Summary of the Current Research

but rather the relation established between those stimuli by a contextual cue. Four mutually entailed relations were formed between Pokémon characters and emotional images using two laboratory-induced cues meaning either ‘Same’ or ‘Opposite’ (i.e., Pokémon1-Same-Positive;

Pokémon2-Opposite-Positive; Pokémon3-Same-Negative; Pokémon4-Opposite-Negative).

Evaluative responding towards the various Pokémon was then assessed using a number of direct and indirect (IAT) procedures. Consistent with our predictions, ratings varied according to what cue governed the stimulus relation during training. For instance, while

Pokémon1-Same-Positive and Pokémon4-Opposite-Negative both elicited positive ratings, Pokémon2-Opposite-Positive and Pokémon3-Same-Negative elicited negative ratings.

Similarly, when an IAT targeting the two coordination relations was administered participants displayed a clear response bias for Pokémon1-Same-Positive relative to

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Pokémon3-Same-Negative. The direction of this effect was completely reversed when the two

opposition relations were assessed, such that participants displayed a bias for Pokémon4-

Opposite-Negative relative to Pokémon2-Opposite-Positive.

Experiment 2 (Chapter 3) shifted the focus from directly trained relations to those that were entirely derived in nature. Two, three-member coordination relations were engineered consisting of arbitrary Pokémon characters (Pokémon1-Same-Pokémon2-Same-Pokémon3 and Pokémon4-Same-Pokémon5-Pokémon6). Thereafter, an opposition relation was established between Pokémon 1 and positive images and Pokémon 4 and negative images (i.e., Pokémon1-Opposite-Negative and Pokémon4-Opposite-Positive). Similar to before, evaluative responding was under arbitrarily applicable contextual control such that participants not only evaluated Pokémon 1 positively but also liked Pokémon 2 and 3 as well. Equally, they not only responded negatively to Pokémon 4 but also disliked Pokémon 5 and 6. Comparable outcomes were also obtained when an IAT was administered, with a clear response bias favouring Pokémon 3 relative to Pokémon 6.

In order to increase the generalisability of our findings and protect against method- specific artifacts associated with any one task, Experiment 3 (Chapter 3) replicated the above study using an alternative indirect procedure (IRAP) in place of the IAT. The non-relativistic nature of the IRAP also enabled an investigation of whether brief and immediate relational responding was driven by coordination relations (Pokémon3-Same-Good and Pokémon6-

Same-Bad), opposition relations (Pokémon3-Opposite-Bad and Pokémon6-Opposite-Good)

or some combination of the two. Once again, the three stimuli in the first relation received positive ratings while their counterparts in the second relation were scored negatively. While IRAP performances revealed evidence for derived stimulus relating in-line with prior training, these effects were primarily driven by coordination rather than opposition relations.

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Experiment 4 (Chapter 4) further expanded the scope of our relational account in two notable ways. First, fine-grained contextual control was exerted over derived relations consisting of entirely novel stimuli (fictitious brand names and valenced adjectives) and these relations were measured using an IAT as well as a novel indirect procedure (affective priming). Specifically, and following the formation of two coordination relations (Pardal-

Same-Zatte-Same-Ettalas; Ciney-Same-Witkap-Same-Gageleer) half of the participants were

trained to relate Pardal-Same-Positive and Ciney-Same-Negative while the other half were trained to relate Pardal-Opposite-Positive and Ciney-Opposite-Negative. Consistent with our previous findings, evaluative responding was contingent upon the cue governing the stimulus relation. When a coordination relation was established between Pardal and positive words (or Ciney and negative words) participants rated Pardal, Zatte and Ettalas positively and Ciney, Witkap and Gageleer negatively. However, when an opposition relation was formed between Pardal and positive words (or Ciney and negative words) this preferential pattern was completely reversed; with Pardal, Zatte and Ettalas eliciting negative and Ciney, Witkap and Gageleer positive ratings. Broadly comparable effects were also obtained when an IAT or affective priming task was used to assess responding towards the final brand names in both relations (i.e., Ettalas and Gageleer). Second, derived stimulus relating not only predicted direct and indirect task performance but consumer choice behaviours as well. Once the various measures of evaluation were completed, participants were presented with samples of the six brands and offered the opportunity to take three as a reward. A majority of participants chose Pardal, Zatte and Ettalas when Pardal-Same-Positive and Ciney-Same-

Negative. However, relating Pardal-Opposite-Positive and Ciney-Opposite-Negative resulted

in a different set of brands being selected (i.e., Ciney, Witkap and Gageleer).

Experiment 5 (Chapter 5) revealed that an entirely different pattern of evaluative responding emerges when stimuli participate in comparative rather than coordination or

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opposition relations. Two contextual cues meaning ‘More than’ and ‘Less than’ were generated and used to form a five member comparative relation between fictitious prizes (Pardal < Zatte < Ettalas < Ciney < Witkap). A consequential function was then established for the first two prizes in the relation by making access to different quantities of money contingent on their selection. As predicted, self-report ratings varied according to a stimulus’ location within the comparative relation, with Ciney evaluated far more positively than either Ettalas or Zatte, and Ettalas evaluated as less positive than Ciney but more so than Zatte. Evidence for comparative relating was also obtained on both the IAT and behavioural choice tasks, with participants favouring Ettalas relative to Zatte, Ciney relative to Ettalas and Ciney relative to Zatte on the former and Ciney on the latter.

In order to further increase the generalisability of our findings and ensure that exposure to a derivation test did not influence evaluative responding, Experiment 6 (Chapter 5) replicated the above study while controlling for a number of method-related factors. Once again, the three stimuli were comparatively related to one another such that the first stimulus was liked less than the second and the second less than the third on both direct and indirect procedures. Participants also consistently chose to take the prize furthest along the comparative relation when a behavioural choice task was administered.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the foregoing patterns of evaluative responding only emerged when participants successfully derived the relation between the trained stimuli. In each and every case where a test for derivation was included (Experiments 2-6) a clear, consistent and predictable trend was evident. Participants who passed the derivation test responded in a consistent and systematic manner to the various Pokémon characters, brand products or prizes in-line with the derived relations established among those stimuli. In direct contrast, those who failed the derivation test responded ambivalently towards the stimuli they encountered and often showed incoherent - if any - outcomes on

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indirect and behavioural choice tasks. Having summarized the current research programme, the following sections will consider some of the conceptual and theoretical issues raised by the above findings.