Attention and Comprehension in

Consumer Behavior
CSR 631
En-Chung Chang

Two Stages in Information Processing

Exposure

Stimuli

Attention

Comprehension

Acceptance

Retention

Memory

Attention
The

allocation of processing capacity to a

stimulus
Determinants of Attention

Personal
Attention
Stimulus

Personal Determinants of Attention

Need/Motivation
Attitudes
Consumers

possessing unfavorable attitudes may

allocate little attention

Adaptation

Level

Consumers

will become so habituated to a stimulus

that it is no longer noticed

Span
The

of Attention

amount of time we can focus our attention on a

single stimulus is limited

Stimulus Determinants of Attention

Size
Color
Intensity
Contrast
Position
Directionality

Movement
Isolation
Novelty
Learned AttentionInducing Stimuli
Attractive Spokesperson
Scene Changes

Contrasting
Stimuli

Directionality

Quasimotion

Isolation

Comprehension/Perception

Is concerned with the interpretation of a stimulus.

How the consumers categorized, elaborated, and
organized the stimulus
Determinants of Comprehension

Personal
Comprehension
Stimulus

Personal Determinants of Comprehension

Motivation

Knowledge

Knowledgeable consumers are more likely to elaborate on message

claims
Unknowledgeable consumers focus on nonclaim cues (background
music, pictures)

Expectation or Perceptual Set

5, 7, 9, 11,
A, K, C, M,

Stimulus Determinants of Comprehension

Linguistics
Words

in everyday language
Negative words, ex. NOT or NEVER
Order

Effects

Recency
Primacy

Context
Surrounding

occurs

situation in which the stimulus