Understanding Priming Effects in Social Psychology

How incidentally activated social representations affect subsequent thoughts and behaviors has long interested social psychologists. Recently, such priming effects have provoked debate and skepticism. Originally a special issue of Social Cognition, this book examines the theoretical challenges researchers must overcome to further advance priming studies and considers how these challenges can be met. The volume aims to reduce the confusion surrounding current discussions by more thoroughly considering the many phenomena in social psychology that the term 'priming' encompasses, and closely examining the psychological processes that explain when and how different types of priming effects occur.

Daniel C. Molden, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University. His research examines how activating different motivational mindsets influences the ways in which people (1) gather, integrate, and interpret social information, and (2) pursue, represent, and react to social interactions. His work has been featured in publications such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Psychological Science, and American Psychologist. Dr. Molden has held fellowships from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health, and has received funding for his research from the National Science Foundation.

"Molden has brought together the most comprehensive overview of social psychological research on priming. The chapters in this volume illuminate the history and intellectual roots of priming research, current controversies about the nature and replicability of priming effects, and the significance of theory in identifying their boundary conditions. It is a 'must-read' resource for everyone who wants to understand the range and the limits of priming effects on social behavior."--Bertram Gawronski, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin "Priming has long been a central concept in both cognitive and social psychology, yet only recently has the concept taken on different meanings with various uses. Numerous questions and issues have been debated in the literature, challenging what we thought we once knew. Molden has assembled first-rate scholars, including both advocates and skeptics in recent debates about priming, to provide balanced commentaries on a range of essential issues. This valua