Motivating consumer behavior by subliminal conditioning in the absence of basic needs: Striking even while the iron is cold

Previous research suggests that priming of behavioral concepts (e.g., drinking water) motivates consumers outside conscious awareness, but only if primes match a current need (e.g., fluid deprivation). The present article reports two studies testing whether subliminal conditioning (subliminally priming a behavioral concept and linking it to positive affect) can motivate such need‐related behaviors even in the absence of deprivation. Both studies showed an interaction effect: Motivation to drink water increased with fluid deprivation, and subliminally conditioning drinking water more positive only motivated drinking in the absence of deprivation. Furthermore, Study 2 suggests that motivation resulting from conditioning is more specific than following deprivation, as only the latter can be reduced by pursuing alternative behaviors (i.e., eating high‐liquid foods). Thus, although traditionally the motivation for need‐related behaviors is thought to depend on deprivation, this research shows subliminal conditioning can motivate consumers as if they were deprived.