Final answer:
Implicit attitudes are more likely to predict behavior when individuals are motivated and have the opportunity to act in line with those attitudes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Implicit attitudes refer to unconscious, automatic evaluations that influence behavior without conscious awareness, while explicit attitudes are conscious evaluations that are influenced by personal beliefs and values. In general, implicit attitudes are more likely to predict behavior when individuals are motivated and have the opportunity to act in line with those attitudes. Motivation refers to the personal desire or drive to act in a particular way, while opportunity refers to the external circumstances that enable or constrain behavior.
For example, if a person holds an implicit negative attitude towards a certain racial group but is motivated to act in a non-discriminatory way due to personal values and beliefs, they will likely override their implicit attitude and behave in a non-discriminatory manner. On the other hand, if a person holds an implicit positive attitude towards exercise but lacks the opportunity or resources to engage in physical activity, their implicit attitude is less likely to predict their behavior.
These findings have been supported by research studies such as Nosek (2005), who found that motivation and opportunity play a crucial role in determining the relationship between implicit and explicit attitudes. Understanding the role of motivation and opportunity can help explain why implicit attitudes may or may not align with overt behavior in different situations.