Dampening Affect Via Expectations: The Case of Ambivalence

People often form attitudes based on a mixture of positive and negative information. This can result in mixed evaluative reactions that are associated with feeling conflicted and undecided (i.e., felt ambivalence). In the present research, we examined whether expectations of receiving mixed informat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2021-12, Vol.121 (6), p.1172-1194
Main Authors: Durso, Geoffrey R. O., Petty, Richard E., Briñol, Pablo, Siev, Joseph J., Hinsenkamp, Lucas D., Sawicki, Vanessa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Affect
Ambivalence
Attitude
Conflict
Emotions
Expectations
Female
Human
Humans
Judgment
Male
Motivation
Personnel Promotion
Social Behavior
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Summary:People often form attitudes based on a mixture of positive and negative information. This can result in mixed evaluative reactions that are associated with feeling conflicted and undecided (i.e., felt ambivalence). In the present research, we examined whether expectations of receiving mixed information could dampen felt ambivalence compared to situations where the mixed information was instead unexpected. In six experiments, expectancies of receiving mixed information-either explicitly provided or implied via patterns of behavior-led people to feel less ambivalent about a target person who had engaged in mixed social behaviors. Expectations of mixed information reduced felt ambivalence to receipt of such information in comparison to having no explicit expectancies (Studies 1-3, 5-6), negative expectancies (Study 2), positive expectancies (Study 3), and compared with expectancies formed merely on the basis of behavioral patterns (Study 4). The extent to which people felt that their expectancies of mixed information regarding the target were confirmed (vs. disconfirmed) significantly accounted for the reductions in felt ambivalence. Finally, lower felt ambivalence via manipulated expectations accounted for reduced decision time in a workplace simulation about recommending promotion or termination of an employee (Study 6). Overall, these findings bridge the extensive literatures in attitudes, social judgment, and expectations, showing that expecting mixed information can lead to reductions in felt ambivalence that have consequences for behavior.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/pspa0000248