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Psychology of Advertising > College 4 > Flashcards

College 4 Flashcards

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1
Q

What do you need to know in order to understand persuasion?

A
  • Who says What?
  • In what Channel?
  • To Whom?
  • And with what effect?

Who (speaker) + What (message) + Channel (medium) + Whom (audience or listener) = Effect

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2
Q

What are the three theories of persuasion?

A
  1. McGuire’s information processing model
  2. Cognitive response model
  3. Dual process models

The first two models are relevant to advertising for history of theorizing; to see where different elements in current theories come from.

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3
Q

McGuire’s information processing model.

A

This looks very similar to the DAGMAR model.

The idea is that people go through different stages when they process a message.

Exposure/presentation => attention/awareness => comprehension/understanding => acceptance => retention => action (eacara)!

This goes from easiest to hardest.

Persuasion attempts can have different effects at different stages.

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4
Q

What are the assumptions of McGuire’s information processing model? And are these still true?

A

Hierarchical model:
- People must go through each of the steps before behavior change occurs.
- However, skipping steps is also possible.

Systematic processing is required.
- However, persuasion can occur without systematic processing. We also see effects with superficial processing.

Learning of the message is essential for persuasion.
- However, little scientific support for this assumption.

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5
Q

Is McGuire’s information processing model still used?

A

Yes, even though this theory is criticized, people still use this a lot.

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6
Q

Cognitive response model

A

In contrast with the McGuire model, the receiver is active in the cognitive response model.
- So there is more going on than passive acceptance.
- Thoughts are also important for persuasion.

The receiver relates message with existing information.
- Mainly favorable thoughts about message => intended change.
- Mainly unfavorable thoughts about message => unintended change/ no change.

The most important product of this model is the thought listing technique.

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7
Q

The thought listing technique

A
  1. You ask people to list all the thoughts they had during the message presentation.
  2. You categorize relevant thoughts as favorable/unfavorable.
  3. You create index. Based on that you can have an idea about the attitude towards the advertisement.
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8
Q

How does the strength of arguments influence the cognitive response model?

A

Strong arguments => favorable thoughts => intended change.

Weak arguments => unfavorable thoughts => unintended change/no change.

However:
- Effects of argument strength on thoughts disappear when distracted (i.e., systematic processing required).
- People often do not think about advertising as deeply as this model suggests.

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9
Q

Dual process models

A

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Heuristic Systematic Model (HSM)

These are different but we will treat them as equal.

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10
Q

What do ELM and HSM have in common?

A

Information is being processed systematically or superficially.

Different words for the same processing logic:
- Central/systematic
- Peripheral/heuristic

Processing more depends on: ability and motivation.

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11
Q

How can a dual processing model have influence on ads?

A

You have to differentiate between the heuristic cues (e.g., celebrity) and systematic cues (strong arguments).

Depending on the processing you will be influenced more by the one or the other. It can also be a combination of both.

Some message cues can be seen as an argument or as a heuristic.

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12
Q

What predicts ability?

A
  1. Knowledge:
    - If you have more knowledge, you can think about it more carefully. You can also process it more deeply.
  2. Distraction/time pressure
    - The more distracted you are, the more time pressure you feel and the more you will go for it.
  3. Repetition
    - The more often you see an ad, the higher the chances are that you process the message correctly.
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13
Q

Knowledge in the role of processing ability

A

Knowledge: better able to process a message systematically.

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14
Q

Wood et al. (1985) on knowledge in the role of processing ability

A

Counter-attitudinal message against preservation of environment.

  • 3 groups based on the knowledge of students (based on pretest).
  • Strong arguments vs. long argument (i.e., systematic vs. heuristic cue)

Effects on attitudes:
- Argument strength more effect on most knowledgeable students.
- Argument length more effect on least knowledgeable students.

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15
Q

Distraction/time pressure in the role of processing ability

A

When you are under a lot of time pressure => more likely to process with heuristics, because you don’t have the time to evaluate all the messages. You will go for a low processing intensity.

Low processing intensity => more likely to use heuristics.

Important for advertisement because of multitasking: less attention for ads => more likely heuristic processing.

But is a second screen always a bad thing?

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16
Q

Repetition in the role of processing ability

A

It’s a wise strategy in the beginning.

More repetition => more ability to process.

However, too much repetition can result in wear out/irritation. Particularly with more systematic processing.

Possible solution: variation in advertising
- Different lay-out
- Different message content

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17
Q

What can influence motivation?

A

Individual differences in processing motivation.
- Some people have a need for cognition
- Some people have a need to closure (they just want a conclusion)

Motivation is greater when something is seen as personally relevant.
- When something relates to values, goals and needs.
- When people are prone to considerable risk => Fear appeals

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18
Q

Experiment by Petty et al. (1983) on the role of personal relevance and strong or weak arguments

A

They devided the participants into two groups:
- High personal relevance
- Low personal relevance

It was about a razor.

The participants heard either a strong or weak argument. Then they put the razor with either a famous or non-famous endorser.

Most positive attitude towards razor:
- High personal relevance => strong arguments
- Low personal relevance => famous endorser

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19
Q

Fear appeals

A

You can create a problem to induce fear. E.g., if you have a bad breath you will never be a bride.

The idea is that you will buy the product so can overcome the feeling of fear.

Now more often used in health campaigns than commercial advertising.

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20
Q

Experiment by Cartocci et al. (2019) on a neuroscientific application of fear appeals

A

They measured two EEG indexes of these two ads:
- Mental engagement index (ME): effort during a vigilant task.
- Approach/withdrawal index (AW): positive (vs. negative) motivation to approach (vs. withdraw) a specific object.

Results suggested that the ME and the AW presented an opposite trend:
- Smokers showed higher ME and more negative emotions (AW) than nonsmokers.

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21
Q

When are fear appeals effective, in terms of attention and motivation?

A

Fear appeals attract attention
- If personally relevant, people might become fearful.

Idea of fear appeal: people will be motivated to reduce fear
- e.g., by changing their behavior (the ultimate goal).

Motivation to process message determined by
- Personal vulnerability and perceived severity.
- Severe threat is unpleasant: results in defensive processing (e.g., search inconsistencies as “way out”).
- However, if arguments are strong: hard to minimize threat and more motivated to process the recommended action.

22
Q

What are the two assumptions of the effectiveness of fear appeals?

A

The message has a recommended action.

People feel/are capable of engaging in (recommended) action.

23
Q

So, are fear appeals effective?

A

Yes, but
- Not all messages have a clear recommended action.
- And even more relevant: people do not always feel able to engage in action.
- Key concept = self-efficacy

24
Q

Self-efficacy

A

One’s belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task.

25
Q

How can self-efficacy influence the effectiveness of fear appeal?

A

High self-efficacy (I can do it)
- Behavior change might be an option.
- This could be a way to cope with fear.

Low self-efficacy (I cannot do it)
- Behavior change is less likely to be perceived as an option.
- They regulate the fear with other strategies (e.g., denial).

Implication: effectiveness of fear appeals is unlikely for people with low self-efficacy.

26
Q

When are fear appeals most likely effective?

A

When the message is personally relevant.

When the message has informational value
- E.g., to inform people about risks.

When people have high self-efficacy
- Ad can also provide a way to deal with the problem to give people high self-efficacy.

27
Q

When are other strategies than fear appeal especially more effective?

A

When the self-efficacy is low.

28
Q

When and how can fear appeals backfire?

A

Low self-efficacy: regulate the fear rather than processing the message.

29
Q

What are problems for advertisers?

A

People do not (want to) pay attention to commercial messages.

People resist being persuaded (i.e., counter argue or reactance).

30
Q

How can you overcome the two problems for advertisers?

A

Attract attention:
- Humor
- Sexual content.

Lower resistance:
- Two-sided ads
- Native advertisement
- Product placement
- Sponsorship

31
Q

How often is humor used in ads? En what ads is it most often used in?

A

About 30-42% of ads employ humor.

It is mostly used in non-durable long involvement products (snacks, soft drinks and beer).

32
Q

What do humor appeals do?

A

Increase attention for the ad (people enjoy it).

Increase positive affect.

Increase message liking.

But it does NOT consistently predict behavior.

33
Q

Why does humor not consistently predict behavior?

A

Humor appeals distract from the message (i.e., the non-humorous parts).
- This can reduce counter arguing (good news for advertisers).
- But also reduces recall of brand or product. Especially when humor is not related to brand/product.

Thus, important: related vs. unrelated humor.

34
Q

Related vs. unrelated humor

A

Related: the humor relates directly to the product
- E.g., screaming child in supermarket => product: condoms.

Unrelated: the humor is not related to the product.

35
Q

Experiment by Strick et al. (2009) about if humor appeals can influence product choices.

A

Despite lower brand recall, can humor still influence product choice by influencing implicit attitudes?

She showed a humorous or non-humorous picture and then measured the implicit attitude using affective priming (IAT). Then she asked which product they preferred from a list of products.

Dependent measures:
- Implicit attitudes (affective priming task)
- Explicit brand recognition (memory task)
- Product choice (from different options)

More positive implicit brand attitudes => lower explicit brand recognition => higher product choice.

36
Q

Humor paradox

A

Consumers forget the brand, but still want to have it (mediated by positive associations).

Particularly for low involvement products (not much deliberation), probably more likely with brands that are not too familiar.

37
Q

Humor summary

A

Humor appeals can have desirable (affect transfer) and undesirable effects (brand recall).

Relevance of humor seems to be key.

38
Q

Sexual content in advertising

A

Sexual suggestiveness (themes or physical contact).
Nudity or partial nudity.

Can be direct and also more indirect (e.g., hand break in car = erect penis)

39
Q

In what parts of advertising is sexual content used the most?

A

Advertising for health care, beauty, medicine, clothing, travel, and entertainment.

40
Q

What is a perk of sexual content in advertising?

A

Known to attract attention (reduce avoidance).

41
Q

True or false: sexual content can be used for every brand.

A

False, sexual content should be relevant to the product/brand.

Relevant example: shower gel => people showering (naked of course).

Irrelevant example: girl with open mouth next to seven inch burger by the Burger King.

42
Q

Effects of sex appeals, meta-analyses by Wirtz et al. (2018)

A

Increases ad recall (attention effect)
- Particularly when relevant.

But brand recognition/ recall can be impaired
- Particularly when irrelevant; attention to sexual content, not the brand.

Ad attitude moderated by gender:
- Women are more negative about sexual content in ads.
- Men are more positive about sexual content in ads; but this did not extend to brand attitude.

No effect on brand attitude and purchase intentions
- When irrelevant, even slight negative effect on purchase intentions.

43
Q

Does sex sell?

A

Sex appeals can have desirable (attention) and undesirable effects (brand recall).
- Relevance of sexual content is important.
- Historical context probably also matters (zeitgeist). Brands got a lot of critique for explicit sexual content, brands use less sexual content nowadays.
- More research needed for complete idea about effects (e.g., implicit measures).

44
Q

What do all strategies to lower resistance have in common?

A

A common factor: make persuasion less explicit

45
Q

Two-sided advertisements

A

You say something good and something bad about the product.

Two-sided ads (or “honest” ads)
- Stand out and reduce counter arguing.
- Are viewed as more credible.
- Positive arguments become more effective.

BUT
- It is important to not give too much negative info (2/5).
- Important attributes should not be criticized

46
Q

Jeans study by Pizzutti et al. (2016)

A

Salesperson emphasized need of ironing (trivial) vs. lack of comfort (important) vs. no two-sided argument (control).

Two-sided salesperson more trustworthy, but important negative argument lowered purchase intention (trivial did not).

47
Q

Native advertising

A

In-feed native ads

Advertisement embedded in editorial content
- Same visual design; looks like an article.
- Sponsored content.
- Not removed by ad blockers.
- Less intrusive than banner ads.

Lower resistance?
- Possible if people don’t realize that is in an ad.
- But it can backfire: reactance or irritation when realizing the persuasion attempt.

48
Q

Product placement

A

The paid inclusion of branded products or brands through audio/visual means, within mass media programming.

Relevant strategy in the context of channel switching and other situations in which traditional forms of advertising are seen less (e.g., online streaming).

Sometimes brands are part of the story.

49
Q

Product placement as a message strategy

A

Product placement
- Can lead to positive attitudes (particularly when used by likeable characters).
- Can result in implicit memory for product and explicit memory when part of the story.
- Attitudes and memory can influence behavior.

BUT it can backfire
- E.g., when TV-character is unlikable.
- E.g., when placement is too obvious.

50
Q

Warnings about product placement

A

To protect the consumer they can place warnings about product placement.

Logo or “This program contains product placement”

Effective as a warning? When only logo; very few people seem to look at it, but if warning is seen:
- More attention to content; increased brand memory.
- May trigger persuasion knowledge.
- Slight negative effect on brand attitudes.

51
Q

Sponsorship as message strategy

A

It can be defined as a technique by which a commercial organization financially supports an entity in order to associate the organization name with this entity in the media and use entity for advertising purpose.

52
Q

Message strategies to address low attention and resistance to persuasion

A

Humor and sexual content to attract attention.

Two-sided ads, native advertisement, product placement and sponsorship to lower resistance.

All have (dis)advantages for the advertiser, so should be used after careful consideration of product, ad, processing, and target group (i.e., relevance of advertising strategy).

Psychology of Advertising (8 decks)

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