The Role of Ethnocentrism and Xenocentrism in Shaping Consumer Visual Responses to Domestic and Imported Product Logos

The rise of globalization has complicated consumers’ attitudes toward domestic and foreign products. Consumer ethnocentrism and xenocentrism have surfaced as significant psychological forces that affect an individual’s perception of and preference for domestic and foreign brands. Nevertheless, the majority of current literature uses self-reported measures with very little information on consumers’ visual attention and cognitive reactions to marketing items. The objective of this study is to investigate how consumer ethnocentrism and xenocentrism influence visual attention and evaluative processes for domestic and foreign product logos. This study utilizes an experimental research methodology that utilizes eye-tracking technology to evaluate how individuals visually respond to domestic and foreign product logos. Visual attention is investigated utilizing measures of time to first fixation, total fixation time, and fixation count. At the conclusion of the experimental session, measures of participants’ consumer ethnocentrism and xenocentrism, their attitudes toward (logo) and purchasing intentions for (logo), will be taken using structured scales. It is expected that consumers with a higher level of ethnocentrism will show more visual fixation to logos of domestic products, while consumers with a higher level of xenocentrism will show more visual fixation to logos of foreign products. By comparing participant’s identity orientations as a consumer with their visually-observed attention to logo stimuli, this study will make a contribution to the body of literature regarding neuromarketing. In addition, it is anticipated that the findings will have implications for both domestic and international brands, as it relates to: logo design, brand positioning, and communication strategies.