The influence of stimulus ambiguity on category and attitude formation
Journal
Review of Managerial Science
ISSN
1863-6683
ISSN-Digital
1863-6691
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2010-03
Author(s)
Abstract
Existing research on categorical ambiguity has mostly examined how consumers assimilate new products into familiar product categories. Extending these findings, this research investigates whether and under what circumstances consumers either create new mental categories for hybrid products or integrate them into existing categories. Specifically, we propose that this effect is influenced by the degree of product ambiguity and the availability of a new category label. We find that as ambiguity increases, the probability of new category creation augments, but product evaluation deteriorates. However, we also find that a new category label can reduce the effects of ambiguity and can improve product evaluation. Thus, the results fill the existing gap in research on the cognitive integration of hybrid products and shed light on how managers may position these products successfully.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Springer
Publisher place
Berlin-Heidelberg
Volume
4
Number
1
Start page
33
End page
52
Pages
20
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
56230