THE “ASYMMETRY” OF “LIKING” AND “DISLIKING”: A PHENOMENON MERITING FURTHER REFLECTION AND RESEARCH

The methods used to measure attitudes and opinions ultimately determine what and how we think about attitudes and opinions. At present these are measured, almost exclusively, by some attitude and opinion scale. Such a scale generally consists of a "neutral" mid-point and two equidistant end-points representing "like very much" and "dislike very much," respectively; in addition, several intermediate steps between the mid-point and the end-points are given that represent "like somewhat," "like moderately," etc., and "dislike somewhat," "dislike moderately," etc., respectively. The scale is consequently symmetrical; that is, verbally denoted equal intensities or magnitudes of "liking" and "disliking" are equidistant from the "neutral" mid-point. Hence, whether we attend to it or not, we are conjoined to think about ratings equidistant from the mid-point of the scale as having a comparable or equal effect upon behavior, albeit in "opposite directions." But what if this is not so? Then our thinking about attitudes and opinions, and the model underlying this thinking-be it explicit or implicit, is wrong. It is wrong to think wrongly. Data obtained from several experiments, experiments conducted by different investigators for different purposes, seem to cast doubt upon such a simple symmetry of behavioral effects. In these experiments a "positive attitude" or "positive affect" does not have an effect upon "measured behavior" oppositely equivalent to the effect of a "negative attitude" or "negative affect." The universal symmetry underlying present-day thinking on the subject is questionable. The relevant data from these experiments, three in number, will be briefly presented.