Influence of message appeal on attention. An eye-tracking study

Main Article Content

Diego Gómez-Carmona
Francisco Muñoz-Leiva
Alberto Paramio
César Serrano-Domínguez
Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas

Abstract

This study analyses advertising effectiveness using an eye-tracking methodology. The research analyses differences in attention according to the type of message appeal (pleasant, neutral and unpleasant), assesses the moderating role of environmental concern and regulatory focus. The results show that negative textual stimuli receive the most attention, and that in participants with low environmental concern, low-elaboration stimuli are more attention-grabbing. In general, participants who are more concerned about the environment focus more quickly in terms of time and frequency on stimuli that require a higher degree of elaboration. The paper also presents recommendations for the development of renewable energy (RE) media campaigns using digital advertising.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Gómez-Carmona, Diego, Francisco Muñoz-Leiva, Alberto Paramio, César Serrano-Domínguez, and Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas. 2022. “Influence of Message Appeal on Attention. An Eye-Tracking Study”. Vivat Academia. Journal of Communication 155 (January):33-60. https://doi.org/10.15178/va.2022.155.e1381.
Section
Neuromarketing y análisis del comportamiento
Author Biographies

Diego Gómez-Carmona, Universidad de Cádiz

Ph.D. in Economic and Business Sciences from the Universidad de Granada. Interim Substitute Professor in the Department of Marketing and Communication, in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication of the Universidad de Cádiz. He is a research member of the University Research Institute for Sustainable Social Development and is part of the INDESS Research Commission. His main line of research is consumer neuroscience. His most recent works have appeared in journals indexed in JCR, such as Physiology & Behavior, Environmental Communication, or Foods, and have been presented at international conferences such as AEMARK or the Hispanic- Lusitanian Congress of Scientific Management.  

Francisco Muñoz-Leiva, Universidad de Granada

Professor of Marketing and Market Research and Ph.D. in Business Sciences from the Universidad de Granada (Spain). Although his main research interest is Internet consumer behavior and Internet acceptance, he has also published papers on other topics. His recent work has appeared in journals such as Tourism Management, International Journal of Advertising, Industrial Management & Data System, Soft Computing, Current Issues in Tourism, Expert Systems with Applications, Online Information Review, Information & Management, Computers in Human Behavior, International Journal of Information Management, The Service Industries Journal, Quality & Quantity, International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, among others; as well as in national and international conferences (EMAC, AEMARK, Hispanic-Lusitanian Congress of Scientific Management, AEDEM, IADIS, Global Management,...). He has also acted as a scientific reviewer of papers presented at these conferences in the areas of marketing and tourism.

Alberto Paramio, Universidad de Cádiz

Professor at the Department of Psychology at the Universidad de Cádiz. He graduated in Psychology from the Universidad de Cádiz and completed the Interuniversity Master's Degree in Initiation to Research in Mental Health. Furthermore, he is an Expert in Statistics in Statistics Applied to Health Sciences by the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia in collaboration with the Escuela Nacional de Sanidad and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and has worked as a Senior Researcher in the PAIDI MELES CTS1019 Group in support work for teaching, research methodology, and statistical analysis. Currently, he is pursuing his doctorate in Health Sciences at the Universidad de Cádiz. He is a member of the PAIDI INTELIGENCIA EMOCIONAL HUM843 Group and develops his research activity as an associate member of the Instituto Universitario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Social Sostenible (INDESS) and The International Society for Research on Emotion (ISRE).

César Serrano-Domínguez, Universidad de Cádiz

Professor of Marketing and Communication and Ph.D. in Economic and Business Sciences from the Universidad de Sevilla (Spain). His main line of research is product marketing strategies in the digital medium. His recent works have been published in high-impact journals and he has participated in different national and international conferences. Furthermore, he has been the main researcher of several international projects such as: The study of the French olive oil market: quality criteria and strategies to follow for the penetration of Spanish olive oil.

Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas, Universidad de Granada

Professor of Marketing and Market Research and Ph.D. of Business Sciences from the Universidad de Granada (Spain). His main research interest is consumer behavior on the Internet and the acceptance of mobile payments. His recent work has appeared in journals such as Industrial Management & Data System, Expert Systems with Applications, International Journal of Information Management, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, Computers in Human Behavior, The Service Industries Journal, Information Systems and e-Business Management, among other; as well as in national and international conferences (EMAC, AEMARK, Hispanic-Portuguese Congress of Scientific Management, AEDEM, IADIS, Global Management...). He has also acted as a scientific reviewer of papers presented at these conferences in the areas of marketing and information systems.

References

Aaker, J. L., y Lee, A. Y. (2001). “I” seek pleasures and “we” avoid pains: The role of self-regulatory goals in information processing and persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research28(1), 33-49. https://doi.org/10.1086/321946

Avery, E. J., y Park, S. (2018). HPV vaccination campaign fear visuals: An eye-tracking study exploring effects of visual attention and type on message informative value, recall, and behavioral intentions. Public Relations Review44(3), 321-330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.02.005

Beattie, G. y McGuire, L. (2012): “See no evil? Only implicit attitudes predict unconscious eye movements towards images of climate change”, enero, https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2012-0066

Bernauer, T., y McGrath, L. F. (2016). Simple reframing unlikely to boost public support for climate policy. Nature Climate Change, 6(7), 680. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2948

Bhatnagar, N. y McKay-Nesbitt, J. (2016): “Pro-environment advertising messages: the role of Regulatory focus”, International Journal of Advertising, 35(1), 4-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2015.1101225

Boerman, S. C., Van Reijmersdal, E. A. y Neijens, P. C. (2015): “Using eye tracking to understand the effects of brand placement disclosure types in television programs”, Journal of Advertising, 44(3), 196-207. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2014.967423

Botzung, A., LaBar, K. S., Kragel, P., Miles, A., y Rubin, D. C. (2010). Component neural systems for the creation of emotional memories during free viewing of a complex, real-world event. Frontiers in human neuroscience4, 34. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2010.00034

Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., & Petty, R. E. (2018). The neuroscience of persuasion: A review with an emphasis on issues and opportunities. Social neuroscience, 13(2), 129-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2016.1273851

Casado-Aranda, L. A., Martínez-Fiestas, M. y Sánchez-Fernández, J. (2018): “Neural effects of environmental advertising: An fMRI analysis of voice age and temporal framing”, Journal of Environmental Management, 206, 664-675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.10.006

Chang, C. T. y Lee, Y. K. (2010): “Effects of message framing, vividness congruency and statistical framing on responses to charity advertising”, International Journal of Advertising29(2), 195-220. https://doi.org/10.2501/S0265048710201129

Chang, H., Zhang, L. y Xie, G. X. (2015): “Message framing in green advertising: The effect of construal level and consumer environmental concern”, International Journal of Advertising34(1), 158-176. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2014.994731

De Martino, B., Harrison, N. A., Knafo, S., Bird, G., y Dolan, R. J. (2008). Explaining enhanced logical consistency during decision making in autism. Journal of Neuroscience, 28(42), 10746-10750. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2895-08.2008

Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K. D., Mertig, A. G. y Jones, R. E. (2000): “New trends in measuring environmental attitudes: measuring endorsement of the new ecological paradigm: A revised NEP scale”, Journal of Social Issues56(3), 425-442. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.00176

Freling, T. H., Vincent, L. H. y Henard, D. H. (2014): “When not to accentuate the positive: Re-examining valence effects in attribute framing”, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes124(2), 95-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.12.007

García-Maroto, I., García-Maraver, A., Muñoz-Leiva, F. y Zamorano, M. (2015): “Consumer knowledge, information sources used and predisposition towards the adoption of wood pellets in domestic heating systems”, Renewable and sustainable Energy reviews, 43, 207-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.11.004.

Giraldo-Romero, Y. I., Muñoz-Leiva, F., Higueras-Castillo, E., & Liébana-Cabanillas, F. (2021). Influence of regulatory fit theory on persuasion from google ads: An eye tracking study. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 16(5), 1165-1185. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16050066

Gómez-Carmona, D. (2020). Aplicación de la neurociencia al análisis de la efectividad de la comunicación de energías renovables. Tesis doctoral. Universidad de Granada.

Gómez-Carmona, D., Muñoz-Lleiva, F., y Liebana-Cabanillas, F., (2018). Analizing the design of the communication of renewable energy. A fmri-based study. DYNA Energía y Sostenibilidad, 7(1). 11-18. https://doi.org/10.6036/ES8727

Gonzalez, C., Dana, J., Koshino, H., y Just, M. (2005). The framing effect and risky decisions: Examining cognitive functions with fMRI. Journal of economic psychology, 26(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2004.08.004

Green, T. y Peloza, J. (2014): “Finding the right shade of green: The effect of advertising appeal type on environmentally friendly consumption”, Journal of advertising43(2), 128-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2013.834805

Heidig, W., Wentzel, D., Tomczak, T., Wiecek, A., y Faltl, M. (2017). “Supersize me!” The effects of cognitive effort and goal frame on the persuasiveness of upsell offers. Journal of Service Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-03-2016-0063

Hernández-Méndez, J., y Muñoz-Leiva, F. (2015). What type of online advertising is most effective for eTourism 2.0? An eye tracking study based on the characteristics of tourists. Computers in Human Behavior, 50, 618-625. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.03.017

Higueras-Castillo, E., Muñoz-Leiva, F., y Liébana-Cabanillas, F. J. (2019). An examination of attributes and barriers to adopt biomass and solar technology. A cross-cultural approach. Journal of environmental management236, 639-648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.02.022

Hughes, A. J. y Rutherford, B. J. (2013): “Hemispheric interaction, task complexity, and emotional valence: Evidence from naturalistic images”, Brain and cognition81(2), 167-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2012.11.004

Idson, L. C., Liberman, N. y Higgins, E. T. (2004): “Imagining how you’d feel: The role of motivational experiences from regulatory fit”, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin30(7), 926-937. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167204264334

Joireman, J., Shaffer, M. J., Balliet, D. y Strathman, A. (2012): “Promotion orientation explains why future-oriented people exercise and eat healthy: Evidence from the two-factor consideration of future consequences-14 scale”, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(10), 1272-1287. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167212449362

Jones, C., Hine, D. W. y Marks, A. D. (2017): “The future is now: reducing psychological distance to increase public engagement with climate change”, Risk Analysis, 37(2), 331-341. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.12601

Kareklas, I., Carlson, J. R., y Muehling, D. D. (2012). The role of regulatory focus and self-view in “green” advertising message framing. Journal of Advertising41(4), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2012.10672455

Kees, J., Burton, S. y Tangari, A. H. (2010): “The impact of regulatory focus, temporal orientation, and fit on consumer responses to health-related advertising”, Journal of Advertising39(1), 19-34. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367390102

Kensinger, E. A. (2009). Remembering the details: Effects of emotion. Emotion review1(2), 99-113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073908100432

Kim, Y. J. (2006): “The role of regulatory focus in message framing in antismoking advertisements for adolescents”, Journal of Advertising35(1), 143-151. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367350109

Kim, M. J., Chung, N., Lee, C. K., y Preis, M. W. (2016). Dual-route of persuasive communications in mobile tourism shopping. Telematics and Informatics, 33(2), 293-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2015.08.009

Krishnamurthy, P., Carter, P. y Blair, E. (2001): “Attribute framing and goal framing effects in health decisions”, Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 85(2), 382-399. https://doi.org/10.1006/obhd.2001.2962

Lee, A. Y. y Aaker, J. L. (2004): “Bringing the frame into focus: the influence of regulatory fit on processing fluency and persuasion”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology86(2), 205. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.86.2.205

Lee, A. Y., Keller, P. A., y Sternthal, B. (2009). Value from regulatory construal fit: The persuasive impact of fit between consumer goals and message concreteness. Journal of Consumer Research36(5), 735-747. https://doi.org/10.1086/605591

Leonidou, L. C., Leonidou, C. N., Palihawadana, D. y Hultman, M. (2011): “Evaluating the green advertising practices of international firms: A trend analysis”, International Marketing Review28(1), 6-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/02651331111107080

Lockwood, P., Jordan, C. H. y Kunda, Z. (2002): “Motivation by positive or negative role models: regulatory focus determines who will best inspire us”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology83(4), 854. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.83.4.854

Martínez-Fiestas, M., del Jesus, M. I. V., Sánchez-Fernández, J. y Montoro-Rios, F. J. (2015): “A Psychophysiological Approach for Measuring Response to Messaging: How Consumers Emotionally Process Green Advertising”, Journal of Advertising Research55(2), 192-205. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-55-2-192-205

Michelsen, C. C. y Madlener, R. (2016): “Switching from fossil fuel to renewables in residential heating systems: An empirical study of homeowners' decisions in Germany”, Energy Policy, 89, 95-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2015.11.018

Mohr, L. A., Eroǧlu, D. y Ellen, P. S. (1998): “The development and testing of a measure of skepticism toward environmental claims in marketers' communications”, Journal of Consumer Affairs32(1), 30-55. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.1998.tb00399.x

Muñoz-Leiva, F., Hernández-Méndez, J., y Gómez-Carmona, D. (2019). Measuring advertising effectiveness in Travel 2.0 websites through eye-tracking technology. Physiology & behavior200, 83-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.03.002

Newman, C. L., Howlett, E., Burton, S., Kozup, J. C. y Heintz Tangari, A. (2012): “The influence of consumer concern about global climate change on framing effects for environmental sustainability messages”, International Journal of Advertising31(3), 511-527. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJA-31-3-511-527

O'Keefe, D. J. y Jensen, J. D. (2008): “Do loss-framed persuasive messages engender greater message processing than do gain-framed messages? A meta-analytic review”, Communication Studies59(1), 51-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510970701849388

Olsen, M. C., Slotegraaf, R. J. y Chandukala, S. R. (2014): “Green claims and message frames: how green new products change brand attitude”, Journal of Marketing78(5), 119-137. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.13.0387

Orquin, J.L., y Holmqvist, K. (2018), “Threats to the validity of eye-movement research in psychology”, Behavior Research Methods, 50, 4, 1645-1656. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-017-0998-z

Paul, J., Modi, A., y Patel, J. (2016). Predicting green product consumption using theory of planned behavior and reasoned action. Journal of retailing and consumer services29, 123-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2015.11.006

Rayner, K. (1998). Eye movements in reading and information processing: 20 years of research. Psychological bulletin, 124(3), 372. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.3.372

Sar, S., y Anghelcev, G. (2015). Congruity between mood and message regulatory focus enhances the effectiveness of anti drinking and driving advertisements: a global versus local processing explanation. International Journal of Advertising34(3), 421-446. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2014.996198

Schiffman, L. G., y Kanuk, L. L. (2005). Comportamiento del consumidor. México: Prentice Hall, Rio de Janeiro.

Schmuck, D., Matthes, J., Naderer, B., y Beaufort, M. (2018). The effects of environmental brand attributes and nature imagery in green advertising. Environmental Communication, 12(3), 414-429. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2017.1308401

Shiv, B., Edell Britton, J. A. y Payne, J. W. (2004): “Does elaboration increase or decrease the effectiveness of negatively versus positively framed messages?”, Journal of Consumer Research, 31(1), 199-208. https://doi.org/10.1086/383435

Sollberger, S., Bernauer, T. y Ehlert, U. (2017): “Predictors of visual attention to climate change images: An eye-tracking study”, Journal of Environmental Psychology51, 46-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.03.001

Tsai, S. P. (2007): “Message framing strategy for brand communication”, Journal of Advertising Research47(3), 364-377. https://doi.org/10.2501/s0021849907070377

Van der Linden, S. L., Leiserowitz, A. A., Feinberg, G. D. y Maibach, E. W. (2015): “The scientific consensus on climate change as a gateway belief: Experimental evidence”, PloS One10(2), e0118489. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0118489

VanDyke, M. S. y Tedesco, J. C. (2016): “Understanding Green Content Strategies: An Analysis of Environmental Advertising Frames From 1990 to 2010. International Journal of Strategic Communication10(1), 36-50. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2015.1066379

Venkatraman, V., Dimoka, A., Pavlou, P. A., Vo, K., Hampton, W., Bollinger, B., ... y Winer, R. S. (2015). Predicting advertising success beyond traditional measures: New insights from neurophysiological methods and market response modeling. Journal of Marketing Research52(4), 436-452. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.13.0593

Vieillard, S., Peretz, I., Gosselin, N., Khalfa, S., Gagnon, L. y Bouchard, B. (2008): “Happy, sad, scary and peaceful musical excerpts for research on emotions”, Cognition & Emotion22(4), 720-752. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930701503567

Vining, J., y Ebreo, A. (2002). Emerging theoretical and methodological perspectives on conservation behavior. Handbook of environmental psychology2, 541-558. Wiley, New York.

Wang, S., Fan, J., Zhao, D., Yang, S., y Fu, Y. (2016). Predicting consumers’ intention to adopt hybrid electric vehicles: using an extended version of the theory of planned behavior model. Transportation43(1), 123-143. https://doi: 10.1007/s11116-014-9567-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-014-9540-7

Weber, C. (2013). Emotions, campaigns, and political participation. Political Research Quarterly, 66(2), 414-428. https://doi.org/10.1177/1065912912449697

White, K., MacDonnell, R. y Dahl, D. W. (2011): “It's the mind-set that matters: The role of construal level and message framing in influencing consumer efficacy and conservation behaviors”, Journal of Marketing Research48(3), 472-485. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.48.3.472

Wu, S., Cai, W., y Jin, S. (2018). Gain or non‐loss: The message matching effect of regulatory focus on moral judgements of other‐orientation lies. International Journal of Psychology, 53(3), 223-227. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12286

Zikmund, William G. (2003): Fundamentos de investigación de mercados, Thomson, Madrid.

Similar Articles

<< < 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.