Technology Name and Celebrity Endorsement Effects of Autonomous Vehicle Promotional Messages: Mechanisms and Moderators

Autonomous vehicles represent an emerging technology with the potential to radically transform everyday life. Yet there is little understanding of how promotional tactics—easy-to-grasp technology labels or pairing the technology with well-known celebrities—influence public perceptions of risk, benef...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science communication 2019-02, Vol.41 (1), p.38-65
Main Authors: Myrick, Jessica Gall, Ahern, Lee, Shao, Ruosi, Conlin, Jeff
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autonomous vehicles
Celebrities
Messages
Moderators
Risk perception
Tactics
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Summary:Autonomous vehicles represent an emerging technology with the potential to radically transform everyday life. Yet there is little understanding of how promotional tactics—easy-to-grasp technology labels or pairing the technology with well-known celebrities—influence public perceptions of risk, benefits, and intentions. Therefore, we experimentally tested (N = 721) the effects of technology name and celebrity presence on emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to promotional messages. Moreover, we examined how individual differences and attention to news about autonomous vehicles can moderate responses. Results of this exploratory study revealed the importance of affective and cognitive mediators and audience-related moderators in shaping responses.
ISSN:1075-5470
1552-8545
DOI:10.1177/1075547018819194