Title

The Third-Person Effect In Controversial Product Advertising

Keywords

Advertising; Audiences; Mass media; Third-person effect

Abstract

This research seeks to determine if there is a third-person effect in the realm of controversial product advertising. Survey participants rated their perceived levels of personal offense to product categories as well as the expected offense levels of other groups of people. The results show a significant third-person effect for five of six product categories where an effect was expected. In the case of advertising for racial extremist groups, a first-person effect existed as predicted. The findings suggest previous studies of controversial products may have overestimated actual levels of offense by ignoring the possibility of a third-person effect. © 2008 Sage Publications.

Publication Date

10-1-2008

Publication Title

American Behavioral Scientist

Volume

52

Issue

2

Number of Pages

225-242

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764208321353

Socpus ID

50849140772 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/50849140772

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