Examining consumers\u27 cognitive and behavioral responses to belief disconfirmation

This study explores possible reasons for why consumers persist in their beliefs despite being exposed to substantial disconfirming evidence. The theory of cognitive dissonance (Festinger 1957) provides an important foundation for the pervasiveness of the confirmation bias and belief perseverance. Four main research paradigms of cognitive dissonance theory are discussed: free choice, induced or forced compliance, belief disconfirmation, and hypocrisy. Confirmation bias and belief perseverance are positioned in the belief disconfirmation paradigm. Confirmation bias refers to the general tendency to readily accept evidence that supports one\u27s beliefs and to reject or avoid evidence that goes against such beliefs. Belief perseverance, a phenomenon attributed to the confirmation bias, is the tendency to continue believing what we do in the face of disconfirming evidence. This study assesses whether contrary evidence has an effect on consumer beliefs regarding the perceived benefits of organic food consumption. Dissonance research in marketing has primarily focused on consumer decision making and post-purchase regret. For this reason, the study examines the impact of prepurchase cognitive dissonance using a mixed methods approach. Subjects are exposed to considerable disconfirming evidence, and subsequent belief perseverance (or change) is examined. These effects on cognitive dissonance and purchase behavior are tested. A qualitative assessment of open-ended responses regarding instances of belief perseverance is also conducted; results and key managerial implications are discussed

The Role of Confirmation in IS Continuance Theory: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis

This paper provides a meta-analysis of Information Systems Continuance (ISC) theory, specifically focusing on the relationships that Confirmation has with Satisfaction, Perceived Usefulness and Continuance Intention. A comprehensive literature review for the years 2001 to 2012 revealed 75 ISC studies from 72 papers. The results of this meta-analysis indicate the robustness of ISC theory and model, with large effect sizes for the three key relationships. Moderator analyses indicate larger effect sizes for nonconvenience samples (versus convenience samples) and educational/eLearning Information Systems and personal Information Systems (versus corporate Information Systems). Implications of the results are discussed, along with implications for researchers and practitioners. Meta-analysis limitations as well as future directions for this meta-analysis are presented

Continued use of online consumer review sites : the influence of information quality

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of information quality on user satisfaction with online review websites and on customers’ behavioural intention to continue using guest house review websites. Data used in the analysis was collected using a structured questionnaire from 306 users of customer review sites from Gauteng, South Africa. The data was analysed using version 24 of SPSS. The findings revealed that perceived quality of information on review sites has positive influence on user satisfaction and on continued use intentions of the review websites. The findings also revealed a positive relationship between user satisfaction with a review website and behavioural intention. The findings point to the need for guesthouse owners to recognise that users go through a purchasing decision process, the first step of which is conducting research through online review sites. Site owners should promote provision of high quality information on review sites and should ensure that reviews accurately reflect their guest house

How augmented reality increases engagement through its impact on risk and the decision process

Augmented reality (AR) overcomes one of the main limitations of e-commerce, such as the prepurchase trial. The consumer can virtually see how a product is integrated into the real world through this technology. Therefore, AR may reduce the perceived risk of buying a product online. Despite existing research, the impact of AR on the consumer decision process needs to be further explored. Consequently, this research aims to understand the impact of AR on the perception of risk and the purchase decision process, considering decision comfort and decision confidence. Through a between-subjects experiment, the results show that AR reduces the risk of online shopping. However, it has no direct effect on the decision process. Reducing risk and the comfort it brings generates decision confidence and satisfaction with the shopping experience. This satisfaction will generate engagement toward the online shop platform. The research highlights the process through which AR impacts the decision-making process. The implications for AR marketing theory and managerial implications in the age of the metaverse are discussed

The Role of Emotional Overcontrol in the Acceptance of Counselor Training Feedback

Feedback is an essential component of counselor training, making it crucial that students receive and utilize this information effectively. This research was conducted to address the problem of counseling students experiencing difficulty with accepting feedback during the training process. Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy and the concept of emotional overcontrol were used as a lens for exploring the possible correlation between measures of overcontrol and difficulty with accepting feedback within counselor training programs. This research contributed to the literature—much of which has focused on the behaviors of instructors and supervisors in the feedback process—by providing support for the perspective that student traits affect the efficacy of feedback interactions. The research questions were 1) What is the relationship between counseling student emotional control and accepting feedback within the classroom setting? and 2) What is the relationship between counseling student emotional control and accepting feedback within the supervisory relationship? A quantitative design was used, consisting of a survey tool administered to master’s level counseling students. Analysis consisted of correlation and regression analyses, with additional qualitative coding used for three open-ended prompts. Results indicated that measures of overcontrol correlated significantly with features associated with feedback receptivity within the classroom setting. Results indicated that individuals who scored higher on measures of overcontrol were more likely to experience feedback as threatening, more likely to desire privacy in the feedback process, may retain feedback less effectively, and in some cases, may believe feedback is less useful than their non-overcontrolled peers. No significant correlations were found between measures of overcontrol and feedback in the supervisory setting. In the regression analysis, approximately 34% of the variance in sensitivity to feedback within the classroom setting was explained by measures of overcontrol, indicating that this individual student trait is relevant to the efficacy of feedback interactions. Qualitative data suggested that the element of personal relationship was also a relevant variable for determining the degree to which students accepted feedback from instructors and supervisors. Implications for counselor training programs are discussed, including the recommendation that emotional overcontrol be considered when working with students who struggle with training feedback

The Role of Emotional Overcontrol in the Acceptance of Counselor Training Feedback

Feedback is an essential component of counselor training, making it crucial that students receive and utilize this information effectively. This research was conducted to address the problem of counseling students experiencing difficulty with accepting feedback during the training process. Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy and the concept of emotional overcontrol were used as a lens for exploring the possible correlation between measures of overcontrol and difficulty with accepting feedback within counselor training programs. This research contributed to the literature—much of which has focused on the behaviors of instructors and supervisors in the feedback process—by providing support for the perspective that student traits affect the efficacy of feedback interactions. The research questions were 1) What is the relationship between counseling student emotional control and accepting feedback within the classroom setting? and 2) What is the relationship between counseling student emotional control and accepting feedback within the supervisory relationship? A quantitative design was used, consisting of a survey tool administered to master’s level counseling students. Analysis consisted of correlation and regression analyses, with additional qualitative coding used for three open-ended prompts. Results indicated that measures of overcontrol correlated significantly with features associated with feedback receptivity within the classroom setting. Results indicated that individuals who scored higher on measures of overcontrol were more likely to experience feedback as threatening, more likely to desire privacy in the feedback process, may retain feedback less effectively, and in some cases, may believe feedback is less useful than their non-overcontrolled peers. No significant correlations were found between measures of overcontrol and feedback in the supervisory setting. In the regression analysis, approximately 34% of the variance in sensitivity to feedback within the classroom setting was explained by measures of overcontrol, indicating that this individual student trait is relevant to the efficacy of feedback interactions. Qualitative data suggested that the element of personal relationship was also a relevant variable for determining the degree to which students accepted feedback from instructors and supervisors. Implications for counselor training programs are discussed, including the recommendation that emotional overcontrol be considered when working with students who struggle with training feedback

Towards a model managing job change : a system thinking approach

Bibliography: leaves 46-48.The background of my project was a promotion within the same company that necessitated relocation from one city to another, and also a change in job focus. Whilst both jobs remained in the technical domain, the first was rooted in quality management and improvement at a plant level, whereas the second involved specialized technical consulting across the whole organization. My notion was that a study of this change could improve my personal situation as well as my understanding and management of personal change. My notion was also that I would be able to experientially learn how to improve my practice of managing change in general

The efficacy of social media influencers in e-commerce in the context of sensory richness

Emerging affordances of social media platforms and e-commerce interfaces have enticed brands, marketers, and social media influencers to employ rich media in hopes of engaging consumers with multisensory stimuli. Using Media Richness Theory, this study explores how media richness regarding sensory modalities in influencers’ product reviews affects decision confidence and behavioral intentions during online shopping. Further, the study investigates the interaction effects between media richness and motivation on consumers’ sensation of presence in e-commerce and the relationships among presence, attention, curiosity, search, decision confidence, and purchase intention. Results show that presence and search significantly predict decision confidence, which was found to have a positive association with purchase intention. Data also reveal that attention and curiosity are positively associated with presence and significantly predict search.Advertisin

The mediated effect of social presence on social commerce WOM behavior

Based on expectation disconfirmation theory, this study analyzes how attitudes (satisfaction and loyalty) influence interaction intention (sWOM) and, consequently, active and passive sWOM behavior. It does so by assessing the mediating role of social presence on sWOM intention and behavior. The empirical results provide several contributions. First, knowing how to increase active sWOM contributes to bridging the gap regarding how to enhance interactions between users. Second, fostering active sWOM on social commerce websites will provide companies with more positive user-generated content, since this active sWOM comes from satisfied and loyal users, and it is assumed that they will rate the product positively and report a good experience. Third, companies can benefit more from users if users interact with other users by sharing their experiences. This study sheds light on how social presence can mediate the relationship between intention and behavior, particularly when it comes to increasing active participation and brand promotion. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Enroute flight planning: The design of cooperative planning systems

Design concepts and principles to guide in the building of cooperative problem solving systems are being developed and evaluated. In particular, the design of cooperative systems for enroute flight planning is being studied. The investigation involves a three stage process, modeling human performance in existing environments, building cognitive artifacts, and studying the performance of people working in collaboration with these artifacts. The most significant design concepts and principles identified thus far are the principle focus