Hallahan, Kirk (1995, August). Gender-based differences in processing of promotional messages: An examination of Meyers-Levy’s selectivity hypothesis. Paper presented to AEJMC Public Relations- Advertising Divisions, Washington, DC. GENDER-BASED DIFFERENCES IN PROCESSING OF PROMOTIONAL MESSAGES: AN EXAMINATION OF MEYERS-LEVY'S SELECTIVITY HYPOTHESIS

An experiment in which 329 undergraduates (186 females, 143 males) read magazine articles or advertisements for four products provides support for Meyers-Levy's selectivity hypothesis, which suggests that females are comprehensive information processors, while males utilize heuristics to process information schematically. The results suggest that women exposed to promotional messages: processed messages more thoroughly, based on cognitive responses generated; responded more favorably than men to mediated promotional messages, based on a series of attitudinal and believability measures; and expressed more favorable dispositions toward mediated communications in general. Do men and women process promotional communications differently? The issue of gender has received increased attention from researchers in advertising and public relations. One major avenue of research has involved critical analyses of portrayals of women and men in ads and in the media content generally (Arliss, 1991; Busby, 1975; Busby & Lichty, 1993; Dervin, 1987; England & Gardner, 1983; Goffman, 1974; Percy & Lautman, 1994; Pearson, Taylor & ToddMancillias, 1994; Rakow, 1992; Riffe et al., 1993; Steeves, 1987; von Zoonen, 1994). A second major research initiative has involved the role of women in these fields, particularly in public relations, which undergone an extensive feminization during the past two decades (Broom, 1982; Cline, 1989; Cline and Toth, 1985; Cline et al., 1986; Dozier and Broom, 1993; Hon, 1994; Public Relations Review, 1988; Rakow, 1987, 1989; Selow and Wright, 1983; Scrimger, 1985; Theus, 1985; Toth, 1989; Toth and Grunig, 1989; Toth and Cline 1991; Wright et al., 1991). By contrast, comparatively little research has been conducted on gender differences pertaining to the audiences for advertising and public relations messages. With a few notable exceptions, gender has been ignored as an explanatory variable by behavioral researchers, despite indications that significant differences exist in the cognitive processing of promotional messages (Meyers-Levy, 1989a). This paper reports the findings from a experimental study involving both men and women, who read promotional messages presented alternatively as magazine ads and articles. The findings suggest that, in fact, males and females process promotional messages differently. More specifically, the results provide support for Joan Meyers-Levy's (1989) selectivity hypothesis, which posits that differences exist in the information processing strategies utilized by women versus men. Gender-Based Processing of Promotional Messages 2