The Cognitive Processing of Misleading Advertising in Young and Old Adults: Assessment and Training

Abstract

Three experiments evaluated the impact of misleading advertising on old and young adult consumers in terms of: (a) susceptibility to misleading advertising techniques, (b) ability to discriminate between nonmisleading and potentially misleading advertising claims, and (c) responsiveness to training. Although there were no differences when subjects responded from memory (Experiment 1), young adults were less susceptible to misleading techniques when advertisements were available during assessment (Experiment 2). Finally, training reduced susceptibility in both groups, although it also reduced discrimination in the young adults (Experiment 3). These findings were discussed in terms of potential age-related cognitive and cohort differences.