The differential impact of observational learning and practice-based learning on the development of oral presentation skills in higher education

The present study focuses on the design and evaluation of an innovative instructional approach to developing oral presentation skills. The intervention builds on the observational learning theoretical perspective. This perspective is contrasted with the traditional training and practice approach. Two sequencing approaches – learners starting with observational learning versus learners starting with practice opportunities only – were compared. It was hypothesised that learners starting with observational learning would outperform learners in the practice only condition. The results suggest a significant differential impact on development of oral presentation skills. This impact of the observational learning training approach is only found in a limited number of evaluation criteria. Results additionally suggest that students are highly motivated to learn this type of skill. Interaction effects between student characteristics and instructional interventions were not significant

Subtitles in English-only TV commercials

Previous studies on the effects of subtitles in cross-national English spoken commercials have yielded contradictory results regarding young and highly educated viewers’ ad and brand attitudes. Most studies did not examine whether local-language subtitles are still necessary for older viewers to understand the English dialogues in the commercials. In a between-subjects experiment, we examined whether subtitles had a positive effect on (1) participants’ understanding of what the actors in commercials were saying to each other, and (2) participants’ attitudes towards commercials. Our sample (N = 188) consisted of viewers over age forty with different educational backgrounds living in a typical subtitling region. Our study showed that subtitles did not affect viewers’ attitudes towards the commercials. Local-language subtitles, however, increased participants’ understanding of what was said in the commercials, regardless of their educational level. Subtitles in English spoken commercials intended for an older and broad audience are, therefore, certainly not superfluous

The influence of external design elements on clothing store entry intentions for recreationally and task-oriented female clothing shoppers

This study investigates the influence of the exterior of a clothing store for store entry intentions of potential female recreational and task-oriented clothing customers. First, we analyse the proposed exterior elements of a clothing store that are preferred and affect the willingness to enter the store. Second, we investigate the impact of the most significant exterior elements (e.g. the crowdedness of the store entry and the creative complexity of the composition of the window display) on the entry intentions for recreational and task-oriented potential female shoppers from a self- and other decision perspective. Overall, the results show that task-oriented female clothing shoppers have a higher store entry intention when the store entry is less crowded, and the window display has a creative complex composition. Recreational female clothing shoppers, on the other hand, prefer crowded complex window displays.status: publishe

Negative publicity on the endorsement process does it influence for-profit and not for-profit print advertisements?

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Explaining environmentally friendly behaviour

status: publishe

The effectiveness of product placements: the influence of the likeability of the programme

The objective of this research is to analyse the influence of likeability of the programme on the effectiveness of product-placements and TV-commercials. Four different experimental groups were exposed to different TV-soap-series, with combinations of commercials and product- placements. Results indicate that a more appreciated programme can significantly enhance the effectiveness of product-placements but no commercials. The effectiveness of TV-commercials is significantly higher than for product-placements. No differences are found for attitude toward the brand between commercials and product-placements after watching the programmes. More generally, the attitude toward the well known brands studied seems not to be affected by different viewing experiences.Product placements; TV commercials; Likeability of Programme

Negative publicity on the endorsement process does it influence for-profit and not for-profit print advertisements?

This paper describes an experiment which tested the effectiveness of warm and cold appearance endorsers for for-profit and not-for-profit print advertisements. Moreover, the effects of positive/negative publicity surrounding the endorser have also been evaluated. The research results show that the use of relatively warm appearance female endorsers is significantly more effective for for-profit products whilst ‘warm’ appearance male endorsers are more effective for not-for-profit products. The gap between positive-negative publicity of the same endorser is significantly bigger for the for-profit products than for the not-for-profit. This suggests that the risk of negative publicity is more important for the endorsement process of for-profit products than for not-for-profit products.Celebrity endorsement, negative publicity, not for-profit products