Abstract
Works dealing with the Attentional White-Bear theory show that people allocate attention to a location they were told to ignore. However, studies have not examine whether the content presented in the ignored location had an impact on participants’ attitudes. To explore this question we provide a novel demonstration of the joint effects of the Attentional White-Bear and the Sleeper effect, and show that an instruction to ignore a specific predefined location in the visual field generates attention to the content in that location which influences attitudes. In four longitudinal experiments, a Sleeper effect was revealed. However this effect was eliminated when participants were requested to ignore the predefined location of the discounting cue (Experiments 1 and 3), the persuasive message (Experiment 2) and the incongruent background (Experiment 4). The comparative findings for the parallel groups exposed to the same information (both persuasive and discounting) without the ignoring instruction point to the critical role of this instruction as the source of the difference in attitude change. The discussion centers on the implications regarding the strategic buildup of communicating information that can attract audience’s attention in novel unexpected ways. These counterintuitive effects provide an uncommon strategic perspective: paradoxically, in order to generate attention to a message, the target audience should be instructed to ignore its location.
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Data Availability
All data will be available upon request and will be included in the main text and the supplementary material after acceptance.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Tahani Hasadia, Natalya Gltelson, Tomer Cohen, Snir Niv, Smadar Nachman, Yaara Moldovan, Svetlana Butina and Natalya Gumzaikov for assistance in the messages’ development and collecting the data for this paper.
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Appendices
Appendix
This appendix includes the materials presented to participants in Experiments 1–4.
Experiment 1
A new brand of car is scheduled to be imported to the country in the near future. The car operates on a combined system of solar and electric energy and has several other unique features. In the following pages you will find additional information about the car. You will then be requested to respond to several questions. Your opinion is vitally important as it will be used to develop a marketing strategy for the new car.
The questionnaire is formulated in the masculine for convenience only and applies equally to males and females.
This is an anonymous questionnaire. Please identify yourself by entering the last four digits of your I.D. number here:
Thank you for your cooperation.
A. Participants in the message only condition received the following material:
First, please read the following information and then answer the questions:
SunElectro is a new car marketed in Israel that operates on a combined system of solar and electric energy. The combination of these two sources of energy is considered a technological breakthrough both in the automotive industry and in the innovative technologies industries. The car windows are covered with a UV-filter protection system. The car is economical and environmentally friendly. Its other positive features include an automatic braking system that operates when nearby objects are sensed, and easily adjustable side mirrors.
Similar cars have been launched in several Western European countries and in North America. Israeli car importers have already signed agreements with the manufacturer to adapt the car to the local market. Results of preliminary studies and focus groups indicate a positive response and high intention to purchase the new car. Consumers who test-drove the new car reported high levels of satisfaction and driving enjoyment, and significant cost savings.
Please proceed to the next page and complete the questionnaire. Do not go back to previous pages.
B. Participants in the message and discounting cue condition received the following material:
First, please read the following information and then answer the following questions.
SunElectro is a new car marketed in Israel that operates on a combined system of solar and electric energy. The combination of these two sources of energy is considered a technological breakthrough both in the automotive industry and in the innovative technologies industries. The car windows are covered with a UV-filter protection system. The car is economical and environmentally friendly. Its other positive features include an automatic braking system that operates when nearby objects are sensed, and easily adjustable side mirrors. Similar cars have been launched in several Western European countries and in North America. Israeli car importers have already signed agreements with the manufacturer to adapt the car to the local market. Results of preliminary studies and focus groups indicate a positive response and high intention to purchase the new car. Consumers who test drove the new car reported high levels of satisfaction and driving enjoyment, and significant cost savings. | Information from automotive columns in newspapers, the Israel Standards Institute, and “Green Light”: Complicated technical problems in the side-mirror adjustment system were discovered shortly after SunElectro’s launch. Furthermore, the customer service center received many complaints about various safety problems. Among others, customers reported injuries caused by the sudden operation of the automatic braking system, and incidents in which the braking system operated despite the absence of any imminent collision. Tests conducted by the Israel Standards Institute found that actual UV penetration through the car’s UV-filtering windows exceeded the standard. The Institute also found that the electric and solar charging unit occupied over 30% of the car’s volume. “Green Light” found that the car’s electric charging unit are situated in dangerous locations and the car had a higher than average probability of being involved in a car accident. |
Please proceed to the next page and complete the questionnaire. Do not go back to previous pages.
C. Participants in the to-be-ignored discounting cue location condition received the following materials:
First, please read the following information and then answer the following questions.
SunElectro is a new car marketed in Israel that operates on a combined system of solar and electric energy. The combination of these two sources of energy is considered a technological breakthrough both in the automotive industry and in the innovative technologies industries. The car windows are covered with a UV-filter protection system. The car is economical and environmentally friendly. Its otherpositive features include an automatic braking system that operates when nearby objects are sensed, and easily adjustable side mirrors. Similar cars have been launched in several Western European countries and in North America. Israeli car importers have already signed agreements with the manufacturer to adapt the car to the local market. Results of preliminary studies and focus groups indicate a positive response and high intention to purchase the new car. Consumers who test drove the new car reported high levels of satisfaction and driving enjoyment, and significant cost savings. | Information from automotive columns in newspapers, the Israel Standards Institute, and “Green Light”: Complicated technical problems in the side-mirror adjustment system were discovered shortly after SunElectro’s launch. Furthermore, the customer service center received many complaints about various safety problems. Among others, customers reported injuries caused by the sudden operation of the automatic braking system, and incidents in which the braking system operated despite the absence of any imminent collision. Tests conducted by the Israel Standards Institute found that actual UV penetration through the car’s UV-filtering windows exceeded the standard. The Institute also found that the electric and solar charging unit occupied over 30% of the car’s volume. “Green Light” found that the car’s electric charging unit are situated in dangerous locations and the car had a higher than average probability of being involved in a car accident. |
Please ignore the information written in red! |
Please proceed to the next page and complete the questionnaire. Do not go back to previous pages.
Attitude Questionnaire
Respond to the following questions on a scale from 1 (absolutely no) to 7 (absolutely yes).
-
1.
In your opinion, is the SunElectro a high-quality car?
-
2.
In your opinion, would the SunElectro be a good choice for you?
-
3.
In your opinion, is the SunElectro suitable for broad audiences as a replacement for their current car?
-
4.
Do you plan to purchase a SunElectro?
-
5.
In your opinion, will Israeli drivers be interested in the SunElectro?
-
6.
Do you think it would be fun to drive the SunElectro?
-
7.
Would you recommend the SunElectro to others?
-
8.
Do you think that SunElectro offers added value over other cars that are already available on the market?
-
9.
Will you follow the media coverage of SunElectro’s upcoming launch?
-
10.
Do you think that the SunElectro will become a popular purchase for average Israeli families in a few years?
Experiment 2
Dear Participant,
Please complete the brief questionnaire below that is part of a market research study. In the following pages you will find additional information about a new low-cost airline. You will then be requested to respond to several questions. Your opinion is vitally important as it will be used to develop a marketing strategy for the new low cost airline.
The questionnaire is formulated in the masculine for convenience only and applies equally to males and females.
This is an anonymous questionnaire. Please identify yourself by entering the last four digits of your I.D. number in the spaces below.
Thank you for your cooperation.
A. Participants in the message only condition received the following material:
First, please read the following information and then answer the following questions:
Maalot Airlines is a new low-cost Israeli carrier. The airline operates in a low-cost format. Its low prices are made possible due to the absence of traditional services such as meals, beverages and in-flight movies, which are available only at extra cost. Low-cost airlines first appeared in the United States and spread from there to Europe in the 1990s and are currently popular all over the world due to high customer satisfaction from the flights themselves and the significant cost savings. On these flights you can enjoy very low prices and a low rate of delays (due to the use of secondary airports). Tickets are available for direct purchase online without the mediation of travel agents.
Please proceed to the next page and complete the questionnaire. Do not go back to previous pages.
B. Participants in the message and discounting cue condition received the following material:
First, please read the following information and then answer the following questions:
Part A
Maalot Airlines is a new low-cost Israeli carrier. The airline operates in a low-cost format. Its low prices are made possible due to the absence of traditional services such as meals, beverages and in-flight movies, which are available only at extra cost. Low-cost airlines first appeared in the United States and spread from there to Europe in the 1990s and are currently popular all over the world due to high customer satisfaction from the flights themselves and the significant cost savings. On these flights you can enjoy very low prices and a low rate of delays (due to the use of secondary airports). Tickets are available for direct purchase online without the mediation of travel agents.
Part B
Surfers are divided: Are low-cost flights worth it or not? Maalot Airlines’ first low-cost flight sparked responses from surfers: Not worth it at all, or cheap and worth it? How can you manage without water being served on the flight, and who checks the sandwiches you bring from home?
Coverage of Maalot Airlines’ first low-cost flight to Paris prompted many surfers to express their strong opinions on the issue. “Not worth it at all,” Yehuda from Tivon who explained: “It’s only worth it for people who make reservations three months in advance. Then, you can prepare for the flight, bring an empty bottle and fill it up when you while for the flight; come early and get a good seat.” The rules of low-cost flights are completely different to what we have become accustomed to for decades, and all airlines operate flights have a long list of services that go with a seat on a plane such as food, beverages, luggage and overweight baggage, reserved seats, and other services. All of these are sold at extra cost. “Do all the sandwiches from home go through a security check?” wondered one surfer. “After all, you can easily hide explosives in a baguette.” Another surfer responded that everything undergoes a security check and an X-ray. A lively discussion among surfers developed over the question of whether the airline is obligated to serve water to the passengers or whether it can charge passengers. “Water should be available to anyone in any place of business,” wrote D. from Herzliya. “Although an airplane is not a place of business, it certainly belongs to the company that is doing business and therefore both it and the plane are subject to the law. Do they really want people to beg the flight attendant for a drink or drink from the faucet in the toilet?” A surfer identified as Dracula responded, “Hook up to the flight attendant and drink her blood.”
C. Participants in the to-Be-Ignored Message Location Condition Received the Following Material:
First, please read the following information and then answer the following questions:
Part A
Maalot Airlines is a new low-cost Israeli carrier. The airline operates in a low-cost format. Its low prices are made possible due to the absence of traditional services such as meals, beverages and in-flight movies, which are available only at extra cost. Low-cost airlines first appeared in the United States and spread from there to Europe in the 1990s and are currently popular all over the world due to high customer satisfaction from the flights themselves and the significant cost savings. On these flights you can enjoy very low prices and a low rate of delays (due to the use of secondary airports). Tickets are available for direct purchase online without the medication of travel agents.
Part B
Surfers are divided: Are low-cost flights worth it or not? Maalot Airlines’ first low-cost flight sparked responses from Ynet surfers: Not worth it at all, or cheap and worth it? How can you manage without water being served on the flight, and who checks the sandwiches you bring from home?
Coverage of Maalot Airlines’ first low-cost flight to Paris prompted many surfersto express their strong opinions on the issue. “Not worth it at all,” Yehuda from Tivon decided and explained, “It’s only worth it for people who make reservations three months in advance. Then, you can prepare for the flight, bring an empty bottle and fill it up while you wait for the flight; come early and get a good seat.” The rules of low-cost flights are completely different to what we have become accustomed to for decades, and all the airlines operate flights that jave a long list of services that go with a seat on a plane – food, beverages, luggage and overweight baggage, reserved seats, and other services. All of these are sold at extra cost. “Do all the sandwiches from home go through a security check?” wondered one surfer. “After all, you can easily hide explosives in a baguette.” Another surfer responded that everything undergoes a security check and an X-ray. A lively discussion among the surfers developed over the question of whether the airline is obligated to serve water to the passengers or whether it can charge passengers. “Water should be available to anyone in any place of business,” wrote D from Herzliya. “Although an airplane is not a place of business it certainly belongs to the company that is doing business and therefore both it and the plane are subject to the law. Do they really want people to beg the flight attendant for a drink or drink from the faucet in the toilet?” A surfer identified as Dracula responded, “Hook up to the flight attendant and drink her blood.”
Please ignore the information in Part A.
Attitude Questionnaire
Please respond to the following questions on a scale from 1 (absolutely no) to 7 (absolutely yes):
-
1.
In your opinion, does Maalot Airlines offer good value for money?
-
2.
In your opinion, will Maalot Airlines’ customers be satisfied?
-
3.
In your opinion, will there be a strong demand for tickets on Maalot Airlines?
-
4.
Would you consider the purchase of a ticket on Maalot Airlines?
-
5.
Do you think you would be satisfied with the value you get for flying with Maalot Airlines?
Experiment 3
Break of Day is the name of a new film that will soon be shown in movie theaters in Israel. The movie combines several genres but is classified as a drama. The length of the movie is 120 min and includes comic and romantic interludes alongside breathtaking action scenes.
Please read the reviews of the movie below and complete the questionnaire. Your opinion will help the distributors design a marketing campaign for the movie. Note that there are no correct or incorrect answers. Your opinion is vitally important as it will be used to develop a marketing strategy for the new movie.
The questionnaire is formulated in the masculine for convenience only and applies equally to males and females.
This is an anonymous questionnaire. Please identify yourself by entering the last four digits of your I.D. number here:
Thank you for your cooperation.
A. Participants in the high credibility source and supporting cue condition received the following material:
Please look at the movie poster that will appear in the media and read the movie reviews below. Then complete the questionnaire.
A new movie called Break of Day is scheduled to be released in Israel in the next few days. This is an American film by an acclaimed director. This is his first movie in a decade, and he worked on the movie for eight years. The movie is a melodrama that combines comic moments alongside breathtaking action scenes.
An epic film, full of action but also teeming with intelligence. | Uri Klein, Ha’aretz |
|---|---|
Five stars. Perfect, tremendous movie. Great cinematographic triumph. | Yehuda Stav, Yediot Aharonot |
Outstanding direction, hypnotic plot, probably the most important movie of the year. | Gidi Orshar, IDF Radio |
The director makes us fall in love with the characters and think about them long after the movie ends. | Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times |
Smart and witty movie. Guaranteed to win the best screenplay award. | A.O. Scott, New York Times |
Fantastic acting, phenomenal soundtrack and first-rate editing work. This talented director brings it all together with mind-blowing cinematographic intensity. | Peter Travers, Rolling Stone |
B. Participants in the low credibility source and discounting cue condition received the following material:
Please look at the movie poster that will appear in the media and read the movie reviews below. Then complete the questionnaire.
A new movie called Break of Day is scheduled to be released in Israel in the next few days. This is an American film by an acclaimed director. This is his first movie in a decade, and he worked on the movie for eight years. The movie is a melodrama that combines comic moments alongside breathtaking action scenes.
An epic film, full of action but also teeming with intelligence. | The director |
|---|---|
Five stars. Perfect, tremendous movie. Great cinematographic triumph. | The producer |
Outstanding direction, hypnotic plot, probably the most important movie of the year. | The editor |
The director makes us fall in love with the characters and think about them long after the movie ends. | The leading actor |
Smart and witty movie. Guaranteed to win the best screenplay award. | Distributors in Israel |
Fantastic acting, phenomenal soundtrack and first-rate editing work. This talented director brings it all together with mind-blowing cinematographic intensity. | Assistant director of photography |
C. Participants in the to-be-ignored two locations received the following material:
Please look at the movie poster that will appear in the media and read the movie reviews below. Then complete the questionnaire.
Please ignore the text presented in white letters in the black boxes (as here)! |
A new movie called Break of Day is scheduled to be released in Israel in the next few days. This is an American film by an acclaimed director. This is his first movie in a decade, and he worked on the movie for eight years. The movie is a melodrama that combines comic moments alongside breathtaking action scenes.
An epic film, full of action but also teeming with intelligence. | The director |
|---|---|
Five stars. Perfect, tremendous movie. Great cinematographic triumph. | The producer |
Outstanding direction, hypnotic plot, probably the most important movie of the year. | The editor |
The director makes us fall in love with the characters and think about them long after the movie ends. | The leading actor |
Smart and witty movie. Guaranteed to win the best screenplay award. | Distributors in Israel |
Fantastic acting, phenomenal soundtrack and first-rate editing work. This talented director brings it all together with mind-blowing cinematographic intensity. | Assistant director of photography |
Attitude Questionnaire
Respond to the following questions on a scale from 1 (absolutely no) to 7 (absolutely yes):
-
1.
In your opinion, is Break of Day a high-quality movie?
-
2.
Do you intend to see the movie?
-
3.
In your opinion, will Break of Day become a blockbuster?
-
4.
In your opinion, is Break of Day suitable for a broad range of audiences and can compete with other movies that are currently being shown in movie theaters?
-
5.
Does Break of Day match your taste?
-
6.
In your opinion, will the movie interest Israeli audiences?
-
7.
Do you think that it would be fun to see Break of Day?
-
8.
Do you think you would recommend the movie to others?
-
9.
Would you pay NIS 38 (12$) to see the movie?
-
10.
Do you plan to follow the coverage of the movie’s upcoming launch in the media?
-
11.
Do you think that Break of Day will be the list of the best movies of all time?
Experiment 4
Mountain Springs, a new brand of mineral water, will soon be launched in Israel. The marketing company is conducting a survey to develop the best strategy to introduce the brand in Israel.
In the following pages you will find additional information about the new brand of mineral water. You will then be requested to respond to several questions. Your opinion is vitally important as it will be used to develop a marketing strategy for the new brand of mineral water.
The questionnaire is formulated in the masculine for convenience only and applies equally to males and females.
This is an anonymous questionnaire. Please identify yourself by entering the last four digits of your I.D. number in the spaces below.
Thank you for your cooperation.
A. Participants in the neutral background condition received the following material:
Read the following information about Mountain Springs and look at the product image. Then answer the questions below.
Mountain Springs contains natural water that is known to be rich in vitamins and minerals closest in concentration to that of the human body. Almost all adults know that the body is made up of 70% water, but not everyone knows that it is much healthier to drink natural water with a concentration of minerals and vitamins that is closest to that of the human body than other beverages. That is because ordinary water, filtered water, and water that is artificially enhanced with minerals cannot accurately simulate the composition of minerals and micro-elements that creates the best balance needed for the human body.
B. Participants in the incongruent background condition received the following material:
Read the following information about Mountain Springs and look at the product image. Then answer the questions below.
Mountain Springs contains natural water that is known to be rich in vitamins and minerals closest in concentration to that of the human body. Almost all adults know that the body is made up of 70% water, but not everyone knows that it is much healthier to drink natural water with a concentration of minerals and vitamins that is closest to that of the human body than other beverages. That is because ordinary water, filtered water and water that is artificially enhanced with minerals cannot accurately simulate the composition of minerals and micro-elements that creates the best balance needed for the human body.
C. Participants in the to-be-ignored incongruent background condition received the following material:
Read the following information about Mountain Springs. Look at the product image but ignore the food items in the background. Then answer the questions below.
Mountain Springs contains natural water that is known to be rich in vitamins and minerals closest in concentration to that of the human body. Almost all adults know that the body is made up of 70% water, but not everyone knows that it is much healthier to drink natural water with a concentration of minerals and vitamins that is closest to that of the human body than other beverages. This is because ordinary water, filtered water and water that is artificially enhanced with minerals cannot accurately simulate the composition of minerals and micro-elements that creates the best balance needed for the human body.
Attitude Questionnaire
Respond to the following questions on a scale from 1 (absolutely no) to 7 (absolutely yes).
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1.
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Shapira, M., Yaakobi, E. & Mazursky, D. White bears can walk long distances: The effects of an instruction to ignore information located in a visually differentiated location on attitude change over time. Curr Psychol 42, 11079–11100 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02400-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02400-4