CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The conceptual model underlying this experimental research analyzes the impact of framing strategies (i.e. argument versus metaphor versus narrative) on consumer responses (i.e.

comprehension, attitude to the ad and attitude to the service) to services. Importantly, the conceptual model introduces the moderating impact of the service characteristics (i.e. level of mental intangibility and level of customization). This study hypothesizes that the impact of the framing strategy on consumer responses is moderated by the context (i.e. the type of service advertised). The conceptual model presented in figure 4.1 illustrates the direct impact of the framing strategy on consumer responses, hypothesizing that this is moderated by whether the service is high or low in terms of mentally intangibility and customization. The independent and moderating variables have been presented and discussed in section 4.2. In this section the consumer response variables are reviewed².

4.3.1. Dependent Variables:

4.3.1.1. Comprehension

Comprehension of the service is the first dependent variable considered in this model. This variable is important because comprehension is widely accepted to be a necessary prerequisite on which attitudes and behavior/purchase intentions are formed (Ratneshwar and Chaiken 1991). Mick’s (1992) level of subjective comprehension (LSC) framework, suggests that comprehension does not simply occur at the message-based, surface level (objective comprehension), but also at the receiver-based level which reflects a deeper level of comprehension (subjective). This framework asserts that effects linked with deep comprehension (subjective) are stronger than those associated with shallow levels of comprehension (objective) (Greenwald and Leavitt, 1984). Comprehension related to self-relevant elaboration leads to the richest type of comprehension (Reeder, McCormick and Esselman 1987), and has the strongest influence on service attitudes (MacInnis and Jaworski 1989).

2 Behavior Intent and Purchase Intent were also measured in this experiment, but are not considered to be the key dependent variables, so are not analysed in this thesis. Further, the ability of the framing strategy to alter purchase intentions is questioned, as a host of other factors impact this DV. Here we focus on comprehension and attitudes, which this study indicates can be impacted by the framing strategy employed.

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Because the four services tested in this experimental research are all new services, consumer comprehension of the service is deemed a necessary dependent variable. It is expected that comprehension of the new services presented to participants is a necessary prerequisite for the development of positive attitudes (Bettman 1979). Moreover, framing strategies which facilitate subjective, deeper levels of comprehension, as well as comprehension of self-relevant service consequences, are expected to enhance participant attitude to the ad and attitude to the service. This study therefore investigates the direct impact of framing strategy on consumer comprehension, and the moderating impact of service type on this effect.

Further, the mediating role of comprehension on the impact of framing strategies on consumer attitudes (attitude to the ad/attitude to the service) is investigated.

4.3.1.2. Attitude to the Ad

The second dependent variable under analysis in this study is attitude to the ad. This is a relevant variable because attitudes towards the advertised stimulus are asserted to influence consumer choice behaviour (Shimp 1981, Mitchell and Olsen 1981). This contrasts Fishbein’s attitude theory, which argues that the only mediators of attitude development are beliefs. Mitchell and Olsen’s (1981) research empirically illustrates the mediating impact of attitude toward the ad on consumer behaviour. This research has driven the use of Aad i.e.

‘individual’s evaluations of the overall advertisement stimulus’ (Meuhling and McCann 1993: 25), as a dependent variable distinct from beliefs and atttitude to the brand. Attitude to the Ad is shown to have cognitive, affective and behavioural consequences on consumers. In relation to cognitive effects, ad attitude is shown to influence brand attribute beliefs (Hastak and Olson 1989), strength of and confidence in beliefs (Droge and Darmon 1987), ad credibility and persuasiveness (Gelb and Pickett 1983) and brand recall and recognition (Zinkhan, Locander and Leigh 1986). Attitude to the ad is also shown to impact affective responses. The most thoroughly investigated relationship is that between attitude to the ad and attitude to the brand (e.g. Laczniak and Carlson 1989, Lutz, MacKenzie and Belch 1983, Laczniak and Muehling 1990, Park and Young 1986). These studies illustrate the direct influence of attitude to the ad on brand attitudes under a number of different conditions (see Muehling and McCann (1993) for a thorough review). A number of studies empirically demonstrate a positive causal relationship between attitude to the ad and behavior and purchase intentions, with positive Aad leading to greater motivation to purchase (e.g. Moore and Hutchinson 1983, Shimp and Yokum 1981). The primary objectives of this paper are to

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compare the impact of three important framing strategies on comprehension and attitudes and to investigate the moderating impact of service characteristics. As an additional analysis, this model will also test the mediating impact of attitude to the ad on attitude to the service, to offer greater insight into the relationship between the dependent variables.

4.3.1.3. Attitude to the Service

The final dependent variable investigated in this model is attitude to the service. A primary goal of advertising is to generate, enhance and maintain positive attitudes towards the advertised brand. For this reason attitude to the product or service is consistently used as a relevant and important dependent variable in research on the effectiveness of advertising variables, including framing strategies. One example is Samuelsen and Olsen’s (2010) research on the impact of functional versus experiential claims across high versus low levels of involvement on attitude to the brand. Goode, Dahl, and Moreau’s (2010) research on the influence of experiential analogies also considers the consequences for attitude to the ad and attitude to the product. Escalas’s (2004) research on the interaction of argument strength and the presence/absence of mental simulation considers the consequences for attitude to the ad and evaluation of the product. While not the focal goal of this study, this research will investigate the mediating impact of comprehension on attitudes to the ad and attitude to the service (Ratneshwar and Chaiken 1991), as well as the mediating impact of attitude to the ad on attitude to the service (Lutz, MacKenzie and Belch 1983) (See Figure 4.3). The correlation between these variables is well tested and therefore not new, but this research tests these mediating relationships in order to examine how well they hold up in relation to the independent (framing strategies) and moderating (service characteristics) variables.

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Figure 4.1 Moderated Direct Impact of Framing Strategies on DVs.

Further, the mediating impact of the information processing styles on consumer responses is also investigated where possible (Figure 4.2). In particular, the mediating impact of audience transportation on consumer response to narratives is tested. The mediating impact of audience elaboration in response to the rhetorical trope (i.e. metaphor) is also considered. The aim of this analysis is to provide support for the hypotheses, which are largely based on the type of information processing style triggered by the framing strategy. In order to understand and justify the findings, it is crucial to understand the extent to which consumers are hooked by the narrative stimuli, and to what extent they engage in high levels of elaboration triggered by the rhetorical trope. While well developed scales exist for transportation (Green and Brock 2000, Escalas 2004) and elaboration (McQuarrie and Mick 1999, Unnava and Burnkrant 1991, Fitzsimons and Shiv 2001), there is no scale available to test piecemeal processing.

However, the relationship between argument framing and piecemeal processing is widely accepted (Anderson 1981, Adaval and Wyer 1998), therefore when rationalizing the findings it is fair to assume that when presented with argument stimuli, participants engage in piecemeal processing. Finally, in order to further develop our understanding of the

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mechanisms by which different framing strategies persuade, mediation among the dependent variables is also investigated (Figure 4.3).

Figure 4.2: Mediated & Moderated Impact of Framing Strategies on DVs.

Figure 4.3: Mediation among Dependent Variables.

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