lee & Divya Balakrishnan & Lisa Ekelund & Zarus Cenac & Fragkiski Kavvadia & Christopher Moore, 2013. "Priming Intelligent Behavior: An Elusive Phenomenon," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(4), pages 1-10, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0056515
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056515
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    1. Steven D. Levitt & John A. List & Susanne Neckermann & Sally Sadoff, 2016. "The Behavioralist Goes to School: Leveraging Behavioral Economics to Improve Educational Performance," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 8(4), pages 183-219, November.
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    3. repec:cup:judgdm:v:10:y:2015:i:4:p:314-331 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Kristen D. Deppe & Frank J. Gonzalez & Jayme L. Neiman & Carly Jacobs & Jackson Pahlke & Kevin B. Smith & John R. Hibbing, 2015. "Reflective liberals and intuitive conservatives: A look at the Cognitive Reflection Test and ideology," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 10(4), pages 314-331, July.
    5. Henning, Karla & Vollan, Björn & Balafoutas, Loukas, 2022. "Religious worship and discrimination," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 91-102.
    6. Christine R Harris & Noriko Coburn & Doug Rohrer & Harold Pashler, 2013. "Two Failures to Replicate High-Performance-Goal Priming Effects," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-1, August.
    7. Gregory Francis & Jay Tanzman & William J Matthews, 2014. "Excess Success for Psychology Articles in the Journal Science," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(12), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Julija Michailova & Christoph Bühren, 2015. "Money priming and social behavior of natural groups in simple bargaining and dilemma experiments," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201530, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    9. Santiago Sanchez-Pages & Claudia Rodriguez-Ruiz & Enrique Turiegano, 2014. "Facial Masculinity: How the Choice of Measurement Method Enables to Detect Its Influence on Behaviour," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(11), pages 1-10, November.
    10. Emily E Butler & Robert Ward & Richard Ramsey, 2015. "Investigating the Relationship between Stable Personality Characteristics and Automatic Imitation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-18, June.

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