Understanding priming effects in social psychology

"How incidentally activated social representations affect subsequent thoughts and behaviors has long interested social psychologists. Recently, such priming effects have provoked debate and skepticism. This special issue of Social Cognition 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"--

"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 of Social Cognition, this book examines the theoretical challenges researchersmust overcome to further advance priming studiesand 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"--