Comprehension of products and messages

Abstract

This chapter describes how consumer products are vital to consumer-derived attitudes, risk and benefit judgments, and intentions to engage or avoid a product or service. Although compression is preceded by exposure and attention, it is paramount to the product-consumer relationship. This chapter first unpacks terminology associated with consumer comprehension. This foundational section reviews distinct historical approaches to understanding and investigating product and message comprehension and details how comprehension has been conceptualized and measured across disciplines. Then the chapter turns to the process and context within which comprehension occurs. Issues and constraints of communication, information asymmetry and the role of branding, packaging, and labelling, consumer differences and vulnerable groups, and types of products are all discussed. Understanding this crucial process from which consumers comprehend and make judgments about products and messages is vital not only to improving consumer relations from an industry standpoint, but also is paramount for regulators and communicators who drive initiatives to inform consumers regarding potential benefits and risks of products.