ABSTRACT
Current research in psychology suggests that much of human behavior is in uenced by uncontrolled, unobserved processes in memory (Bargh, 2002; Greenwald et al., 2002). Despite this increased attention to nonconscious processes within academic psychology, consumer research has largely neglected this nascent eld: reviews of the last een years of consumer behavior research report a focus on research methodologies that directly tap conscious beliefs, but which provide little insight into underlying implicit processes (Cohen & Chakravarti, 1990; Jacoby, Johar, & Morrin, 1998; Simonson Carmon, Dhar, Drolet, & Nowlis, 2001). As an example, research into the structure and function of attitudes has relied almost exclusively on explicit measures, encouraging the development of theories dependent on conscious evaluation and deliberation. Although these theories are essential to the advancement of the eld, they o en neglect the potential role of nonconscious processes. Moreover, the validity of explicit measures is threatened if subjects do not possess an attitude prior to measurement, are unable to access an attitude in memory, or are unwilling to share that information (Dholakia & Morwitz, 2002; Dovidio & Fazio, 1992; Fazio, 1986; Fazio & Williams, 1986; Gur & Sackeim, 1979; Hawkins & Coney, 1981; Louie, Curren, & Harich, 2000; Orne, 1962; Taylor & Brown, 1994). In sum, explicit measures are an important component of any behavioral research program, but they o en illuminate only a partial picture of consumers’ underlying cognitions.
