Unconscious accessibility priming lets scandal coverage shift the foundations of presidential support

Evidence

One of the most solid, well-supported conclusions reached by experimental social and cognitive psychologists over the past two decades is that people are automatically (unconsciously) influenced by the presentation of environmental stimuli, including words, pictures, and persuasive messages (e.g., Bargh & Chartrand, 1999). The process of making concepts or ideas more accessible to an individual, without necessarily making the individual aware of the increased accessibility, is known as priming. Although most of the evidence concerning the effects of priming has come from tightly controlled laboratory studies, Krosnick and Kinder have explored the consequences of priming (again through repeated media coverage) in a more naturalistic setting. Their research led to the publication of an article that we have selected for this book’s eighth reading. In the article, Krosnick and Kinder demonstrate that, because of heightened accessibility brought on by media priming, embarrassing news coverage of a political scandal can in fact alter the foundations of support for the president. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1406

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines priming clearly: making concepts more accessible without the individual’s awareness.
• QUESTION: How far does scandal priming shift durable foundations vs transient evaluations? The passage says foundations of support, which is a strong claim worth probing.
• XREF: Relates to the broader theme of unconscious influence on judgment from my Deep Listening reading on pre-reflective processing and to mindless acceptance themes.