Moderating Influence of Self-Monitoring and Gender on Responses to Humorous Advertising

Abstract

Abstract From Snyder's (1987) suggestion that high self-monitors, relative to low self-monitors, choose form over function, it was hypothesized that high self-monitors should be more susceptible to humorous advertising and low self-monitors to nonhumorous advertising. Also, it was predicted that this interaction effect would be stronger for American male students than for female students. The results of a 2 × 2 × 2 (Humor × Self-Monitoring × Audience Gender) experimental research design failed to support this particular interaction hypothesis. However, self-monitoring did significantly interact with audience gender in moderating responses to advertising. Taken together, the patterns of the significant self-monitoring and gender interactions showed that high self-monitoring men, relative to low self-monitoring men, tended to become more positive toward the advertisement, whereas high self-monitoring women, relative to low self-monitoring women, tended to become more negative. Within-cell correlations between cognitive responses and attitude suggested that the subjects engaged in systematic rather than heuristic processing of the advertisement.