Dissertation
Essays on elongation bias and consumer behavior
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2021
DOI: 10.17077/etd.005771
Abstract
I examine the psychological process of elongation bias (Essay 1) and its application to consumer behavior (Essay 2). Over three studies, Essay 1 tests two alternative explanations for the elongation bias (Studies 1 and 2) and subsequently demonstrates the elongation bias using real product package pictures (Study 3). I find that individuals compare the size of two objects by relying on their perception of differences in the objects’ dimensions. However, the ease with which we compare the objects’ dimensions influences the just-noticeable-difference threshold (JND), where JND is the extent to which individuals are able to notice subtle changes in said dimensions. Thus, in the typical elongation bias experiment, the change in height crosses a perceptual JND boundary that is noticed, though the corresponding change in width is not. I also identify that elongation bias occurs under a comparative-judgment condition rather than under a single-judgment condition, further supporting the idea of comparison and the role of JNDs in the production of this phenomenon. In Essay 2, across eight studies, I aim to examine whether the concept of more from the elongation bias can be generalized to various consumer-behavior domains. Specifically, I investigate the influence of elongation bias on consumer persuasion, the dilution effect, and the contagion effect. While prior elongation bias research has primarily focused on product size estimates from an elongated shape, I assess whether these perceptions can influence more distal variables. Regarding consumer persuasion, I find in Study 1 that the shape of a message affects attitude strength, particularly under low elaboration conditions. I also show that this effect occurs because the elongated shape affects word estimates that may themselves increase the individuals’ belief that they had elaborated upon the messages, i.e., perceived elaboration. In Studies 2 and 3, I attempt to find direct evidence for how perceived elaboration increases attitude strength, however, the findings in Study 1 are not replicated. Also, as there were no supporting results for my investigation of the dilution effect, I decided to pursue the contagion effect. Regarding the contagion effect, I demonstrate in Study 1 that the shape of an object influences the likelihood of contagion. In more specific terms, I find that individuals perceive less contagion in an elongated shape due to the perceived larger area, whereas they perceive more contagion in a less-elongated shape due to the perceived smaller area. I further explore the contagion effect in the marketing-relevant contexts in Studies 2 and 3 and re-examine our findings in Study 4. However, these studies do not replicate the influence of elongation bias on the contagion effect. In this dissertation, I discuss why the elongation bias may not affect decision making in marketing-relevant contexts and suggest future directions for investigating these theories. I conclude that, because elongation bias is an effect that is already small, other perceptual signals that are prevalent in the marketing-relevant domains easily cancel out the effects of the elongation bias. In other words, elongation bias may easily influence a variable whose concept is similar to elongation bias (e.g., product size perception); however, when investigating the effect of elongation bias on more distal variables (e.g., attitude strength, perception of dilution/contagion) the more additional perceptual cues that are present, the more difficult it is to detect its effect. Accordingly, the application of elongation bias in the marketing context may be limited. With this in mind, I suggest identifying a more appropriate measurement and study design to investigate the marketing implications of elongation bias. In sum, our research contributes to consumer perception literature by developing an area-comparison model and by examining how a specific visual bias can subtly influence consumer behaviors.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Essays on elongation bias and consumer behavior
- Creators
- Dongeun Kim
- Contributors
- Dhananjay Nayakankuppam (Advisor)Catherine Cole (Advisor)Chelsea Galoni (Committee Member)Alice Wang (Committee Member)Paul Windschitl (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Business Administration
- Date degree season
- Spring 2021
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.005771
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xi, 99 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2021 Dongeun Kim
- Language
- English
- Description illustrations
- color illustrations
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliogaphical references (pages 85-91)
- Public Abstract (ETD)
This research develops an area-comparison model by examining the psychological process of elongation bias, as well as its influence on consumer behavior. Elongation bias is a perceptual bias where people perceive a long and lean shaped object as enclosing more space than a short and wide shaped object, although both have the same area. In Essay 1, I examine the psychological process of elongation bias across three studies. In so doing, I find that individuals compare the area of objects based on how they perceive differences in the areas' dimensions, and that the ease of comparison depends on how we arrange objects. In considering whether these perceptions influence consumer behavior, Essay 2 explores the influence of elongation bias on two consumer domains: consumer persuasion and contagion effect. Relevant to consumer persuasion, the three studies argue that consumers form strong attitudes by perceiving a greater number of words in an elongated textbox. Regarding the contagion effect, I propose that the shape of an object influences consumers’ perception of the likelihood of contagion across four studies.
Although those findings in the consumer persuasion and contagion effect propose the marketing implication of elongation bias, some of the studies did not replicate these phenomena. Accordingly, in this dissertation, I discuss why the elongation bias may not affect decision-making in all contexts, and suggest future directions for investigating these theories. I conclude that other perceptual signals that are prevalent in the marketing-relevant domains cancel out the effects of the elongation bias. Therefore, I suggest identifying a more appropriate measurement and study design in order to investigate the marketing implications of elongation bias. In sum, our research contributes to consumer perception literature by developing an area-comparison model and by examining how a specific visual bias can subtly influence consumer behaviors.
- Academic Unit
- Tippie College of Business
- Record Identifier
- 9984097367202771
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