Student: Tammy C. Hsu Major: Economics
Mentor: Dr. Stacy Wood TITLE Dept of Student name, major; Mentor, department Marketing, Moore School of Business
Variable Reward Value in Celebrity Status: fMRI evidence
I. Research Question and Background: Overview. A recent trend in consumer choice is the increasing use of celebrity endorsements in advertising. Celebrity advertising accounts for nearly 20% of television commercials (Agrawal and Kamakura 1995). While past research has demonstrated the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements (Atkin and Block 1983), no research has explored a cognitive explanation of celebrities’ effectiveness, and recent work has called for a deeper inquiry into the nature of celebrity influence (Rose and Wood 2005). The goal of this study is to better understand the “power of celebrity” by examining cognitive reward activation, (a non-conscious neural correlate of positive evaluation), during exposure to celebrity images. Thus, the theoretical contribution of this work will be to test a cognitive explanation for the effectiveness of celebrity advertising. Methodologically, I will use new brain-imaging technology that will allow me to assess inherent reward value rather than rely on older, and problematic (Nisbett and Wilson 1977), self-report methods. The Power of Celebrity. Celebrity endorsement advertising is considered effective when consumers link positive, rewarding thoughts from the celebrity to the product. One explanation of this “power of celebrity” is that celebrities are simply attractive people. Recent fMRI research has demonstrated the reward value inherent in human beauty (Aharon et al 2001). However, an alternative explanation is that celebrity or fame is a rewarding concept independent of beauty. Beautiful celebrities may create greater reward activation than beautiful strangers. Similarly, unattractive (or average) celebrities may create greater reward activation than unattractive strangers, and perhaps even greater than beautiful strangers. At the end of the study, the effectiveness of a celebrity will be found to be either a correlate of fame or a product of Hollywood beauty, or potentially both. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine the reward value of celebrities regardless of aesthetic value. Since marketers tend to use models that are considered aesthetically pleasing in their advertisements, of especial interest is whether celebrity status itself activates reward despite the actual beauty of the celebrity. Reward activation will be tracked at the non-conscious level with fMRI technology instead of using self-report methods. fMRI Technology. The use of fMRI technology is a new and exciting research tool in consumer behavior (e.g., Yoon, Gutchess, Feinberg, and Polk 2006). Functional magnetic resonance imaging tracks metabolic changes in brain activity. A revolutionary method of conducting research, fMRI scans give detailed images of a person’s brain activity and can assess non-conscious processing, which often cannot be tested by other methods. During an fMRI scan, a subject enters the magnet chamber with a given task. While performing the task, several computers connected to the magnet track neural activity happening in the brain by measuring blood oxygenation levels. In essence, fMRI scanning maps brain activity over the period of time when the participant is engaged in a given task. The metabolic changes in brain activity allow researchers to pinpoint areas of significant activation differences between multiple experimental conditions. fMRI technology has opened up new opportunities in the science of consumer choice. Researchers can now better study the inherent responses that consumers may not be able to explain or may not be aware of. This will especially help in the study of marketing influences on low-involvement decision-making and the non-conscious influence of marketing tools. Such understanding is not only crucial to effective marketing but also to exploring ethical questions regarding marketing methods. II. Methodology and Research Design This study stems from a paper by Aharon, Etcoff, Ariely, Chabris, O’Connor, and Breiter published in Neuron, November 2001, entitled, “Beautiful Faces Have Variable Reward Values: fMRI and Behavorial Evidence.” The researchers from MIT and Harvard found variable reward value in non-famous beautiful faces with a heterosexual male subject pool. The academic scope of this research extends into cognitive psychology and neuroscience, in addition to consumer behavior. Dr. Wood is the director of the Center for Neuroeconomic Research. Therefore, I will rely on guidance from Dr. Wood and her lab in completing the data collection. I will be responsible for the literature review, experimental design, participant recruitment, and the progress of the study. I will assist with programming the computer interface, running the fMRI magnet, and preparing the data for analysis. Because certification is required for administering fMRI tests, I will be working as a research assistant in the laboratory during those times. The basic design of the experiment has been adapted from the Aharon et al. (2001) study. I plan to
Student: Tammy C. Hsu Major: Economics
Mentor: Dr. Stacy Wood Dept of Marketing, Moore School of Business
replicate the Aharon et al. (2001) study and add two conditions that will alternate celebrity pictures of both beautiful/average and male/female faces. In the Aharon et al. (2001) study, six regions of the brain were measured for metabolic activity. From region-of-interest (ROI) random effects analysis, differential patterns of reward activation can be determined. This project aims to study the same cognitive regions in a mixed gender subject pool. Using SPSS software, further ANOVA tests and statistical manipulations are possible to determine the extent of the cognitive relationship between celebrity and reward activation. Due to the flexible nature of the variable groups in this study, supplementary manipulations to subject pool and variable groups can be made following the completion of the basic Magellan research. III. Project Goals and Objectives The goal of this research is two-fold. I want to address the relevant and important issue of our culture’s “cult of celebrity” and to do so using new cutting edge methods to provide compelling evidence of neural correlates of influence in order to inform consumer researchers and policy-makers. The main objective is replicating the 2001 Aharon et al. study with similar results and building upon the Aharon et al. findings with two additional celebrity conditions. To replicate the Aharon et al. study, I will work with Dr. Wood to program and run a series of fMRI scans on 20 individuals to understand the non-conscious effects of the “power of celebrity.” I will complete the analysis in time to submit an abstract for a Discovery Day presentation. With results, I plan to attend the 2010 Association for Consumer Research conference. IV. Project Timeline My projected one-year timeline is as follows: Aug.-November: Project design and programming, Participant recruitment Dec.-January: Running a series of 20 fMRI scans at the MacClausland Center Feb.-April: Data analysis. Data analysis takes considerable time. Estimated analysis time per subject is 4-8 hours. With 20 subjects, analysis time is projected to be about 120 hours. April: Reflection, Preparation for Discovery Day May-August: Prepare manuscript for publication in a top-tier journal. If interesting results are obtained in this study, I will be able to work with Dr. Wood to use this research as a way to apply for external research grants or funding for further investigation of this topic. V. Anticipated Results There are two possible patterns of results that would be interesting. First, it may be that reward activation for attractive and unattractive celebrity faces may simply replicate the level of activation observed in Aharon et al. In this case, it would be interesting to discover that celebrity appeal is simply a case of beauty and that the added expense of using celebrity endorsers versus beautiful but unknown models may be unwarranted. Conversely, we may find that there is a main effect of celebrity in that even unattractive celebrities lead to greater reward activation than attractive strangers. In this case, the hypothesis can be confirmed that there is inherent reward value in celebrity status. Because of previous research on celebrity endorsement, I expect to find that support for the latter proposition. VI. Personal Statement I am excited about the opportunities available as a Magellan Scholar. Not only will the Magellan program provide the necessary funding for real research using a cutting-edge methodology in fMRI testing, but the Magellan program also gives me a venue to share my findings through Discovery Day and the potential to publish my research. Giving me the opportunity to share my research makes me feel like a true scholar, not simply another college student with high but unachievable aspirations. As a business student concerned with consumer choice, I have proposed a study that will answer the question of a prevalent marketing tool’s non-conscious effects of consumer behavior. As a twenty-first century scholar, no longer am I limited to simply one field of study. Although business is my main focus, I am also able to combine research in the sciences and popular culture. This project allows me to find synergy in three areas of interest by synthesizing neuroscience, culture, and consumer (economic) choice. Finally, in defining this project, I aimed to answer several personal questions that I often wonder about. As a woman pressured by society to be beautiful, I have often questioned, why are celebrities in entertainment, the media, and even in politics, so beautiful? Are ugly celebrities as compelling as beautiful celebrities? Once finished, this project will help me answer the question of whether beauty is at the root of celebrity power.
Student: Tammy C. Hsu Major: Economics
References Cited
Mentor: Dr. Stacy Wood Dept of Marketing, Moore School of Business
Agrawal, J., & Kamakura, W. (1995). The Economic Worth of Celebrity Endorsers: An Event Study Analysis. Journal of Marketing, 59 (July), 56-62. Aharon, I., Etcoff, N., Ariely, D., Chabris, C.F., O’Connor, E., & Brieter, H.C. (2001). Beautiful faces have variable reward value: fMRI and behavioral evidence. Neuron, 32, 537-551. Atkin, C., & Block, M. (1983). Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsers. Journal of Advertising Research, 32 (FebMarch), 57-61. Nisbett, R. E., & Wilson, T. D. (1977). Telling more than we can know: Verbal reports on mental processes. Psychological Review, 84, 231–259. Rose, R., & Wood, S. L. (2005). Paradox and the Search for Authenticity through Reality Television. Journal of Consumer Research, 32 (September), 284-296.
Yoon, C., Gutchess, A., Feinberg, F., & Polk, T. (2006). A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Neural Dissociations between Brand and Person Judgments. Journal of Consumer Research, 33 (June), 31-40.
Student: Tammy C. Hsu Major: Economics
Mentor: Dr. Stacy Wood Dept of Marketing, Moore School of Business
Magellan Scholar BUDGET FORM
Student’s Name: Tammy C. Hsu
Student salary Taking classes Not taking classes Hours Rate Subtotal $0.00 $0.00
1
Fringe: Student salary * student fringe rate Taking classes $0.00 Not taking classes $0.00 Materials/Supplies Travel
0.70% 8.45%
$0.00 $0.00 $3,000.00
TOTAL
$3,000.00
Budget Justification
Student Salary: Indicate timeframe of student work The student will NOT be taking a salary from the Magellan Scholar grant. Instead, the student will be applying for the SCHC Research Fellowship for stipend of $3000 over the course of two semesters.
Materials/Supplies: Indicate quantity and price fMRI Lab time (MacClausland Center): Discovery Day materials: Publication Costs: Computer Interface Programming and Analysis 20 subjects x 1 hour session x (estimated) $100 per hour = $2000** $100 for laminated posterboard and printing $100 for printing and shipping costs. $10/hr for 50 hours = $500
**Price per hour varies at the MacClausland Center. Actual prices depend on the fMRI hours scheduled, with peak business hours topping $500/hour.
Travel: Indicate location, purpose of travel, estimate costs. Presentations at National Conferences: Travel to MacClausland Center for fMRI testing: $300 for traveling with additional costs funded from the SCHC Research Fellowship Covered by student