選項特性相容性與妥協效果

Abstract

基於相容性(compatibility)與妥協效果(compromise effect)的研究，作者提出了選項特性相容性假設(option characteristic compatibility)，也就是，決策因素(如資訊形式和決策任務)相容於中間妥協選項(middle compromise option)特性(也就是基於選項的相對位置)與屬性平衡選項(attribute-balance option)特性(也就是基於選項本身屬性值的差異)將使該選項的特性更加顯著，進而影響選項的相對吸引力。 在第一個研究，每個產品集合都由三個選項構成，所有的選項都是由兩個屬性來描述，而屬性值都採用相同的評量尺標(例如都是0-100的評估指標)。作者執行了三個實驗並確認選項特性相容性假設：中間妥協選項在屬性陳列以及拒絕任務(也就是受測者拒絕他們所不喜歡的選項)較有吸引力；相對的，屬性平衡選項在選項處理以及選項任務(也就是受測者選擇他們喜歡的選項)時更有吸引力。實驗1-3更證明了是任務與選項間的相容性，而非單只是任務本身，是影響選項吸引力的主要因素。 在第二個研究，作者更進一步探索中間選項與資訊形式間相容性的關係，屬性平衡選項在此不予討論。研究二的三個實驗顯示：(1)中間選項是更有吸引力當它呈現在中間位置相對於它並非出現在中間位置時；(2) 中間選項是更有吸引力當它與競爭選項同時出現相對於分開出現時；(3) 中間選項是最有吸引力當它以資訊板(information display board)的方式呈現時，其次為屬性處理時，而在選項處理時最沒有吸引力。這個結果也暗示著資訊處理策略與選項特性相容性同時產生作用。三個實驗也顯示選項特性相容性的效果是穩定的而且這個效果並非來自於不同的資訊處理策略，這也使得這個結果對行銷實務產生重大的意義。最後，我們也討論了我們的研究設計在實際行銷環境的真實性

In extending studies of compatibility and compromise effects, the author proposes an option characteristic compatibility effect, which suggests that determinants, such as information formats and task formats, compatible with the option characteristic of the middle compromise option (i.e., relational properties of the choice alternatives) and the attribute-balance compromise option (i.e., the similarity of the attribute values within the alternative) make that characteristics salient and thus influence the options’ relative attractiveness. In study 1, the options consist of two dimensions with identical rating scales (e.g., the same 0–100 rating scale), and each choice set contains three options (including the attribute-balance and the middle compromise options). Three experiments confirmed this prediction of option characteristics compatibility: the middle option was more attractive in list-by-attributes and rejecting conditions (i.e., participants reject the option they least like), whereas the attribute-balance option was more attractive in list-by-alternatives and choosing conditions (i.e., participants choose the option they prefer). The results of experiment 1.3 also indicated that compatibility with the option characteristic, not just the task, influences the relative attractiveness of an option. In study 2, the compatibility between information formats and the characteristic of the middle option is deliberately explored (attribute-balance option is not present in study 2). With three studies, study 2 demonstrated that the middle option was (1) more attractive when it was presented in the middle position; (2) more attractive when information was presented jointly rather than separately; (3) and most attractive when it was presented in the information display board format, less attractive in a list by attributes condition, and least attractive in a list by alternatives condition, which implied that information processing strategies and information format–option characteristics compatibility worked simultaneously. These three experiments thereby show that the information format–option characteristics compatibility effect is robust and the compatibility effect is not due to different information processing strategies, which makes these results meaningful for marketing practice. Finally, the mundane realism of the studies is also addressed in the general discussion section of study 2.