Understanding Priming Effects in Social Psychology

Book excerpt: 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 ofSocial 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.