Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
So, what do we know about advertisements?
Like when we examined keywords, we are once again concerned with information
acquisition and our five exteroceptors [
3
] or senses (e.g., vision, audition, olfaction,
tactile, taste), which is how people acquire information from the external world. Our
brain is constantly sifting through the streams of information coming in via the five
senses for relevant cues (i.e., signals) rather than irrelevant cues (i.e., noise). Signals
and noise are contextual judgments, as today's noise can become tomorrow's signal.
The brain must sift this constant information stream for relevant cues (signals)
rather than irrelevant cues (noise). There is a link between information and behavior
with information load (i.e., the amount of information attended to at one time) having
a functional effect on human performance. Additionally, information load noticeably
affects the speed and accuracy of a searcher's response. So, information helps - up to
a point. Then, more information may be detrimental.
This is to be expected. Picture everything that must happen between information
being received and some measured reaction in a person. The speed of the reaction
to information depends on the time required to activate the sensory receptor, trans-
mit nerve impulses from the sense organ to the brain, process nerve impulses in the
brain, transmit nerve impulses to muscles, energize and activate muscles, and execute
movement. All this must happen between when a searcher sees your ad and decides
to click (or not click) on it. This is known as response time, which is the time between
the searchers receiving the ad's signal and deciding on a behavior. This response time
is measured in seconds [
4
].
Potpourri
: Simple Reaction Time (SRT) is the time it takes to react to stimuli.
Visual SRT is typically range between 150 and 200 milliseconds (0.15 and
0.20 seconds).
Given this typical SRT, the short decision times for reviewing whether or not a
landing page is relevant is not surprising. Approximately 20 percent of users take
less than one minute [
4
].
At the individual level, how does one distinguish between signal and noise?
Our answer lies with the signaling theory and, when focusing specifically on
search engine results, a concept known as information foraging theory.
Signaling theory
Research into consumer searching on the Web characteristically has an inherent assump-
tion of information asymmetry. In other words, we are making the assumption that con-
sumers search to even out an information imbalance. Otherwise, why would someone
search (other than for entertainment) if not to correct an information imbalance?
Information asymmetry is a characteristic in decision-making situations and
transactions where one of the participants has more and/or better information than
others engaged in the transaction. This information inequality creates an imbalance
of power. Therefore, the participant with less information wants to move to a condi-
tion of information symmetry to gain more control.
