Positive-negative asymmetry in the evaluation of familiar versus unfamiliar persons and objects

Abstract

Participants (n = 105) were randomly assigned repertory grid tasks with the same 12 bipolar constructs (e.g., pleasant-unpleasant), but with different kinds of targets: the names of 12 acquaintances (n = 53), and 12 pairs of nonsense syllables (e.g., Mebru) representing “names” of fictional aliens from other galaxies (n = 52). The average proportion of acquaintances assigned to positive poles (e.g., pleasant) was .62, as predicted by V. A. Lefebvre (1992); however, the average proportion of “aliens” evaluated positively was significantly smaller (.53). In the 2nd experiment, 98 participants evaluated both 12 “standard brand” names (e.g., Kodak) and 12 imaginary “new brand names” (e.g., Fazhix) with the same 12 bipolar constructs. Approximately .61 of the standard brands, but only .51 of the imaginary brands, were assigned, on average, to positive poles. Theoretical implications of these findings were discussed, and a logical extension of his model was proposed.