Implicit Causality and Memory: Evidence for a Priming Model
Previous research has demonstrated an asymmetrical bias in attributions of causality for events described by interpersonal verbs. The authors used a cued recall procedure to examine possible explanations for this implicit causality effect. Subjects in four experiments were asked to form impressions of the people described in minimal sentences containing either action verbs (e.g., help) or state verbs (e.g., hate). Later, subjects were unexpectedly asked to recall the names associated with the verbs. As expected, subjects recalled more names that occupied the agent role than the patient role (Experiments 1 and 2) and more names that occupied the stimulus role than the experiencer role (Experiments 3 and 4). These results lend support to a priming process account of the implicit causality effect.