Acquisition and Extinction of Directly and Indirectly Learned Preferences: A Multi-Measure Approach to Evaluative Conditioning.

Evaluative conditioning (EC) demonstrates how preferences are formed through direct association with valenced stimuli. This study investigated the acquisition and extinction of such directly learned preferences alongside those formed indirectly via sensory preconditioning (SPC), utilizing a comprehensive multi-measure approach. Fifty participants underwent phases of SPC (pairing two neutral stimuli), direct EC (pairing one of the preconditioned stimuli with a valenced unconditioned stimulus), and extinction. Evaluations were assessed using explicit liking ratings, the Evaluative Priming Task (EPT), and the Brief Implicit Association Test (BIAT). A key manipulation involved two between-subjects extinction groups: one targeting the directly conditioned stimulus, the other targeting its initially associated neutral partner from the preconditioning phase. Results confirmed robust direct EC on explicit ratings and the BIAT. Explicit SPC effects were modest. Following extinction targeting the directly conditioned stimulus, explicit ratings showed a reduction in valence, while BIAT scores showed resistance to change, highlighting an explicit–implicit dissociation. The type of extinction target (directly conditioned stimulus vs. preconditioned partner) did not significantly differentiate the magnitude of extinction on overall implicit measures or the explicit valence effect for directly conditioned stimuli. However, nuanced patterns emerged in within-group analyses. These findings underscore the complexity of learned preference modification and the importance of considering both learning pathways and measurement modality.