Using choice query to persuade consumers with different construal of self: Purchase uncertainty as a mediator

Abstract

AbstractQueries about choices inviting recipients to reflect on purchase decisions are widely used in advertising. This study adopts purchase uncertainty as a foundation for evaluating how promotional messages designed as choice queries could predispose responses by individuals identifying as either an independent or interdependent self‐view. The results of three experiments show that independents are more readily persuaded by queries phrased in abstract rather than concrete terms, while the reverse occurs for interdependents; purchase uncertainty mediates the results. Furthermore, when physical risk is high, a choice query represented at a low level of construal stimulates greater purchase uncertainty and more favorable product evaluation, regardless of the type of self‐construal. Expanding knowledge of how query performs in promotional communication will aid in better message structuring for advertisements and meeting more goals for persuasion.