A Meta-Analysis of Procedures to Change Implicit Measures

Using a novel technique known as network meta-analysis, we synthesized evidence from 492 studies (87,418 participants) to investigate the effectiveness of procedures in changing implicit measures, which we define as response biases on implicit tasks. We also evaluated these procedures’ effects on explicit and behavioral measures. We found that implicit measures can be changed, but effects are often relatively weak (|ds| < .30). Most studies focused on producing short-term changes with brief, single-session manipulations. Procedures that associate sets of concepts, invoke goals or motivations, or tax mental resources changed implicit measures the most, whereas procedures that induced threat, affirmation, or specific moods/emotions changed implicit measures the least. Bias tests suggested that implicit effects could be inflated relative to their true population values. Procedures changed explicit measures less consistently and to a smaller degree than implicit measures and generally produced trivial changes in behavior. Finally, changes in implicit measures did not mediate changes in explicit measures or behavior. Our findings suggest that changes in implicit measures are possible, but those changes do not necessarily translate into changes in explicit measures or behavior.

采用一种名为网络荟萃分析的革新性技术，我们综合分析了492项研究（涉及87,418名参与者）的证据，以探讨改变隐式测量的程序的有效性，我们将这种改变定义为隐式任务上的反应偏差。我们还评估了这些程序对显式和行为的测量效果。我们发现，隐式测量是可以改变的，但其效果通常相对较弱（|ds| < .30）。大多数研究集中在通过短暂的、单次会话的操作产生短期变化。将一组概念相关联、唤起目标或动机或消耗心理资源的程序最能改变隐式测量，而引起威胁、肯定或特定情绪/情感的程序则对隐式测量的改变最小。偏差测试表明，隐式效果可能与真实人群值相比被高估。程序对显式测量的改变不如隐式测量一致且程度较小，通常只产生微小的行为变化。最后，隐式测量的变化并未中介显式测量或行为的变化。我们的研究结果表明，隐式测量的改变是可能的，但这些改变并不一定转化为显式测量或行为的变化。