Understanding the Effects of Process-Focused versus Outcome-Focused Thought in Response to Advertising

Research on mental simulation finds differential effects for process versus outcome focus. We manipulate the focus of participants' thoughts while viewing advertisements and find that under low to moderate involvement, argument strength has a greater effect on behavioral intentions when participants focus on the process versus the outcome of product use. This differential advantage of process-focused thought reverses under conditions of high involvement. The apparent reason for the sensitivity of process-focused thought to argument strength under low to moderate involvement is that a process focus leads to the relatively spontaneous formulation of a plan to purchase given strong, but not weak, ad arguments.