Effects of Visual and Verbal Arguments in Advertisements on Audience Cognitive Responses

• In Event: Researching Cognition, Perception, and Effects in Visual Communication

Abstract

This study explicated the idea of visual argument, which has been limited to qualitative research, and empirically tested the presence and absence of visual and verbal arguments to examine whether they affect, by themselves or together, how participants respond cognitively to these arguments in the advertising context, with an important variable, need for cognition, controlled. Cognitive responses include meaning perception, level of elaboration and thoughts generated. Findings indicate that visual arguments indeed had greater effects than verbal argument and there was an interesting interaction effect on level of thinking. Implications are discussed.

Authors

• Shuhua Zhou, U of Alabama

• Cui Zhang, U of Texas-Pan American

• Yeojin Kim, U of Alabama