Autotelic need for touch, haptics, and persuasion: The role of involvement

✍ Scribed by Joann Peck; Jennifer Wiggins Johnson

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 103 KB
• Volume: 28
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0742-6046
• DOI: 10.1002/mar.20389

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Previous research has shown that a touch or haptic element attached to a persuasive appeal can increase persuasion, particularly for individuals who have a clear preference for touch to enjoy its sensory feedback (high autotelics). This research extends previous work by including involvement in the context of an appeal by a nonprofit. We find, in an experiment where we manipulate involvement, that when a haptic element is present, high autotelics are more persuaded regardless of their involvement with the message. However, for low autotelics, a haptic element increases persuasion under conditions of low versus high involvement with the message. A second experiment measures involvement and finds that again, under low involvement conditions, both high and low autotelics are persuaded by a touch element. Finally, a field study with a local symphony orchestra is conducted in which involvement with the message is low but involvement with the company is high. In this case, a touch element is only persuasive for high autotelics. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.