Valentin Gattol

Extending the Implicit Association Test (IAT): Assessing Consumer Attitudes Based on Multi-Dimensional Implicit Associations

Background The authors present a procedural extension of the popular Implicit Association Test (IAT; [1]) that allows for indirect measurement of attitudes on multiple dimensions (e.g., safe–unsafe; young–old; innovative–conventional, etc.) rather than on a single evaluative dimension only (e.g., good–bad). Methodology/Principal Findings In two within-subjects studies, attitudes toward three automobile brands were measured on six attribute dimensions. Emphasis was placed on evaluating the methodological appropriateness of the new procedure, providing strong evidence for its reliability, validity, and sensitivity. Conclusions/Significance This new procedure yields detailed information on the multifaceted nature of brand associations that can add up to a more abstract overall attitude. Just as the IAT, its multi-dimensional extension/application (dubbed md-IAT) is suited for reliably measuring attitudes consumers may not be consciously aware of, able to express, or willing to share with the researcher [2], [3].

It's time to take a stand: depicting crosshairs can indeed promote violence.

There is abundant evidence that people derive meaning from signs (Krippendorff, 1989 Design Issues 5 9 – 39) and that signs influence attitudes (Landau et al, 2010 Psychological Bulletin 136 1045 – 1067). We put to a test whether the use of crosshairs in a map can be viewed as representing violence. In a fictive scenario describing a plague of foxes, members of a Dutch household panel were confronted with a map that showed inflicted areas either by crosshairs or by neutral markers (plain circles). Respondents indicated the extent to which they favoured two solutions: killing-by-shooting or capturing-and-relocating. The results show that crosshairs indeed shape peoples attitudes more towards the violent solution of shooting the foxes. Therefore, especially when used in heated public debates, the possibly violence-inducing effect of such visual metaphors should not be underestimated.

Persuasive Technology to Support Chronic Health Conditions: Investigating the Optimal Persuasive Strategies for Persons with COPD.

Persuasive technology can support persons with chronic conditions to comply with their treatment plan. For persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), staying physically active is crucial to prevent deteriorations of their health status. However, most persons with COPD do not reach and maintain recommended levels of physical activity goals. Although COPD is expected to become the third most common cause of death worldwide, research on how to design persuasive systems for motivating specifically persons with COPD to engage in regular physical activity is still scarce. To bridge this gap, we conducted a study involving persons with COPD (n = 115) to investigate the perceived persuasiveness of 17 strategies (i.e., ratings of their concrete implementation) and individual susceptibility to persuasion (i.e., an underlying disposition to be more receptive to certain persuasive strategies). Based on our analysis, the following strategies were perceived as most persuasive: personalization, reminder, commitment, self-monitoring, rewards, customization, authority, and scarcity. Interestingly, the data revealed differences between perceived persuasiveness and individual susceptibility to persuasion, indicating that both constructs measure distinct aspects of persuasiveness. Our results are relevant to designers and developers of persuasive systems by providing valuable insights about the most promising persuasive strategies and their practical implementation when designing for persons with COPD.

Feature fit: The role of congruence and complementarity when adding versus deleting features from products

Purpose Previous research in the context of feature fit has examined the effects of congruence (i.e. more specifically, the extent to which a new feature and the product are similar in the hedonic-utilitarian benefits they provide to consumers). The purpose of this paper is to examine a second dimension of feature fit: complementarity (i.e. the extent to which a new feature is related and contributing to the main functionality of the product). Design/methodology/approach The role of feature fit is examined in two experimental studies (n=593) in the context of feature additions, and also for feature deletions. Findings The results showed that complementarity adds value to a product as an additional dimension of feature fit beyond congruence, complementarity matters more for a hedonic than for a utilitarian product, and complementarity can compensate for lack of congruence. Originality/value For a product developer, adding new features to a product offers an array of choices in terms of what feature(s) to include. Although having a large pool of potential features to choose from is attractive it can also prove problematic, as products may become overly complex and features do not fit well together. The results demonstrate the importance of both congruence and complementarity as predictors of feature fit when features are added to or deleted from products.

From Bottom-up Insights to Feature Ideas: A Case Study into the Office Environments of Older Knowledge Workers

Given recent demographic changes, adapting the office environments of older knowledge workers to their needs has become increasingly important in supporting an extension of working life. In this paper, we present a case study research of older knowledge workers in Romania, with the goal of gaining bottom-up insights that support the ideation, design, and development of features for a smart work environment. Utilizing a multi-method approach, we combine (1) contextual interviews and observations, (2) an analysis of needs and frictions for deriving insights, (3) an ideation workshop for eliciting potential features, (4) an online survey among experts for evaluating the final feature ideas, and (5) early stage prototyping of selected feature ideas. Following this comprehensive yet efficient approach, we were able to gain a rich understanding of the work realities and contexts of older knowledge workers and to transform that understanding into a concrete set of prioritized feature ideas.