情境脈絡之促發效果:頻因與近因促發效果於消費者品牌知覺之影響_以平面廣告為例

Abstract

促發效果的相關研究一直以來都是社會心理學學者重視的議題之一，而過去關於這個議題的研究也大多集中在社會與認知心理學領域。其中，就頻率因子與序列位置中的新近因子兩個因子的關係與其在促發效果所扮演的角色，由Higgins等三位學者在1985年以個人對於他人印象的形成或對他人某行為的態度為研究主題發現，促發物（prime）與目標態度對象（target）之間延遲時間的長短是解釋這兩個因子相對關係的關鍵因素；根據突觸模型（synapse model），當延遲時間極短（15sec.）時，個體對於目標對象的判斷主要受到新近促發物（recent prime）的影響，而當延遲變長（120sec.）時，則主要受到出現頻率較高促發物的影響（frequent prime）。 本研究將此情境脈絡的促發影響效果應用到消費者的資訊處理行為上，以平面廣告為研究情境，觀察消費者對於目標品牌廣告的資訊處理與態度判斷是否會受到出現在它之前其他廣告的影響。本研究利用實驗設計的方式，操弄出現在主體廣告之前的新近促發廣告為代表低度高尚尊貴的餐廳品牌，而出現頻率高的廣告品牌則為高度彰顯高尚尊貴的餐廳品牌；同時並操弄促發廣告與主體廣告之間的時間延遲長度，實驗結果符合上述社會心理學的理論預期，促發廣告後的延遲時間長短是解釋目標對象主要受到新近抑或是頻繁促發物影響的關鍵因素。 本研究除了延伸社會心理學上的發現於消費者資訊處理行為上之外，亦加入促發效果的影響方向這個研究議題，本研究同時納入促發物與目標主體間可解釋範圍重疊的程度（interpretation range overlap between target and prime）（重疊vs. 不重疊），以及目標主體的模糊程度（ambiguity of target）（真實品牌vs.虛擬品牌）兩個因子。研究結果發現促發效果的影響方向決定於促發物與目標主體的可解釋範圍是否重疊，而無關於目標主體的模糊程度；無論目標廣告為真實或虛擬品牌，當促發物與目標主體的可解釋範圍重疊時，消費者對於目標廣告的判斷會朝促發物所代表的概念近似，也就是同化效果（assimilation effect）；當兩者不重疊時，促發物則被視為比較基準，消費者的判斷會遠離促發物所代表的概念，也就是對比效果（contrast effect）。本研究結果支持Chien在2002年所提出的Dimensional Range Overlap Model。本研究探討促發效果的本質及促發效果的影響方向，並以平面廣告為研究情境，希望可以提供給行銷人員於廣告序列位置選擇與廣告設計與安排上一些實務的意涵與建議。

The present study applied one theory in social psychology to consumers’ behaviors in marketing domain. This study examined the relationship between recent priming and frequent priming and their relative effects under different interstimulus time delay (brief or long) on consumers’ brand judgments under the context of print advertisements. The results showed that when alternative constructs (high prestige and low prestige) for characterizing an stimulus were both made accessible by being either frequently or most recently primed, consumers would categorize the target product in terms of most recently primed if the target appeared almost immediately after final priming, but they would categorize the target in terms of frequently primed construct (high prestige) if there was sufficient delay between final prime and target presentation. In addition, this study also examined the factors determining the directions of priming effects. Two factors (range overlap between prime and target, and ambiguity of target) were introduced in the same time. The results showed that it was whether there was range overlap between prime and target to determine whether assimilation effect or contrast effect occurred. When there is range overlap between target and prime, the prime was perceived to be similar to the target and would be used to interpret the target and assimilation effect occurred; however, when there was no range overlap, the prime and target was perceived dissimilar and the prime will be used as a comparison standard and the judgments of the target and contrast effect occurred. Finally, two kinds of target (real or fictitious brand) were used, and the results showed that there is no difference between them. The research is attempted to provide implications to marketing executives by better understanding the underlying procedure and mechanism of priming effect.