Gender Differences in Information Processing Strategies: An Empirical Test of the Selectivity Model in Advertising Response

Abstract

According to the “selectivity model,” females are comprehensive information processors who consider both subjective and objective product attributes, and respond to subtle cues. Conversely, males are selective information processors who tend to use heuristics processing and miss subtle cues. These predictions are tested in an experiment where males and females listened to either objective or subjective advertising claims for either a low-risk or moderate-risk product. The results generally supported the predictions of the selectivity model with the exception that males did not respond more favorably to the objective claims. Implications for advertising theory and research are discussed.