An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that interest inventory items elicit classically conditionable attitudinal responses. A higher-order conditioning procedure was used in which items from the Strong Vocational Interest Blank were employed as unconditioned stimuli and nonsense syllables as conditioned stimuli. Items for which the subjects had positive interest, as indicated by a pre-test, were paired with one conditioned stimulus; items of negative interest were paired with a different conditioned stimulus. Analysis of post-conditioning ratings of the syllables indicated that the subjects had acquired the attitudinal component of the interest items with which they had been paired. (Authors/DO)