A Meta-Analysis of Implicit and Explicit Attitudes in Children and Adolescents

We present a meta-analytic review of studies measuring implicit and explicit attitudes in child and adolescent samples. A meta-analytic structural equation model revealed that both implicit and explicit attitudes independently predicted behavior, with a larger effect size for explicit attitudes. Moderator analyses revealed larger effects of implicit measures on behavior for social bias behaviors compared to diet and health-related behaviors and aggression behaviors. Age did not moderate the size and relative contribution of both forms of attitude on behavior, and the implicit-explicit attitude correlation. Studies adopting a fixed order of attitude measure presentation, rather than counterbalanced, and those using the implicit association test to measure implicit attitudes exhibited stronger implicit attitude-behavior effects than those adopting other measures. Findings support an additive model for the effects of implicit and explicit attitudes on behavior in children and adolescents, and provide formative evidence to guide future research using implicit measures in younger populations.