🧠psychology - physical environment studies Flashcards
Example study on exterior store design
Mower et al
Aim of Mower et al
To investigate the influence of window displays and landscaping on customer mood, liking of external environment and intentions to purchase products from small apparel boutique
Sample of Mower et al
- 180
- Mostly F
- From universities in the USA
Procedure of Mower et al
- Participants imagined they need a new pair of jeans
- They log into a website and read one of four descriptions of a store exterior of an apparel boutique
- Completed an outline questionnaire with 6 questions on liking of store exterior, landscaping, window displays and 3 questions on patronage intentions
Controls in Mower et al
Structure and color of shop
IV of Mower et al
Presence and absence of window displays or landscaping in the descriptions
What was being described as displayed in Mower et al?
Female mannequin with fashionable outfit against modern backdrop
Large glazed pots with ivy for landscaping
Results of Mower et al
- No effect of window displays or landscaping on pleasure and arousal
- Window displays and landscaping had a positive relationship with purchase intention and liking of external environment
- Analysis suggested that liking increased pleasure and arousal
Example study on interior store design
Vrechopolus et al
Aim of Vrechopolus et al
To investigate whether research findings in physical shopping apply to virtual shopping
Sample of Vrechopolus et al
- 120 people
- From universities in Athens and London
- Experienced internet users
Hypotheses of Vrechopolus et al
H1: Grid layout would be percieved as most useful for planned purchases
H2: Freeform layout would be percieved as easiest to use
H3: Racetrack layout would be most entertaining
H4: Most time would be spent in freeform layout
Procedure of Vrechopolus et al
- Each participant interacts with one of the virtual store layouts
- Variables measured with self report scales for ease of use, usefulness, and entertainment and computer for time spent
- Participants given blank shopping lists and access to list of available products to plan purchases
Money given to participants in Vrechopolus et al
20 pounds or 12000 GDR
Controls in Vrechopolus et al
BG color, display techniques, products, prices
20 participants from each country per condition
Results of Vrechopolus et al
- Freeform layout percieved as significantly more useful and entertaining than others
- Grid layout perceived as significantly easier to use than freeform and racetrack
- Most time spent shopping on racetrack
What was North and Hargreaves?
A study that investigated the effect of music genres on perceptions of a student cafeteria and intention to spend money, finding that classical music led to a more upmarket perception and greater spending intentions
Key study on sound and consumer behavior
North et al
Aim of North et al
To investigate the effect of musical style on the amount of money customers spent in a restaurant
Hypothesis of North et al
- Classical music would lead to customers spending more money than pop music
- No prediction about effect of no music
Sample of North et al
- 393 customers
- Roughly equal male and female
- Who ate in the restaurant on 18 evenings between February and March 2002
North et al: How were participants decieved?
They were not aware they were taking part in a study
Where did North et al take place?
Restaurant in a small affluent town in Leicestershire, UK with an expensive a la carte menu
IV and its levels in North et al
The type of background music played:
Pop or classical or no music (control)
Classical music in North et al included…
Vivaldi, Handel, Strauss
Pop music in North et al included…
Britney Spears, Culture Club, Ricky Martin
DV of North et al
- Mean spend per person per table
- Overal drinks bill
- Overall food bill
- Total spend
- Total time spent from being seated to paying
North et al: food bits!
- Starters
- Main course
- Desserts
- Coffee
- Bar drinks
- Wine
Experimental design of North et al
Independent measures
Procedure of North et al
- Experimenter played role of waitress and collected data
- Each participant experienced one type of music or none at all
- Each type of music was played on 6 nights, counterbalanced so that it alternated week to week
- Researchers recorded how long diners stated at the restaurant
North et al: how was the music played?
At consistent volume on two 70 minute CDs
North et al: What situational variables were kept constant?
Lighting, menu, temperature
North et al: What counted as a single data point?
Each table of diners; total spend calculated by dividing total bill with number of people at table
North et al: What time was data collected?
19:00 - 23:00
North et al: Vague results
- Classical music significantly increased the mean spend per person for starters, coffee, total spend on food, and overall spend
- No significant spending for desserts, drinks from a bar, wine main courses or total spend on drinks
North et al: total spend per food between classical, pop, and no music
Classical: £32.51
Pop: £29.46
No music: £29.73
Conclusion of North et al
- Classical music led to significantly higher spending in restaurants, when compared to pop or no music at all
- Extra spending was mainly on the starters and the coffees than the main courses
Explanation of North et al findings
- Classical music enhanced other aspects of the restaurant which increased spending, but challenged by student cafeteria results where classical music contrasted with other aspects of the settings
- Most of the customers may have preferred classical music so their pleasure transferred to ordering more from the menu
- Classical music associated with up market experience which primes customers to spend more
What did Zampini and Spence find about sound and crisp?
Manipulating the sound made by biting a crisp through headphones affected the ratings of crispness and freshness
Example study about the effect of background noise on the perception of food taste
Woods et al
What did Experiment 1 compared to Experiment 2 of Woods et al measure?
Experiment 1: ratings of sweetness, saltiness, liking
Experiment 2: eatings of flavor, crunchiness, liking
Aim of Woods et al
- To investigate whether non sound related gustatory food cues are reported to be less intense in noisy conditions vs quiet conditions
- To investigate whether this effect is only found with crunchy and hard foods where the sound they make has to do with out judgment
Research method and experimental design of Woods et al
Lab experiment, repeated measures
IVs of Woods et al and their levels
- Background noise (baseline, quiet, loud)
- Hardness of the food (crunchy, soft)
DVs of Woods et al experiment 1
self reported saltiness, sweetness, liking
Sample of Woods et al study 1
- 48 students
- University of Manchester
- 39F 9 M
Procedure of Woods et al experiment 1
- Participants given bite sized pieces of the food sample, closing their eyes when taking it from plate
- Wore headphones while tasting the food to block sound of own chewing
- Heard either quiet or loud white noise, or no noise
- After swallowing, they opened eyes and rated for saltiness
What were the decibel levels in Woods et al?
Quiet (45-55db)
Loud (75-85db)
Results of Woods et al study 1
- Background noise significantly affected measures of sweetness and saltiness, ranked as less intense in loud vs quiet condition
- Food was rated saltier in quiet condition compared to loud condition
- Foods liked more in quiet condition than baseline, but less than loud. However effect of sound wasn’t as significant as perception of sweetness and saltiness.
- No difference between hard and soft food for liking or taste perception
How did results of study 1 of Woods et al compare to study 2?
Noise led to greater crunchiness but lower sweetness and saltinesss
Differential affect of food properties unrelated to sound and those conveyed through auditory channels
Example study on effects of shopping of shopper PAD
Chebat and Michon
Aim of Chebat and Michon
To investigate whether scents affect consumer behavior by improving our mood, supporting the PAD model or by creating a more favorable evaluation of the product/store, supporting Lazarus’ cognitive model
Who made the PAD model?
Mehrabian and Russell
Research method of Chebat and Michon
Field experiment
Where did Chebat and Michon take place?
Shopping mall in Montreal owned by CA’s largest commercial property developer
IV of Chebat and Michon
The presence or absence of a light pleasant citrus fragrance in the mall’s main corridor
DVs of Chebat and Michon
- Self reported perceptions of product quality
- Shopping mall environment
- Pleasure and arousal
- Total spending on non groceries
Sampling method of Chebat and Michon
Opportunity
Procedure of Chebat and Michon
- All special promotions cancelled in two weeks of experiment
- Nothing changed in control week; pleasing scent used in following week
- Sample of shoppers asked to complete a questionnaire about their shopping trip, not told aim
Describe the fragrance of Chebat and Michon
Orange, Lemon, and Grape - pumped into environment every 6th minute for 3s
Results of Chebat and Michon
- Ambient smell significantly improved perception of mall environment and product quality
- Customers found scent arousing but positive effect on perception wasn’t mediated by pleasure
Conclusion of Chebat and Michon
- Scent leads to increased spending due to effect it has on perception of shopping environment and product quality
- In turn increasing arousal and pleasure
- Supports cognitive factors as cause of increasing spending
- Congruent scent may increase sales of particular product while diminishing another
- Retailers should use ambient scent
When was data for Chebat and Michon collected?
Feb / March (cold time in canada)
Why does Chebat and Michon support the cognitive model?
It found that the odor directly influenced customer perception of environment and quality rather than pleasure and arousal mediating effects of environmental cues.
Erugo and Machleit found…
That percieved crowding can influence decisions about where to shop and satisfaction with shopping experience
Example study of effects of crowding on shopper PAD
Machleit et al
Aim of Machleit et al
- To investigate whether the relationship between percieved crowding and satisfaction is mediated by positive and negative emotions and arousal
- To explore how expectations and tolerance of crowding and type of shop moderate the strength of the relationship between percieved crowding and satisfaction
Hypotheses of Machleit et al
- Increased perception of crowding leads to lower satisfaction
- Increased tolerance leads to lower effect
- No effect in discount store, negative correlation elsewhere
Sample of Machleit et al
Students and non students
Sampling method of Machleit et al
Volunteer
What were the 3 experiments in Machleit et al?
- 2 Field experiments where students and non students completed a questionnaire about their shopping experience across a range of environments
- Lab experiment where students asked to imagine they were going to a book store, shown a video clip of the store with spatial and human crowding density manipulated. Then a questionnaire
What did the field experiment questionnaires of Machleit et al ask?
Where they shopped, what they shopped for, rating scales on percieved crowding, tolerance, expectations
What did the lab experiment questionnaire of Machleit et al ask?
Thoughts, feelings, perceptions of bookstore
Results of Machleit et al
- All 3 studies show that the effect of crowding on shopping satisfaction is complex
