The Effect of Black-and-White versus Color Imagery on Consumer Behavior: A Construal Level Theory Approach DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Hyojin Lee Graduate Program in Business Administration The Ohio State University 2016 Dissertation Committee: Xiaoyan Deng, Co-Advisor H. Rao Unnava, Co-Advisor Kentaro Fujita Copyrighted by Hyojin Lee 2016 Abstract Advances in technology and digitalization in the 21st century has made color dominant to black-and-white in the marketing world. This dissertation, however, questions the assumption that color media is always superior to Black-and-White (BW) media in communications. Drawing from construal level theory (CLT; Trope and Liberman 2003), this dissertation investigate the interplay between visual perception (BW vs. color) and cognition (high-level vs. low-level construal), exploring conditions under which BW (vs. color) imagery can lead to more favorable consumer responses. Marketing communications (e.g., advertising, packaging) can be either colorful or BW. The first essay investigates how the presence or absence of color in media can change consumers’ information processing and affect product evaluations and choices. In six experiments, we show that people exposed to BW (vs. color) pictures and videos are more likely to engage in high-level (vs. low-level) construal, place greater weight on primary (vs. secondary) product features, and prefer an option that excels on those features. In particular, the result from one study raises an alarm to consumers by demonstrating that they sometimes pay more money for product features that are unnecessary or irrelevant to their needs when the product is presented in color (vs. BW). To marketers, this research suggests that they may consider using BW (vs. color) media ii to draw attention to the superior primary (vs. secondary) features of a product. Theoretically, this work is the first to demonstrate that a basic component of visual imagery (presence or absence of color) can be an important antecedent variable that determines level of construal. Whereas the first essay explores how BW vs. color media influences consumers’ information processing, the second essays examines consumer’s use of BW vs. color imagery in forming their visual representations of the future. Consumers frequently make purchase decisions about products to be consumed or experienced some time in the future. Thus, marketers need to better understand how consumers imagine their future interactions with the advertised products to develop more effective advertising appeals. In nine experiments, we find that people are more likely to visually represent distant (vs. near) future events in BW (vs. color). Given this tendency, we further argue and demonstrate that persuasive appeals about distant (vs. near) future events are more effective when accompanied by BW (vs. color) images. This finding suggests marketers should use BW (vs. color) in visual appeals when attempting to change attitudes about temporally distant (vs. near) future events. Critically, this research provides new insight into what consumers’ representations of the future looks like in the mind’s eye – a question largely unaddressed in current marketing and psychology literature on future- directed thinking. To summarize, this dissertation shows that BW media sometimes can function more effectively than color media in marketing communications, suggesting the need to carefully consider the color of advertising appeals. More importantly, this work is the iii first to link the color of imagery with construal level and psychological distance, highlighting the subjective experience of these psychological mindsets. iv Acknowledgments I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Xiaoyan Deng, Rao Unnava, and Ken Fujita. Without their support and guidance, this dissertation would not have been possible. First, I am extremely grateful to my wonderful advisors, Xiaoyan Deng and Rao Unnava, for their continual enthusiasm and patience throughout my time in the graduate program. I have learned a great deal about both research and life by having numerous meetings and endless conversations with them. During my doctoral studies at Fisher, I have truly felt nurtured and cared for by them. Thank you so much for helping me to grow as a better researcher and as a better person. I am also indebted to Ken Fujita, who is my secondary advisor at the department of psychology. Having the opportunity to join his lab, I could have built on my research skills through regular interaction with him and his students in the social psychology department. I have learned the value of theory and rigor in developing science from him. I truly appreciate him for investing countless hours into my training in psychological research. I would also like to thank my collaborators, Paul Stillman and Jessica Carnevale, who taught me various research tools that I employed in this dissertation work. I also want to thank my amazing friends who helped me along the way: Chris Summers, Amit Singh, Danny Zane, Adam Smith, Marc Dotson, Hyowon Kim, Dongsoo v Kim, Sang Lee, Tatiana Dyachenko, Inyoung Chae, and Max Joo. I would especially like to express my special thanks to my CB colleagues, Chris, Amit, and Danny. I have so many happy and fun memories from my graduate studies at Fisher thanks to them. Thank you for being such sweet friends and colleagues to me. Finally, I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my parents, Sounglae Lee and Jungnam Sim, who have always given endless love to me and had faith in me. Without their continual support, I would not have been able to even begin my graduate studies in the States. I can’t thank them enough for everything they have done for me. Above all, a special thanks to my husband, Hyounkyu Cho. Without him, earning my degree would not have been possible. Thank you for making my life more beautiful, enjoyable, and meaningful. I love you. vi Vita 2006................................................................B.S. Business Administration, Seoul National University 2006 – 2008 ...................................................Assistant Manager, Samsung Electronics 2011................................................................M.S. Business Administration, Seoul National University 2011 to present ..............................................Graduate Teaching and Research Associate, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University Publications Deng, Xiaoyan, Barbara E. Kahn, Rao Unnava, and Hyojin Lee, “A ‘Wide’ Variety: Effects of Horizontal versus Vertical Display on Assortment Processing, Perceived Variety, and Choice,” Journal of Marketing Research (in press). Lee, Hyojin, Xiaoyan Deng, H. Rao Unnava, and Kentaro Fujita (2014), “Monochrome Forests and Colorful Trees: The Effect of Black-and-White versus Color Imagery on Construal Level,” Journal of Consumer Research, 41 (December), 1015-32. vii Yi, Youjae, Taeshik Gong, and Hyojin Lee (2013), “The Impact of Other Customers on Customer Citizenship Behavior,” Psychology & Marketing, 30 (April), 341-56. Fields of Study Major Field: Business Administration viii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Vita .................................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... xi List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Construal Level Theory..................................................................................... 6 Chapter 3: The Effect of Black-and-White versus Color Imagery on Construal Level…...9 3.1. Theoretical Development ....................................................................................... 10 3.2. Experiment 1 .......................................................................................................... 16 3.3. Experiment 2 .......................................................................................................... 18 3.4. Experiment 3 .......................................................................................................... 24 3.5. Experiment 4 .......................................................................................................... 29 3.6. Experiment 5 .......................................................................................................... 33 3.7. Summary and Managerial Implications ................................................................. 36 ix Chapter 4: On Visualizaing Distant and Near Future Events in Black-and-White versus Color ................................................................................................................................. 41 4.1. Theoretical Development ....................................................................................... 43 4.2. Experiment 1 .........................................................................................................