Regulatory Focus and Regulatory Fit in Consumer Search and Consideration of Alternatives

• Main Authors: Pham, Michel Tuan, CHANG, Hannah H.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2007
• Subjects: Behavioral Economics
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/4751
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Results from four experiments show that although promotion- and prevention-focused consumers do not differ in total amount of information searched, promotion-focused consumers tend to search for alternatives in a more global, top-down fashion, whereas prevention-focused consumers tend to search for alternatives in a more local, serial fashion. Promotion-focused consumers are also found to have larger consideration sets than prevention-focused consumers. Finally, it is found that aligning the decision environment with the search and consideration inclinations of promotion- and prevention-focused consumers produces an experience of regulatory fit that increases the subjective value that the consumers attach to the offer.