Vinay Kanetkar

Toward a measure of service convenience: multiple‐item scale development and empirical test

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the development and nomological testing of a 17‐item scale measuring the five dimensions of service convenience (decision, access, transaction, benefit, and post‐benefit) as proposed by Berry, Seiders, and Grewal.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐sectional survey methodology was used to collect the data.Findings – Reliability and validity assessments provided evidence of the scales psychometric validity. Service convenience was found to be a significant predictor of overall satisfaction in the context of personal cellular telephone and internet usage.Research limitations/implications – This study uses a student sample which may limit its generalizability to other respondents. Also, the cross‐sectional survey methodology does not allow for the investigation of causation. Future research should investigate other contexts outside of the cellular and internet services examined in this study and across a broader sample. Furthermore, the ability to retros...

Coping with Guilt and Shame After Gambling Loss

In this study we examined the relations between guilt and shame and coping strategies in response to gambling loss. Based on H.B. Lewis’s (Shame & guilt in neurosis. New York: International Universities Press, 1971) account of guilt and shame, we proposed that unlike guilt, the experience of shame involves the attribution of gambling loss to stable and global internal factors (i.e., self-devaluation). We hypothesized that problem gambling severity would be more strongly associated with the intensity of shame than with the intensity of guilt following gambling loss. Further, we hypothesized that the intensity of shame would be positively associated with the use of avoidant coping strategies following gambling loss. Finally, we hypothesized that the intensity of shame would mediate the association between problem gambling severity and the use of avoidant coping. These hypotheses were supported by a retrospective survey of recent gambling losses. Our finding suggests that the experience of shame and the use of avoidant coping strategies to deal with this emotion are central to problem gambling severity.

The Physical and Psychological Measurement of Gambling Environments

This research examined the influence of the physical design of gambling venues on emotion. Two competing casino designs were identified. According to Kraness playground model, casinos should include environmental elements designed to induce pleasure, legibility, and restoration. In contrast, Friedman proposed a set of design principles focusing on the machines as the dominant feature of the décor. Three exemplars of each design were identified. Measures of emotional reactions to the casinos were collected from 22 people who had gambled in all six casinos. Kranes-type casinos yielded significantly higher ratings than did Friedman-type casinos on pleasure and restoration (relief from environmental stress). Future research should focus on design variations that can be built into a Friedman-type setting to enhance restoration.

Chinese Ethnic Identification and Conspicuous Consumption

Abstract This study is an investigation of the moderating and mediating effect of acculturation dimensions on the relationship between Chinese identification and conspicuous consumption by ethnic Chinese consumers in Canada. The research site was Toronto, Canada. A survey methodology was applied and a total of 254 Chinese Canadian respondents participated. The results revealed a strong relationship between Chinese identification and conspicuous consumption. Some mediating effect of two acculturation dimensions on the proposed relationship was also found in this study.

The Influence of Music on Estimates of At-risk Gambling Intentions: An Analysis by Casino Design

This research examined the relationship between casino atmosphere and at-risk gambling intentions (likelihood of gambling beyond planned levels). Video simulations were developed to represent two models of casino design. The playground design is distinguished by spaciousness, pleasing décor elements, green space and moving water. The gaming design focuses entirely on the gambling machines and features low ceilings and crowded gaming areas. Two simulations of each casino design were created by including either ambient gambling sounds or by replacing those sounds with a music track. Measures of psychological reactions and at-risk gambling intentions for the four settings were collected from 101 (56 males) gamblers. Music increased perceived at-risk gambling intentions in the playground setting. At-risk intentions, however, decreased with music for the gaming design. This study suggests atmospheric variations within a casino should be tailored to the specific macro gaming environment.

Casino Décor Effects on Gambling Emotions and Intentions

A sample of 484 gamblers (241 males) viewed simulations of casino settings varying in their macro design (playground vs. gaming) and their micro décor elements (lighting, human crowding, color, machine clustering, and layout symmetry). The décor element levels were manipulated to reflect information load (e.g., flashing lights afford more information than do static lights). The participants provided three measures for each simulation: at-risk gambling intention, pleasure, and restoration. Overall, the playground design and females yielded higher scores on each measure than did the gaming design and males. Also, the relationship between pleasure and at-risk gambling intention was fully mediated by restoration. The effects of information load on the three dependent measures were complex as they depended on the macro design and the gender of the participant. These results are discussed within a framework where affect and cognition mediate atmospheric effects on gambling.