Knowledge that Transforms

A behavioral process methodology was utilized to examine the amount and type of information acquired by consumers from package panels prior to making purchase decisions. Consumers selected few information dimensions from larger information arrays, with brand name and price most frequently selected. Less information was selected when brand name was available, perhaps because brand name serves as information “chunk” in consumer decision-making.

This article examines the effect of information presentation format on consumers' information acquisition strategies. Consumers' acquisition patterns are strongly affected by format. Information is processed in the fashion which is easiest given the display used. This implies that studies of the properties of consumer tasks are needed, and that information must be presented to consumers in formats which facilitate processing.

Two different samples consisting of housewives and students, respectively, were examined in terms of differences in their susceptibility to reference group influence. The results reveal significant differences between housewives and students in terms of the influence which the three types of reference groups have upon brand selection. The findings raise a serious question concerning the external validity of studies which use students as subjects yet make generalizations to a broader population base.

Journal Article Content Analysis in Consumer Research Get access Harold H. Kassarjian Harold H. Kassarjian Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 4, Issue 1, June 1977, Pages 8–18, https://doi.org/10.1086/208674 Published: 01 June 1977 Article history Received: 01 January 1977 Revision received: 01 April 1977 Published: 01 June 1977