Psychological Processes and Advertising Effects: Theory, Research, and Applications

The understanding of how advertising affects consumer behavior was transformed in the 1980s due to advances in cognitive psychology, social cognition, and artificial intelligence. This transformation led to a better understanding of the information acquisition process and how information is stored in memory. However, many questions remained unanswered, such as the relationship between the different mediators of persuasion, memory for advertising, theoretical underpinnings of attitude toward the advertisement, the effect of persuasion over time, attention to advertising, psychological processes during television viewing, and individual differences in the processing of advertising messages.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 318 pages
Publication date: 20 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the vibrant 1980s, our understanding of the intricate interplay between advertising and consumer behavior underwent a remarkable transformation. This seismic shift was driven by recent theoretical and methodological advancements in cognitive psychology, social cognition, and artificial intelligence, which shed light on the intricate mechanisms underlying information acquisition, memory, and the processing of visual stimuli. These breakthroughs enabled us to incorporate these critical factors into our models of advertising effects, providing a more comprehensive understanding of how advertisements influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

While we had made significant strides in our understanding, many questions remained unanswered. These included:

• What is the precise relationship between the various mediators of persuasion?
• How does memory for advertising relate to persuasion?
• What are the theoretical underpinnings of attitude toward advertisements?
• What determines the enduring impact of persuasion over time?
• What factors influence our attention to advertising?
• What psychological processes unfold during the viewing of a television commercial?
• What factors contribute to individual differences in the processing of advertising messages?

To address these pressing concerns, the chapters in this volume offer valuable insights. Organized into four psychological processes—affective reactions to advertisements, persuasion, psychological processes during television viewing, and involvement—they provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how advertising works.

In the realm of affective reactions to advertisements, researchers explore the emotional responses evoked by advertisements, including the role of emotions in shaping consumer behavior. They examine how emotions influence our perception of advertisements, our memory for them, and our attitudes toward the products or services being promoted.

Persuasion, another key aspect, delves into the cognitive processes that underlie the persuasive effects of advertising. Researchers examine how advertising messages are processed, how they are remembered, and how they influence our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. They explore the role of cognitive biases, heuristics, and social influence in shaping our responses to advertising.

The psychological processes during television viewing shed light on the cognitive and emotional processes that occur when we engage with advertisements on a visual medium. Researchers examine how our attention is captured, how we process visual information, and how our emotions and attitudes are influenced by the visual cues and storytelling techniques used in advertisements.

Finally, involvement explores the extent to which consumers are actively engaged with advertising and how this engagement influences their behavior. Researchers examine the role of personal factors, such as personality traits, values, and beliefs, in shaping our involvement with advertising and the extent to which we are influenced by it.

By examining these four psychological processes, this volume provides a comprehensive understanding of how advertising works. It sheds light on the complex interplay between advertising, consumer behavior, and the broader social and cultural context in which we live. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers alike, as it contributes to our ongoing efforts to enhance the effectiveness and ethical implications of advertising in our modern society.

Weight: 484g
Dimension: 153 x 235 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367498955