自我調節焦點對資訊來源與內容特徵不一致現象說服力之影響

Abstract

消費者於購買產品時，經常徵詢外部資訊以幫助決策，包括根據代言人（資訊來源）的形象，以及對其推薦產品訊息（資訊內容）的理解。本研究將該資訊成分分成兩種特徵：情感基礎與認知基礎。一般而言，消費者習慣會將資訊來源與內容特徵之間進行連結，亦即個性偏向情感基礎（認知基礎）的代言人，應會提出情感取向（認知取向）的訊息。然而在某些情形下，資訊來源的類型與資訊內容的特徵之間仍會產生不一致。 本研究認為消費者的自我調節焦點，會影響該資訊來源與內容不一致現象的說服力――根據過去研究對自我調節焦點理論、以及不一致效果的發現，本研究發現促進焦點之消費者較易為來源與內容不一致現象所說服，進而對其所推薦之品牌有較佳的評估；相對地，來源與內容一致的情形對預防焦點之消費者的說服力較高。本研究包含對相關文獻之探討、假設建構、實驗設計、以及實驗結果分析與發現，最後並探討其理論與管理意涵、研究限制、與未來研究方向。

Consumers often make a purchase decision on the basis of extrinsic information, which consists of the endorser’s (information source’s) image and his or her recommendation (information content) of a product. This study differentiates both these information components between two characteristics: affect-based versus cognition-based. Consumers naturally connect the information source’s characteristics to those of the information contents; that is, a spokesperson with affect-based (cognition-based) personality should convey affective (cognitive) messages. However, these characteristics of the source and content may seem inconsistent in some cases. This study proposes that consumers’ self-regulatory focus influences the persuasiveness of such a source–content incongruity. In line with prior research on self-regulatory focus theory and incongruity effects, the results find that while asking others for opinions to make a decision, compared with an information source–content congruity, promotion-focused consumers are more persuaded by the recommendations in an incongruity scenario. In contrast, a source–content congruity is more persuasive for prevention-focused consumers. This study provides literature reviews, theory developments, experiment design, and the analyses and results. Theoretical implications, managerial implications, limitations, and further research directions are also discussed.