Cultural differences in imagery generation: The influence of abstract versus concrete thinking

Beichen Liang and Sudhir H. Kale

Journal of Business Research, 2012, vol. 65, issue 3, 333-339

Abstract: Past research suggests that concrete ad stimuli generate more imagery than abstract stimuli. However, this finding may not be culturally universal. Our research suggests that East Asians tend to generate more imagery than Westerners when exposed to abstract advertising messages, but these differences in imagery generation tend to subside when both cultural groups are exposed to concrete stimuli. Exposure to abstract stimuli while limiting mental resources results in narrowing the differences in number of images generated by Westerners and East Asians as does providing subjects with instructions to imagine.

Keywords: Imagery generation; Abstract thinking; Concrete thinking; Culture and advertising (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:65:y:2012:i:3:p:333-339

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.04.010

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