Do Cold Images Cause Cold-Heartedness? the Impact of Visual Stimuli on the Effectiveness of Negative Emotional Charity Appeals

Analysis: Do Cold Images Cause Cold-Heartedness? The Impact of Visual Stimuli on the Effectiveness of Negative Emotional Charity Appeals

This article examines the question of whether using negative emotional charity appeals is really the best way to compel people to donate to a cause. The researchers’ hypothesis states that they believe that cold images result in the viewer also feeling cold, effectively reducing their likelihood of donating to the specified cause. They hold that the use of warm or neutral images will be more effective, and conduct studies in attempts to prove this.

The researchers conducted 4 studies examining the effects of negative images in advertising. While they observed from their research that the use of negative imagery to elicit donations did, in fact, result in more favorable results, they found exceptions to this rule. First, they mentioned that due to the increase in personal technology use across the United States, individuals are being exposed to more images than ever—warm and cold. By seeing more cold images on aggregate, the researchers concluded that consumers’ sensitivity to cold images in advertising will be less.

Furthermore, the researchers conducted a study examining the effect that one’s mindset has on the effectiveness of cold images in recruiting