Communicating through pictures and words: Understanding the role of affect and cognition in processing visual and verbal information

The interaction of affect and cognition was explored as four types of processor groups (high affect/low cognition, low affect/high cognition, high affect/high cognition, and low affect/low cognition) and investigated in terms of responses to a visual stimulus, a verbal stimulus, and a combination visual/verbal stimulus. This exploratory investigation suggests that high-affect individuals (affective processors) respond more favorably to a visual ad than the other groups, and individuals high in both affect and cognition (combined processors) respond more favorably to a combination visual/verbal ad. Theoretical and managerial implications as well as directions for future research are discussed.