Option Characteristics Compatibility and the Compromise Effect
Date Issued
2007
Date
2007
Author(s)
Liu, Hsin-Hsien
Abstract
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.n 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.n 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.
Subjects
option characteristic compatibility
compromise effect
compatibility
attribute-balance
information format
task format
Type
thesis
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