Document Type
Thesis
First Faculty Advisor
Ganga Urumutta Hewage
Second Faculty Advisor
Patricia Gomez
Keywords
bilingualism; marketing; visual perception
Publisher
Bryant University
Rights Management
CC-BY-NC-ND
Abstract
This research examines the effect of language on visual perception. Specifically, how the use of native language vs. foreign language affects preference for different elements of visual perception (e.g. low movement vs. high movement, angular shape vs. circular shape). Although language usage has been found to influence consumer perception, past literature has failed to examine language as the antecedent of visual perception. To fill that gap, two controlled experiments are conducted in a survey format. Within the survey, participants examine marketing stimuli presented either in their foreign language or native language. For the first experiment, participants choose between packaging with low vs. high movement symbols. For the second experiment, participants choose between circular vs. angular shaped packaging. ANOVA is one of the tests used to analyze the data, in which language (native vs. foreign) is considered an independent variable and visual perception (movement vs. shape) is a dependent variable. The results of these experiments show that native speakers prefer logos with movement and circular packaging. These findings aim to contribute to literature in both visual perception and language effects, as well as to provide insights to international marketers seeking to develop their marketing mixes.
