How Ambiguous Cropped Objects in Ad Photos Can Affect Product Evaluations

Laura A Peracchio and Joan Meyers-Levy

Journal of Consumer Research, 1994, vol. 21, issue 1, 190-204

Abstract: Research in both the consumer and aesthetics literatures suggests that the ambiguity created by a cropped or incomplete object may prompt people to seek closure by supplying the missing part. In turn, this process of resolving the ambiguity can enhance affect. Applying this notion to advertisements, a study is reported that examines whether and when severe cropping of key objects in ads will influence people's product evaluations. The results indicate that severe cropping of objects in ads can enhance product evaluations if people are sufficiently motivated to complete the cropped object and the cropped object does not impede people's attempts to verify the ad claims. Copyright 1994 by the University of Chicago.

Date: 1994
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

Downloads: (external link)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/209392 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:21:y:1994:i:1:p:190-204

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Consumer Research is currently edited by Bernd Schmitt, June Cotte, Markus Giesler, Andrew Stephen and Stacy Wood

More articles in Journal of Consumer Research from Journal of Consumer Research Inc.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ().