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Abstract Process tracing data help researchers understand how yellow pages advertisement characteristics influence consumer information processing behavior. In a laboratory experiment eye movement data were collected while consumers chose businesses from telephone directories. Consumers scan listings in alphabetic order. Their scan is not exhaustive. As a result, some ads are never seen. Consumers noticed more than 93% of the quarter-page display ads but only 26% of the plain listings. They perceived color ads before ads without color, noticed more color ads than noncolor ads, and viewed color ads 21% longer than equivalent ads without color. Also, they viewed 42% more bold listings than plain listings. Consumers spent 54% more time viewing ads for businesses they ended up choosing, which demonstrates the importance of attention for subsequent choice behavior.
Gerald L. Lohse (Sat,) studied this question.