Responsiveness to authority appeals among young French and American consumers

The “authority effect” is a powerful social influence principle frequently used in advertising to increase compliance. Young adult consumers, however, often resent authority figures. Such resentment can result in negative reactions to authority-based persuasion attempts. This study examines the differential responsiveness to authority appeals among young adults in France and the U.S., as well as the boundary conditions within which such differential responses occur. Results show that before 9 / 11 Americans had more positive attitudes when the spokesperson in an ad is low (vs. high) in authority. This reverse authority effect did not obtain among French subjects, who appear to prefer recommendations from social equals, or among Americans after 9 / 11. Perceived source credibility and power distance moderate the effect of authority on attitudes and purchase intentions.