The effect of advertisement choice, sex, and need for cognition on attention

A recent study showed that choice of advertisement content affected attention for female but not male viewers (Nettelhorst & Brannon, 2012). This study extended that work by assessing the effect of choice difficulty and the moderation of viewers’ need for cognition (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982) on attention. Participants were either allowed or not allowed to choose which advertisement to watch after watching a television skit. Next, participants watched an advertisement and rated their amount of attention towards it. Results showed that males were not influenced by the choice manipulation, but females had significantly greater attention after making the difficult choice. Similarly, high need for cognition individuals were not influenced by the choice manipulation, but low need for cognition individuals had significantly greater attention after making the difficult choice. These results suggest that choice in of itself is not a sufficient means of increasing viewer attention towards an advertisement. Instead the choice must be between options which are attractive to the viewer. In addition, advertisement choice should be an effective marketing tool particularly for female viewers or those with low need for cognition in general.

► Choice of advertisement content is one recent Internet marketing technique.
► This study examined the effect of advertisement choice difficulty and viewers’ need for cognition on viewers’ attention.
► Female and LNC viewers’ attention increased after making a difficult advertisement choice.
► Advertisement choice had no effect on male or HNC viewers’ attention.
► This marketing technique should be emphasized towards female and LNC populations.