The Moderating Effects of Product Type and Consumer Knowledge on Consumers' Responses to Objective Versus Subjective Information in Print Persuasive Communications

An experiment with 280 student subjects was conducted to test the hypotheses. We had two manipulated independent variables: information objectivity (four levels) and product type (two classes), and one measured independent variable: product knowledge. The dependent variables used in this research were beliefs, credibility, thought favorability, ad attitudes, product attitudes and purchase intentions. Overall, across two products and two knowledge groups, objective information was found to be superior to subjective information only in influencing subjects' beliefs and credibility ratings, but not in affecting their attitudes or behavioral intentions. Possible reasons that accounted for our findings were discussed. Finally, the research, managerial, and public policy implications, the limitations and future research directions were proposed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Business Administration

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Hsu, Chung-Kue

Contributors dc:contributor

• Monroe, Kent B.

• Business Administration, Marketing

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9912271

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/84600