Event

Marketing Area Recruiting Seminar

Friday, November 6, 2009 10:00to11:30

Marketing Recruiting Seminar

Affect-Gating
by

Dan King
University of Florida

DATE:Friday, November 6th, 2009
TIME:10:00 am to 11:30 am
PLACE:
Samuel Bronfman Bldg.
1001 Sherbrooke St. West
Room 204

All are cordially invited to attend.

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ABSTRACT

Neural theories of affective processes suggest that people may be more attuned to certain sensory channels during certain affective states. Experiment 1 shows that consumers in a negative affective state are more sensitive to tactile information, whereas consumers in a positive affective state are more sensitive to visual information. Experiment 2 shows that consumers in a negative affective state generate a more positive hedonic response toward tactile qualities of a product. Experiment 3 shows that consumers in a negative affective state are more sensitive to changes in product quality involving tactile attributes. Experiment 4 shows that the tactile quality of a product has more influence on hedonic response when the visual sensory channel is blocked. Experiment 5A shows that negative affect induces a physiological response of coldness, and Experiment 5B shows that a consumer under negative affective state is more sensitive to tactile warmth. The implication of these results is that the affective circuits operate like gates that manage the flow of information from specific sensory channels, leading consumers to become more (or less) sensitive to this information. This affect-gating account may explain certain consumer phenomena, such as the increased use of tactile and warming products (i.e., “comfort products”) when sad, or the closing of eyes when receiving tactile stimulation (e.g., a kiss, a massage).

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