Content area
Abstract
Across six studies we investigate the role of attitude emotionality in both the intra- and interpersonal domains. In the intrapersonal domain, we demonstrate that when individuals have both positive and negative reactions toward an attitude object (i.e., express ambivalence), that the valence associated with greater emotionality tends to dominate when arriving at a summary judgment. Furthermore, individuals are also more consistent in the expression of their univalent summary judgments when they involve greater emotionality. In the interpersonal domain when individuals seek to communicate their positive evaluation to others, we demonstrate that attitude emotionality does not always dominate. Instead, we show that the impact of attitude emotionality depends on the type of object being evaluated. Expressing greater emotionality is more helpful for describing hedonic products (e.g., music and movies), while expressing less attitude emotionality is more helpful for describing utilitarian products (e.g., microwaves and blenders). This research therefore indicates the important role attitude emotionality plays in both judging and communicating. It also points to the intriguing irony that while attitude emotionality is associated with strong effects intrapersonally, it can be detrimental interpersonally.
