Abstract

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in our previous research (Bakalash and Riemer 2013) we explored the mechanisms involved in the relationships between ad affect and ad memorability and provided first-time neural evidence for the involvement of sociocognitive processes. We now extend that study as we disentangle the roles of the valence and arousal dimensions in the influence of ad affect on memory and investigate the neural processes involved. We also explore the role of gender, thereby shedding further light on underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that of the two dimensions of affect it is valence, not arousal, that drives the effect. Specifically, we show memory advantage for negative over positive ad affect. Memory advantage was accompanied by activation in brain regions associated with social cognition. Exploratory examination of gender differences reveals similar memory patterns across genders in all ad affect conditions except sadness: Women, but not men, demonstrated a memory advantage of sad (versus neutral) ads. Such gender differences might be due to emotional regulation processes—a direction which requires further examination. This study reinforces the role of a sociocognitive process in affective memory, which has been neglected in past research; it adds insights into the processes by which ad affect enhances memorability and into the boundary conditions for this effect.

摘要

使用功能性磁共振成像 (fMRI)，在我们之前的研究（Bakalash 和 Riemer 2013）中，我们探索了广告情感和广告可记忆性之间关系的机制，并为社会认知过程的参与提供了第一次神经证据。我们现在扩展了这项研究，因为我们解开了价态和唤醒维度在广告情感对记忆的影响中的作用，并研究了所涉及的神经过程。我们还探索了性别的作用，从而进一步阐明了潜在的机制。我们的结果表明，在影响的两个维度中，驱动效果的是效价，而不是唤醒。具体来说，我们展示了负面而非正面广告影响的记忆优势。记忆优势伴随着与社会认知相关的大脑区域的激活。对性别差异的探索性检查揭示了除悲伤之外的所有广告影响条件下不同性别的相似记忆模式：女性，但不是男性，表现出悲伤（相对于中性）广告的记忆优势。这种性别差异可能是由于情绪调节过程造成的——这个方向需要进一步研究。这项研究加强了社会认知过程在情感记忆中的作用，这在过去的研究中被忽视了；它增加了对广告影响增强记忆力的过程以及这种影响的边界条件的见解。这种性别差异可能是由于情绪调节过程造成的——这个方向需要进一步研究。这项研究加强了社会认知过程在情感记忆中的作用，这在过去的研究中被忽视了；它增加了对广告影响增强记忆力的过程以及这种影响的边界条件的见解。这种性别差异可能是由于情绪调节过程造成的——这个方向需要进一步研究。这项研究加强了社会认知过程在情感记忆中的作用，这在过去的研究中被忽视了；它增加了对广告影响增强记忆力的过程以及这种影响的边界条件的见解。