The Moderating Role of Self in the Persuasiveness of Visual Perspective

The effectiveness of visual communication depends on its stylistic properties (e.g., camera angle, orientation of an object, and visual perspective) (Yang et al. 2010). In this project, we will focus on the actor-like vs. observer-like visual perspective. An actor-like perspective assumes an active participant’s perspective while an observer-like perspective assumes a detached onlooker’s perspective to audiences (Libby et al. 2009). A growing body of research has been conducted in social psychology and social cognition to examine the effect of visual perspective on memory and attribution in the context of social event (Libby et al. 2009). With different visual perspectives so frequently adopted in marketing practice through camera angle (Meyers-Levy & Peracchio 1996), it would be interesting to study the impact of visual perspective on consumers’ product evaluations and behavioral intentions. Specifically, to what extent are the visual perspectives effective in persuading audiences? And what role does the audience’s self-concept (ideal vs. ought) play in the process? This project is designed to answer these questions. Drawing upon research from social cognition, self-concept, and visual processing, we predict that when an actor (observer) visual perspective is used to promote a product or service, participants with an ideal (ought) self will have more favorable evaluations than those with an ought (ideal) self. These predictions are tested in two experiments. Findings of the project will contribute to consumer research on visual communication and self concept and offer implications for creating marketing messages.