Richard M. Durand

Cognitive Complexity, Attitudinal Affect, and Dispersion in Affect Ratings for Products

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between cognitive complexity, attitudinal affect, and dispersion of affect scores (N = 102 male business administration undergraduates). Models of automobiles and toothpaste brands were the content domains studied. Analysis using Pearson product-moment correlation supported the hypothesis that cognitive complex Ss had a lower level of affect and greater dispersion of affect scores than did simpler Ss.

Dogmatism as a mediating influence on the perception of risk in consumer choice decisions.

The risk perceived by individual consumers when faced with an unfamiliar purchase situation was examined across three groups of females for three product categories. Group membership was determined on the basis of high, medium, and low scores on the Trodahl-Powell dogmatism instrument. Ss were 155 housewives of a medium size midwestern city in the United States surveyed as part of a two-tiered sampling process. The results of a multivariate analysis of variance procedure supported the hypothesis that consumers of a less dogmatic nature perceive lower levels of risk inherent within unfamiliar purchase situations than more dogmatic individuals. The implication for management is that the likelihood of obtaining successful new product introductions may be substantially enhanced through the process of risk reduction across dogmatic consumer segments by use of direct testimonial promotional themes stressing product acceptance in support of more traditional and informative advertising messages. The feasibility of this approach is based upon the premise that the behavior of dogmatic individuals is more frequently affected by pressures from peers and significant others than the behavior of individuals low in dogmatism which is generally based on more factual and relevant information.

Purchase Information Acquisition and Cognitive Style

Summary Researchers in a previous work suggested that information processing and coding behaviors are influenced by dogmatism. Such an influence would have significant implications in the realm of consumer behavior. In the present study, the amount of predecision purchase information search and the sources of information utilized were examined in relation to the level of dogmatism present in an individuals belief-disbelief system by means of questionnaires. The data were based on actual purchases of two relatively expensive consumer products—hi fi stereo systems (n = 49) and multispeed bicycles (n = 67). The hypothetical purchase of a new economy size car was also included as a third product (n = 220). In order to minimize differences in information search resulting from sociodemographic characteristics like age, education, income, and stage of life cycle, which have been observed in prior studies, the respondents were selected from a relatively homogeneous population consisting of male and female univer...

GENERALIZABILITY OF COGNITIVE DIFFERENTIATION ACROSS PRODUCT AND SOCIAL DOMAINS

This study examined the degree to which cognitive differentiation—the capacity to view objects, persons, and events in a multidimensional manner—was generalized across two very different consumer products and interpersonal relations. Substantial generalizability would hold important implications for understanding choice processes. The observed correlations between differentiation scores for the three domains were weak although statistically significant in two cases.

COGNITIVE DIFFERENTIATION AND ALIENATION OF CONSUMERS

Previous research has shown substantial levels of alienation among consumers, voters, and a variety of other individuals. Concepts drawn from other areas of psychology suggest that structural variables of cognition may influence alienation. The hypothesis was that cognitive differentiation in terms of cognitive complexity is inversely related with alienation as reflected in feelings of powerlessness, normlessness, meaninglessness, and cultural estrangement. A sample of 215 subjects was drawn from residents of four large metropolitan areas. Subjects with less cognitive differentiation tended to be more alienated as expected. These findings have implications for development of effective communication strategies, formulation of public policy, and further research on cognitive structures and alienation.

Previous Jury Service as a Moderating Influence on Jurors' Beliefs and Attitudes

To ascertain the effect that prior jury service had on beliefs and over-ail attitude towards service, 166 randomly selected registered voters who had been summoned for jury service were administered questionnaires on the first day of their service. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine interrelationships between juror beliefs concerning service and over-all attitudes for both those who had and those who had not served previously. Results indicate that those with previous service differed significantly in their perceptions of service from those without prior service. The need for court administrators to develop alternative strategies for both groups is demonstrated.

COGNITIVE COMPLEXITY AND THE PERCEPTION OF ATTITUDE OBJECTS: AN EXAMINATION OF HALO ERROR

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between cognitive complexity, a structural variable of cognition, and halo error, a perceptual variable. Data were obtained from 99 subjects who evaluated eight brands of toothpaste and 10 makes of automobiles along with a Bieri Reptest for each product category. As predicted, complexity was significantly and inversely related to the variation in belief ratings (halo) for each brand of toothpaste or make of automobile.

Exposing organizational buyers to consumer magazine advertisements

Abstract The feasibility of using consumer magazines in support of more traditional industrial media in marketing programs designed to create awareness and goodwill among industrial buyers and purchasing influentials is examined. Specifically, magazines delivering at least 10 percent of those individuals influencing organizational purchases of

Dimensions of consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction with services: The case of electric utilities

1000 or more are compared with trade publications. Exposure patterns are examined in total and by segments based on company size. Consumer magazines are found more cost efficient than industry-trade publications and should be considered for exposing purchasing influentials to institutional advertisement containing general appeals designed to build firm awareness among industrial buyers and influentials in different industries.

Attitudinal and Normative Beliefs Underlying Individual Perceptions of Juror Service

This paper reports the results of research designed to explore the dimensions of consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction with various aspects of electric utility company performance and to develop psychographic, demographic, political orientation and media usage profiles of these satisfied/dissatisfied persons. Distinct differences between the two groups emerged which are not totally consistent with previous findings about consumers dissatisfied with tangible products. Directions for future research are suggested.