Effects of promotional and preventive framing strategies in AI generated content on neural responses and trust

Influenced by Regulatory Focus Theory, message framing is crucial in persuasive communication, particularly in marketing. This effect is further enhanced when integrated with artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC), which offers personalized, scalable, and cost-effective solutions. However, the interaction between message framing, product types, and trust in AIGC remains unexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how framed messages in AIGC recommendations influence consumer trust across hedonic and utilitarian products using Event-Related Potentials (ERPs). A 2 (message framing: promotion vs. prevention) x 2 (product type: hedonic vs. utilitarian) design was employed. Behaviorally, promotional messages elicited higher trust ratings and faster reaction times than preventive messages across product types. At the neural level, significant interactions between message framing and product type were observed for P3, N400, and LPP. Follow-up analyses showed that, for hedonic products, promotion-framed recommendations elicited larger P3 amplitudes, suggesting greater attentional engagement, and smaller N400 amplitudes, consistent with reduced semantic processing difficulty. The LPP showed broader interaction without reliable simple-framing differences in either product category. Although ERP signals are not direct evidence of trust, they offer insight into the underlying processes shaping AIGC evaluation. This research contributes to the growing literature on consumer neuroscience, trust, and AI-mediated persuasive communication.