Non-comparative versus Comparative Advertising of Quality

Two firms produce a good with a horizontal and a vertical character- istic called quality. The difference in the unobservable quality levels determines how the firms share the market. We consider two scenar- ios: In the first one, firms disclose quality; in the second one, they send costly signals thereof. Under non-comparative advertising a firm advertises its own quality, under comparative advertising a firm adver- tises the quality differential. In either scenario, under comparative ad- vertising the firms never advertise together which they may do under non-comparative advertising. Moreover, under comparative advertis- ing firms do not advertise when the informational value to consumers is small.

Who is honest and why: Baseline activation in anterior insula predicts inter-individual differences in deceptive behavior

Humans engage in deceptive behavior that negatively affects others. The propensity to deceive is,however, characterized by vast inter-individual heterogeneity that is poorly understood. Attempts to investigate the origins of this heterogeneity have so far mainly relied on subjective measures and have shown little predictive power. Here, we used resting electroencephalography to measure objective and stable individual differences in neural baseline activation in combination with an ecologically valid deception paradigm. Results showed that task-independent baseline activation in the anterior insula, a brain area implicated in mapping internal bodily states and in representing emotional arousal and consciousfeelings, predicts individuals’ propensity for deceptive behavior. The higher the neural baseline activation in this area is, the lower individuals’ propensity to deceive. Moreover, results provide evidence that high baseline activation in the anterior insula is associated with negative affect and dispositional tendencies to avoid aversive emotional situations. These results provide converging neural and psychological evidence that individuals might avoid a deceptive act due to a highly active negative emotional system which would make a deceptive act too stressful and bothersome.

Positive effect of the yellow morph on female reproductive success in the flower colour polymorphic Iris lutescens (Iridaceae), a deceptive species

The deceptive Iris lutescens (Iridaceae) shows a heritable and striking flower colour polymorphism, with both yellow- and purple-flowered individuals growing sympatrically. Deceptive species with flower colour polymorphism are mainly described in the family Orchidaceae and rarely found in other families. To explain the maintenance of flower colour polymorphism in I.lutescens, we investigated female reproductive success in natural populations of southern France, at both population and local scales (within populations). Female reproductive success was positively correlated with yellow morph frequency, at both the population scale and the local scale. Therefore, we failed to observe negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS), a mechanism commonly invoked to explain flower colour polymorphism in deceptive plant species. Flower size and local flower density could also affect female reproductive success in natural populations. Pollinator behaviour could explain the positive effect of the yellow morph, and our results suggest that flower colour polymorphism might not persist in I.lutescens, but alternative explanations not linked to pollinator behaviour are discussed. In particular, NFDS, although an appealingly simple explanation previously demonstrated in orchids, may not always contribute to maintaining flower colour polymorphism, even in deceptive species.

Communion-over-Agency effects on advertising effectiveness

Gender-stereotypical portrayals of communal women and agentic men are highly common in advertising. But past research indicates that advertising effectiveness is higher when endorsers are portrayed as communal – irrespective of their gender. The aim of the current research is to explore this communion-over-agency effect on advertising effectiveness and its underlying mechanism. Two studies provide evidence for a communion-over-agency effect on advertising effectiveness (i.e., attitude toward the ad and brand). These studies show that the communion-over-agency effect on attitude toward the ad is mediated by endorser likeability (simple mediation). The effect on attitude toward the brand is mediated by endorser likeability and attitude toward the ad (serial multiple mediation). In concert, this research underscores the significance of communion (and agency) on endorser evaluation and advertising effectiveness.

“Therapeutic Advertising”: When Do Female Consumers Really Benefit?

This research examines whether female consumers benefit from brand strategies that attempt to decrease their self-discrepancies by setting more realistic ideals (i.e., therapeutic advertising, such as Body Shop, Aerie, and Always). The results of our preliminary study reveal that therapeutic advertising leads to stronger self-conscious emotions than idealistic advertising. More specifically, it leads to stronger emotions of both pride and shame. However, the latter only holds true for female consumers low in self-liking and high difficulties in abandoning unattainable goals. Female consumers who like themselves and are able to abandon unattainable goals do not feel more ashamed when being exposed to therapeutic advertising compared to idealized advertising. These findings have implications for marketing managers and policy makers.