Explaining the Effects of Sensing Is Evaluation Metaphors: the Mediation of Vividness and Novlety

ABSTRACT - In the studies reported in this paper, it was hypothesized that the persuasive effects of product claims couched as metaphors would be mediated by the novelty and vividness of the metaphors: novelty creates arousal, and vividness makes for ease of elaboration. The effects of arousal and elaboration on an individual's product evaluations would in turn be mediated by factors internal to the evaluator such as knowledge of and liking for the product category, and by factors external to the evaluator such as pacing of exposure and number of exposures.



Citation:

Trudy Kehret-Ward and Taylor Hale Emerson (1987) ,"Explaining the Effects of Sensing Is Evaluation Metaphors: the Mediation of Vividness and Novlety", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 14, eds. Melanie Wallendorf and Paul Anderson, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 403.

Advances in Consumer Research Volume 14, 1987      Page 403

EXPLAINING THE EFFECTS OF SENSING IS EVALUATION METAPHORS: THE MEDIATION OF VIVIDNESS AND NOVLETY

Trudy Kehret-Ward, University of California, Berkeley

Taylor Hale Emerson

ABSTRACT -

In the studies reported in this paper, it was hypothesized that the persuasive effects of product claims couched as metaphors would be mediated by the novelty and vividness of the metaphors: novelty creates arousal, and vividness makes for ease of elaboration. The effects of arousal and elaboration on an individual's product evaluations would in turn be mediated by factors internal to the evaluator such as knowledge of and liking for the product category, and by factors external to the evaluator such as pacing of exposure and number of exposures.

Study 1 was designed to investigate the relative effects on product evaluation of a standard metaphor, a novel-pallid metaphor, and the corresponding abstract (i.e. nonmetaphorical)expression, when judgment was made after single and multiple exposures by individuals who liked the product category and by those who were indifferent to it. Significant interactions between slogan type, number of exposures, and liking for the product category were observed: product evaluations were affected by slogan type after a single exposure, but not after multiple exposures. After a single exposure, the novel-pallid metaphor was less persuasive than either the standard metaphor or the abstract expression. Increasing the number of exposures made the judgments of those enthusiastic about the category more favorable, and the judgments of those indifferent to the category less favorable.

Study 2 was designed to compare the effects on product evaluation of novel-pallid and novel-vivid metaphors with standard metaphors. After a single exposure, novel-pallid metaphors were associated with less favorable judgments than standard metaphors, and novel-vivid metaphors were associated with more favorable judgments than standard metaphors.

----------------------------------------

Authors

Trudy Kehret-Ward, University of California, Berkeley
Taylor Hale Emerson



Volume

NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 14 | 1987



Share Proceeding

Featured papers

See More

Featured

Rejecting Moralized Products: Moral Identity as a Predictor of Reactance to “Vegetarian” and “Sustainable” Labels

Rishad Habib, University of British Columbia, Canada
Yann Cornil, University of British Columbia, Canada
Karl Aquino, University of British Columbia, Canada

Read More

Featured

The Neutral Face of Blue: How Color Can Make Consumers Stay Sensitive

Sung Hee Wendy Paik, University of Oregon, USA
Jiao Zhang, University of Oregon, USA
Aparna Sundar, University of Oregon, USA

Read More

Featured

The Impact of Price and Size Comparisons on Consumer Perception and Choice

Jun Yao, Macquarie University, Australia
Harmen Oppewal, Monash University, Australia
Yongfu He, Monash University, Australia

Read More

Engage with Us

Becoming an Association for Consumer Research member is simple. Membership in ACR is relatively inexpensive, but brings significant benefits to its members.