Haptic Product Information and Consumers’ Recall of Haptic Imagery Information
Shannon B. Rinaldo, Assistant Professor of Marketing
Box 2101 Rawls College of Business
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-2101
Shannon.rinaldo@ttu.edu
Terry L. Childers, Professor and Dean’s Chair in Marketing
Gerdin Business Building
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-1350
tchilders@iastate.edu
Haptic Product Information and Consumers’ Recall of Haptic Imagery Information
Shannon B. Rinaldo, Texas Tech University
Terry L. Childers, Iowa State University
Although the role of haptic processing within marketing has been increasingly studied,
haptic imagery use has not received the same level of attention. Imagery is a mental
representation similar to the initial phases of perception but occurs without actual perception of a
stimulus (Kosslyn, Thompson, and Ganis 2006). The nature of imagery consists of an experience
to the individual that may appear as real as perception, where no perception is taking place.
Imagery is said to be functionally equivalent to perception in that similar behavioral and
physiological responses have been observed during imagery as are observed during perception
within a perceptual modality (Finke 1989). This phenomenon was first published in the
marketing literature by Unnava, Agarwal, and Haugtvedt (1996), who studied the effects of
perceptual modality on participants’ ability to recall imagery information from an advertisement.
Auditory signals were detected more slowly when participants were holding auditory images in
their minds than when they were holding visual images. Similar interference for detection of
visual signals was shown when visual images were being held. Other studies investigating
perception and imagery interaction have found imagery to facilitate perception in that imagery
appears to improve a person’s ability to perceive stimuli (Finke 1989). This is the first study to
investigate the interaction of haptic imagery and haptic perception in this way. Following the
path laid by the two literatures, shape perception should differentially interfere with or facilitate
the ability to recall shape imagery information, while texture perception should differentially
interfere with or facilitate the recall of texture imagery information.
Evidence in the behavioral and neurological literatures indicates that the visually
impaired have unique abilities in the haptic modality (Davidson 1976). Not only is this
population well practiced in both haptic perception and imagery, but evidence is growing that
shows that their brains react differently to haptic stimuli and memories than do the brains of their
sighted counterparts (Röder et al. 1997; Sadato et al. 2002). These facts allow for a unique
comparison for the study of haptic imagery’s use in consumer product evaluation. The
researchers predicted, therefore, that blind consumers would differ in their results.
Sixty-two sighted and sixty-four blind consumers were recruited to participate in an
experiment. Participants listened to auditory advertisements that were embedded with texture and
shape salient imagery. Participants then evaluated textured or shape salient products while
recalling information from the advertisement. Additional variables were collected via self report
questionnaire: extent and type of imagery evoked by the advertisement; attitude toward the
advertisement; attitude toward the product; frustration with the task; and confidence with the
task. The Communication Evoked Imagery Scale was also used to measure the nature and extent
of mental imagery evoked (Babin and Burns 1998).
A general linear model revealed that visual status (i.e., sighted versus blind) was
significant (F = 2.218, p < .05), supporting the prediction that blind and sighted participants
would differ in their results. Visual status was significantly related to the number of non-imagery
statements (Msighted = 1.98 vs. Mblind = 2.48), (F = 4.0, p <.05), quantity of imagery evoked by
the target ad (Msighted = 3.28 vs. Mblind = 3.93), (F = 3.202, p = .076), attitude toward the target ad
(Msighted = 4.4 vs. Mblind = 5.1), (F = 6.610, p < .05), confidence in recall (Msighted = 3.52 vs. Mblind
= 4.52), (F = 14.847, p < .0001), overall rating of the ad (Msighted = 3.51 vs. Mblind = 4.37), (F =
12.83, p < .001), overall rating of the product (Msighted = 3.85 vs. Mblind = 4.73), (F = 8.778, p <
.01), and haptic imagery evoked by the ad (Msighted = 4.63 vs. Mblind = 5.36), (F = 4.342, p < .05).
The research question stated that when participants were evaluating stimuli while
recalling imagery elements from an advertisement, properties of the stimulus touched would
interact with the nature of the imagery advertisement content recalled. Because visual status was
significant in the overall GLM, the data were split by visual status and an overall test of effect
was conducted. In line with Unnava et al. (1996), a t-test was performed to test the overall effects
of match/mismatch of stimulus evaluated with imagery statements. This is essentially a contrast
of recall means when stimulus quality matched the recall statement modality (Texture/Texture or
Shape/Shape) versus when modalities did not match (Texture/Shape or Shape/Texture). Results
indicated that there was a significant difference in both groups. The sighted participants recalled
significantly more imagery statements when there was a modality match (M = 1.57 vs. M =
1.04), (t = 11.306, p < .0001). Blind participants results followed the same trend where a
modality match resulted in more imagery recall statements (M = 1.55 vs. M = .88), (t = 8.826, p
< .0001). These results indicate that in this case modality match resulted in the facilitation of
matched imagery recall.
Participants who reported having both visual imagery and haptic imagery from the target
ad had significantly better overall attitudes toward the ad itself (F = 25.595, p < .0001, SS =
64.307). A hierarchical regression removed variance attributable to the visual imagery item in
the haptic imagery item (Cohen and Cohen 1983). The residual variance of the haptic imagery
item was regressed on attitude toward the ad and the relationship was significant apart from the
portion attributable to the visual imagery question (F = 8.847, p < .01, SS = 206.608). The same
was true for likelihood of purchase (F = 6.82, p = .01, SS = 401.869) and for attitude toward the
product (F = 7.409, p < .01, SS = 315.077).
The utility of non-visual imagery use in advertising and other consumer marketing has
yet to be fully realized (Unnava et al. 1996). This study is the first to offer evidence that the use
of haptic imagery in advertising is likely to be effective. Participants in this study who reported
experiencing haptic imagery while listening to the advertisement also indicated a more positive
attitude toward the advertisement, more positive attitude toward the product, and higher
likelihood of purchase. This study is also the first to show how product properties can affect
recall of imagery statements from an advertisement upon product evaluation. The study
specifically showed that when evaluating a shape salient product, participants were more likely
to recall shape imagery and when evaluating a texture salient product, participants were more
likely to recall texture imagery statements.
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