Contrast effects in backward evaluative conditioning: Exploring effects of affective relief/disappointment versus instructional information.

Past studies of backward evaluative conditioning (EC) have found an assimilation effect, in that neutral conditional stimuli (conditional stimulus [CS]) were to acquire the valence co-occurring unconditional (US). Recent employing a concurrent forward and paradigm with instructions suggesting contrastive relation between US CS resulted contrast effects, CSs acquired opposite US. The current research investigated whether these effects fact due highlighting CS, or affective relief/disappointment experienced at offset could account for this result. Consistent hypothesized role instructions, occurred only when highlighted attributed control CSs. In hypothesis, no without such instructions.