An Empirical Study on emotional intensity and the influence of product involvement in the context of the integrative framework

Abstract

A model is proposed for the role of emotional intensity of a web site, and the moderating influence of product involvement, in the Integrative Framework of persuasion (Meyers-Levy and Malvaiya 1999). The model also appropriately operationalizes the constructs emotional intensity of a web site and product involvement. The three routes to persuasion, Central, Peripheral, and Experiential correspond to high, moderate, and low involvement (Meyers-Levy and Malaviya 1999). The involvement construct is measured from message recipients using the Personal Product Inventory (Pll), which was developed to capture the concept of product involvement (Zaichkowsky 1985). The conceptualization of the Personal Product Inventory is a contextfree measure that also has robust psychometric properties when applied to advertisements (Zaichkowsky 1994). The propositions highlight the expected importance of emotional intensity of a web site. The moderating influence of product involvement is also proposed.

Specifically, what this work proposes is that the emotional intensity of a product site has a larger impact on attitude change under low product involvement, as opposed to moderate product involvement. Support for this reasoning can be found in the persuasion literature (Petty et al 1986). The Petty et al (1986) frame work is a dual process descriptive and predictive frame work in the area of attitude formation and change. Recently, Myers Levy and Malaviya (1999) have proposed a tri-process framework. This is in turn based i on the dual process model of Petty et al. (1986). The study outlined in this paper aims to deepen the Meyers Levy and Malaviya (1999) and frame work.

The propositions outlined in the model are empirically tested using a repeated measures experimental design. The emotional intensity is measured using a scale that is based on experts judgments. Using a paired comparison t-test two sites are determined to be of high and low emotional intensity. The model is tested using a repeated measures experimental design. The first independent variable Emotional Intensity of the site is manipulated. The Second independent variable, Personal Product Inventory is measured. While, the dependent variable, product attitude change will also be measured. Utilizing Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) the data is analyzed using SPSS.

The results suggest that besides the rational content of messages their emotional content can also influence attitude change. Specifically, it is proposed that the manipulation of emotional intensity of a product Web site has a greater impact on product attitudes under high and low product involvement conditions, rather than moderate product involvement. However, the results for product involvement as a continuous variable has a p value of 0.09. Further, the results for three levels of product involvement were far from significant. For two levels of product involvement also, the results were insignificant, the p value approached 0.20. This evidence indicates that it is premature to conclude that there are three routes to persuasion. A caveat, however, must be added, in that the manipulations may not have been strong i enough to test the proposed hypotheses. Further, undoubtedly, there is unequivocal evidence the emotional intensity of a product Web site, as measured here, has a direct impact on product attitudes.