Dominance-Related Priming in the Affect Misattribution Procedure

Abstract: This research examined whether priming effects in the affect misattribution procedure (AMP), typically assumed to reflect subjective responses elicited by primes, may instead reflect normative knowledge. Pictures of large and small animals served as primes, allowing normative and subjective dominance to diverge (e.g., a gorilla may be normatively dominant but elicit subjective submissiveness). In Experiment 1 ( N = 66), participants completed three AMP versions with neutral, feelings-focused, and knowledge-focused instructions. Experiment 2 ( N = 60) replicated the feelings-focused condition. Across both experiments, target ratings assimilated to the primes’ normative dominance, even under feelings-focused instructions, providing no evidence for a contrastive pattern consistent with subjective responses. We discuss task characteristics that may increase normative or subjective influences.