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Effect of perceived warmth on positive judgment

Jungsil Choi (Department of Marketing, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA)
Young Kyun Chang (Department of Management, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea)
Kiljae Lee (Economics, Finance and Information Systems Department, College of Business, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA)
Jae D. Chang (Department of Architecture, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA)

Journal of Consumer Marketing

ISSN: 0736-3761

Article publication date: 13 June 2016

2287

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how color-based visual sensation affects people’s judgment of other people and their environment. The authors focus primarily on uncovering the causal mechanism in which such effect is mediated by warmth stereotype.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used data collected from experiments and field surveys in the USA and South Korea.

Findings

Pilot study shows that an anonymous person against a warm color background (vs neutral and cold color background) is perceived to be one with warmer personality. Study 1 shows that warm (vs neutral) color in advertising increases a perceiver’s warmth stereotype and trust and, consequently, a favorable attitude toward the advertiser. Study 2 shows that color-based warmth of an e-commerce website increases a web user’s warmth stereotype and trust of the website and higher intention to purchase. Study 3 shows that the nurses’ perception of warmth from a hospital’s ambient color affects their favorable judgment of the hospital and intention to take on an extra role. Importantly, all effects observed across studies were mediated by the activation of warmth stereotype.

Practical implications

The findings provide practical guidelines to companies for the usage of colors in crafting advertising artifacts, designing a website and creating a workplace environment to induce positive attitudes and motivations toward each target.

Originality/value

The extant research on warmth experiences focuses on tactile sensation as a key independent variable and transient mood as a dominant mediator. This study extends the stream of research by adopting perceived visual sensation as an independent variable and warmth stereotype as a new mediating construct.

Keywords

Citation

Choi, J., Chang, Y.K., Lee, K. and Chang, J.D. (2016), "Effect of perceived warmth on positive judgment", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 33 No. 4, pp. 235-244. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-02-2015-1309

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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