Versterkende, afzwakkende en numerieke markeringen in claims over cosmeticaproducten: maken ze claims overtuigender?

In advertising copy, pledges ('absolutely') and hedges ('often') are regularly used. There is very little empirical research on the effects of both probability markers. Berney-Reddish and Areni (2005) were the first the compare the effectiveness of both markers on claim acceptance. Claims with hedges or with pledges proved to be less persuasive than claims without these markers. A re-analysis of the data (Berney-Reddish & Areni, 2006) demonstrated that this effect applied to women, but not to men. As this finding was based on only a small number of product claims and, in particular, on a limited number of operationalisations of hedges and pledges, a new experiment was conducted. In this study, the persuasiveness of hedges and pledges was compared to that of strong support: numerical information. Hundred women rated claims about cosmetic products with hedges, pledges, numerical probability markers, or without a probability marker. Numerical information indeed appeared to be most persuasive. Hedges and pledges did not affect the claims' acceptance. Possible explanations are discussed, and avenues for future research are suggested.