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Description
This study examines how same-sex display of affection in commercials influences their effectiveness. Participants under study consisted of 87 students at a large southwestern university. The initial portion began with a pretest questionnaire measuring participants’ attitude toward only two of the following brands: Calvin Klein, Nordstrom, Honey Maid, and Taco Bell. They rated their attitude toward the brands on three 7-point bipolar items. Participants were randomly assigned thereafter to the treatment group or control group. Both groups watched two commercials, each of them from a different brand of the four they were assigned. Participants in the treatment group observed a commercial containing heterosexual display of affection followed by a commercial containing same-sex display of affection as a means of priming. The control group observed two commercials containing heterosexual display of affection only. At the end of each commercial, both groups were prompted to rate their attitudes toward the commercial on four 7-point bipolar items, purchase intention on a three-item scale, recommendation intention on a three-item scale, and asked again to rate their attitude toward the brand on three 7-point bipolar items. All of these components assess the effectiveness of a commercial; however, priming theory and theory of planned behavior would suggest that a negative change in brand attitude within the treatment group would correspond to homophobia. Following this segment, participants are presented with a homophobia scale, social policies items, and demographic items. Keywords: Same-sex, heterosexual, display of affection, commercials, effectiveness, priming, theory of planned behavior