The impact of infectious disease cues on visual pattern-seeking

Infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, cause disruptions to normal lives and thus trigger various adaptive reactions. We provide evidence that visual pattern-seeking, which brings perceived control in such disruptions, is one of the adaptive responses. Across five studies, consumers primed with the perceived threat of COVID-19 increase their evaluations of visually patterned advertising images and behavioural intentions to follow visually patterned messages designed to reduce the spread of the virus. The underlying process for this effect is that visual pattern-seeking helps consumers regain control that is threatened by the perceived threat of the pandemic. These findings shed light on the role of visual patterns as an effective source of communication in the COVID-19 era.