The Gender Gap: Brain-Processing Differences Between the Sexes Shape Attitudes About Online Advertising

Prior research suggested that males are more selective information processors and females are more detailed processors, but effects on advertising attention and attitudes have been largely unstudied.

The Gender Gap: Brain-Processing Differences Between the Sexes Shape Attitudes About Online Advertising

Kendall Goodrich

Wright State University

Management slant

  • In this study, males showed greater attention toward graphical stimuli, such as banner advertisements.
  • Males had wider swings in attitude based on attention to an advertisement.
  • Females indicated more favorable attitudes to advertisements on the right of the page and males exhibited more favorable attitudes to advertisements on the left of the page.
  • Advertisers should consider targeting more graphics-oriented advertisements toward males to optimize attention.
  • Advertisers should place advertisements on the right of the page for females, and on left...

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