Developing and Testing a Theoretical Path Model of Web Page Impression Formation and Its Consequence

Impressions at first glance matter in the digital world in that they could lead to lasting impact on credibility perceptions, usage intention, and user satisfaction. Past studies have found that much of impression formation is affected by visual design-related features. Despite its importance, little is known of how different forms of visual aesthetics (i.e., classical vs. expressive aesthetics) influence web page impression formation. Drawing on impression formation literature and cue utilization theory, we formulate a theoretical model of web page impression formation with a temporal sequence of processing stages: automatic processing, initial perception confirmation, and impression formation, which in turn affects approach-avoidance tendency. We conduct two within-subject studies to collect both self-reported and eye movement data to test our predictions. Using real-world web pages as stimuli, the first study reveals that people engage in both automatic processing and attentive processing to form web page impressions, and arousal (measured by pupil size) shapes how people allocate attention (measured by peak duration and fixation count) to visual aesthetics. Using web pages with manipulated aesthetics in the second study, we illuminate the theoretical logic of web page impression formation by showing that people first engage in automatic processing and then engage in attentive processing. Both studies provide strong empirical support for the mediating role of arousal on the effects of visual aesthetics on attention allocation. These findings contribute to an initial theoretical understanding of visual aesthetics effects on impression formation in the digital world and provide important implications for website designers.