Cel
Consumer knowledge of product category has been extensively investigated in consumer research. However, past research suffers from two major drawbacks. First, it focused on the impact of consumer knowledge on information search and learning, and thus very little is known about the direct impact of consumer knowledge on choice which is not mediated through information stored in memory. Second, the methods that have been employed were lacking. They were based on measurements and biased self reports of subjective knowledge (SK), or they used objective knowledge manipulations that have potentially affected participants’ available cognitive resources as well. The proposed research is designed to fill in these important theoretical and methodological gaps. First, we will examine the direct impact of SK on basic choice processes, such as choice conflict or choice over time, and the mechanisms that underlie these effects. An indication of such direct effects would imply that consumer knowledge may have a direct impact on choice, not necessarily through product information stored in memory. Second, we will use novel manipulations of SK which will ensure the credibility of our findings and may also be used outside the lab, in real consumer settings. The proposed research is also expected to have important practical implications. For example, marketers may focus on improving consumer SK using the cheap and simple methods proposed in the current research, rather than spend large amounts on expensive consumer education and advertising. Otherwise, if the current research reveals that high-SK people are less likely choose default options, policy makers may encourage employees to increase their retirement saving rate (rather than keeping the default rate, which is often quite low) by enhancing their SK about retirement saving. Given the theoretical, methodological, and applied implications of the proposed research the potential for publication and impact is extremely high.
Zaproszenie do składania wniosków
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG
Zobacz inne projekty w ramach tego zaproszenia
System finansowania
MC-IRG -Koordynator
4610101 Herzliya
Izrael