In-Store Experimental Approach to Pricing and Consumer Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sigurdsson, Valdimar; Foxall, Gordon; Saevarsson, Hugi

2010-01-01

This study assessed how, and to what extent, it is possible to use behavioral experimentation and relative sales analysis to study the effects of price on consumers' brand choices in the store environment. An in-store experiment was performed in four stores to investigate the effects of different prices of a target brand on consumers' relative…

How Settings Change People: Applying Behavior Setting Theory to Consumer-Run Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Louis D.; Shepherd, Matthew D.; Wituk, Scott A.; Meissen, Greg

2007-01-01

Self-help initiatives stand as a classic context for organizational studies in community psychology. Behavior setting theory stands as a classic conception of organizations and the environment. This study explores both, applying behavior setting theory to consumer-run organizations (CROs). Analysis of multiple data sets from all CROs in Kansas…

Residential Customer Enrollment in Time-based Rate and Enabling Technology Programs: Smart Grid Investment Grant Consumer Behavior Study Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Todd, Annika; Cappers, Peter; Goldman, Charles

2013-05-01

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) program is working with a subset of the 99 SGIG projects undertaking Consumer Behavior Studies (CBS), which examine the response of mass market consumers (i.e., residential and small commercial customers) to time-varying electricity prices (referred to herein as time-based rate programs) in conjunction with the deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and associated technologies. The effort presents an opportunity to advance the electric industry’s understanding of consumer behavior.

Credit Card Misuse, Money Attitudes, and Compulsive Buying Behaviors: A Comparison of Internal and External Locus of Control (LOC) Consumers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Stevie

2009-01-01

This study examined attitudinal and behavioral differences between internal and external locus of control (LOC) consumers on credit card misuse, the importance of money, and compulsive buying. Using multiple analysis of variance and separate analyses of variance, internal LOC consumers were found to have lower scores on credit card misuse and…

Predicting personality traits related to consumer behavior using SNS analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baik, Jongbum; Lee, Kangbok; Lee, Soowon; Kim, Yongbum; Choi, Jayoung

2016-07-01

Modeling a user profile is one of the important factors for devising a personalized recommendation. The traditional approach for modeling a user profile in computer science is to collect and generalize the user's buying behavior or preference history, generated from the user's interactions with recommender systems. According to consumer behavior research, however, internal factors such as personality traits influence a consumer's buying behavior. Existing studies have tried to adapt the Big 5 personality traits to personalized recommendations. However, although studies have shown that these traits can be useful to some extent for personalized recommendation, the causal relationship between the Big 5 personality traits and the buying behaviors of actual consumers has not been validated. In this paper, we propose a novel method for predicting the four personality traits-Extroversion, Public Self-consciousness, Desire for Uniqueness, and Self-esteem-that correlate with buying behaviors. The proposed method automatically constructs a user-personality-traits prediction model for each user by analyzing the user behavior on a social networking service. The experimental results from an analysis of the collected Facebook data show that the proposed method can predict user-personality traits with greater precision than methods that use the variables proposed in previous studies.

Economic Analysis of a Basic Allowance for Health Care for Active Duty and Retired Members of the Armed Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

the ability to alter consumer behavior and lower costs (Herzlinger, 2004; Feldstein, 1995). One of the possible drivers behind this behavioral...between $400–$2,400 may alter consumer behavior on the margin because those changes should lead them to think more carefully about the marginal costs...section. While the underlying system proposed by Heffley and Miceli does not mirror the proposed BAHC, it does offer insights into expected consumer

Consumer Satisfaction with Antipsychotic Medication Monitoring Appointments: The Role of Consumer-Prescriber Communication Patterns

PubMed Central

Reich, Catherine M.; Hack, Samantha M.; Klingaman, Elizabeth A.; Brown, Clayton H.; Fang, Li Juan; Dixon, Lisa B.; Jahn, Danielle R.; Kreyenbuhl, Julie A.

2017-01-01

Objective The study was designed to explore patterns of prescriber communication behaviors as they relate to consumer satisfaction among a serious mental illness sample. Methods Recordings from 175 antipsychotic medication-monitoring appointments between veterans with psychiatric disorders and their prescribers were coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) for communication behavioral patterns. Results The frequency of prescriber communication behaviors (i.e., facilitation, rapport, procedural, psychosocial, biomedical, and total utterances) did not reliably predict consumer satisfaction. The ratio of prescriber to consumer utterances did predict consumer satisfaction. Conclusion Consistent with client-centered care theory, antipsychotic medication consumers were more satisfied with their encounters when their prescriber did not dominate the conversation. Practice Implications Therefore, one potential recommendation from these findings could be for medication prescribers to spend more of their time listening to, rather than speaking with, their SMI consumers. PMID:28920491

Dr Google and the consumer: a qualitative study exploring the navigational needs and online health information-seeking behaviors of consumers with chronic health conditions.

PubMed

Lee, Kenneth; Hoti, Kreshnik; Hughes, Jeffery David; Emmerton, Lynne

2014-12-02

The abundance of health information available online provides consumers with greater access to information pertinent to the management of health conditions. This is particularly important given an increasing drive for consumer-focused health care models globally, especially in the management of chronic health conditions, and in recognition of challenges faced by lay consumers with finding, understanding, and acting on health information sourced online. There is a paucity of literature exploring the navigational needs of consumers with regards to accessing online health information. Further, existing interventions appear to be didactic in nature, and it is unclear whether such interventions appeal to consumers' needs. Our goal was to explore the navigational needs of consumers with chronic health conditions in finding online health information within the broader context of consumers' online health information-seeking behaviors. Potential barriers to online navigation were also identified. Semistructured interviews were conducted with adult consumers who reported using the Internet for health information and had at least one chronic health condition. Participants were recruited from nine metropolitan community pharmacies within Western Australia, as well as through various media channels. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then imported into QSR NVivo 10. Two established approaches to thematic analysis were adopted. First, a data-driven approach was used to minimize potential bias in analysis and improve construct and criterion validity. A theory-driven approach was subsequently used to confirm themes identified by the former approach and to ensure identified themes were relevant to the objectives. Two levels of analysis were conducted for both data-driven and theory-driven approaches: manifest-level analysis, whereby face-value themes were identified, and latent-level analysis, whereby underlying concepts were identified. We conducted 17 interviews, with data saturation achieved by the 14th interview. While we identified a broad range of online health information-seeking behaviors, most related to information discussed during consumer-health professional consultations such as looking for information about medication side effects. The barriers we identified included intrinsic barriers, such as limited eHealth literacy, and extrinsic barriers, such as the inconsistency of information between different online sources. The navigational needs of our participants were extrinsic in nature and included health professionals directing consumers to appropriate online resources and better filtering of online health information. Our participants' online health information-seeking behaviors, reported barriers, and navigational needs were underpinned by the themes of trust, patient activation, and relevance. This study suggests that existing interventions aimed to assist consumers with navigating online health information may not be what consumers want or perceive they need. eHealth literacy and patient activation appear to be prevalent concepts in the context of consumers' online health information-seeking behaviors. Furthermore, the role for health professionals in guiding consumers to quality online health information is highlighted.

The Cost and Value of Marketing Analysis. AIR Forum Paper 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Fred

Product-market planning is an inherently difficult practice. It aims at a match between consumer preference and institutional behavior. Unfortunately, consumer reactions to changes in institutional behavior are often highly uncertain. This paper assumes that institutional planners should neither ignore uncertainty nor seek to avoid all actions…

The Effect of Doctor-Consumer Interaction on Social Media on Consumers' Health Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Wu, Tailai; Deng, Zhaohua; Feng, Zhanchun; Gaskin, Darrell J; Zhang, Donglan; Wang, Ruoxi

2018-02-28

Both doctors and consumers have engaged in using social media for health purposes. Social media has changed traditional one-to-one communication between doctors and patients to many-to-many communication between doctors and consumers. However, little is known about the effect of doctor-consumer interaction on consumers' health behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate how doctor-consumer interaction in social media affects consumers' health behaviors. On the basis of professional-client interaction theory and social cognitive theory, we propose that doctor-consumer interaction can be divided into instrumental interaction and affective interaction. These two types of interactions influence consumers' health behaviors through declarative knowledge (DK), self-efficacy (SE), and outcome expectancy (OE). To validate our proposed research model, we employed the survey method and developed corresponding measurement instruments for constructs in our research model. A total of 352 valid answers were collected, and partial least square was performed to analyze the data. Instrumental doctor-consumer interaction was found to influence consumers' DK (t 294 =5.763, P<.001), SE (t 294 =4.891, P<.001), and OE (t 294 =7.554, P<.001) significantly, whereas affective doctor-consumer interaction also impacted consumers' DK (t 294 =4.025, P<.001), SE (t 294 =4.775, P<.001), and OE (t 294 =4.855, P<.001). Meanwhile, consumers' DK (t 294 =3.838, P<.001), SE (t 294 =3.824, P<.001), and OE (t 294 =2.985, P<.01) all significantly affected consumers' health behaviors. Our mediation analysis showed that consumers' DK, SE, and OE partially mediated the effect of instrumental interaction on health behaviors, whereas the three mediators fully mediated the effect of affective interaction on health behaviors. Compared with many intentional intervention programs, doctor-consumer interaction can be treated as a natural cost-effective intervention to promote consumers' health behaviors. Meanwhile, both instrumental and affective interaction should be highlighted for the best interaction results. DK, SE, and OE are working mechanisms of doctor-consumer interaction. ©Tailai Wu, Zhaohua Deng, Zhanchun Feng, Darrell J Gaskin, Donglan Zhang, Ruoxi Wang. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 28.02.2018.

The behavioral economics of consumer brand choice: patterns of reinforcement and utility maximization.

PubMed

Foxall, Gordon R; Oliveira-Castro, Jorge M; Schrezenmaier, Teresa C

2004-06-30

Purchasers of fast-moving consumer goods generally exhibit multi-brand choice, selecting apparently randomly among a small subset or "repertoire" of tried and trusted brands. Their behavior shows both matching and maximization, though it is not clear just what the majority of buyers are maximizing. Each brand attracts, however, a small percentage of consumers who are 100%-loyal to it during the period of observation. Some of these are exclusively buyers of premium-priced brands who are presumably maximizing informational reinforcement because their demand for the brand is relatively price-insensitive or inelastic. Others buy exclusively the cheapest brands available and can be assumed to maximize utilitarian reinforcement since their behavior is particularly price-sensitive or elastic. Between them are the majority of consumers whose multi-brand buying takes the form of selecting a mixture of economy -- and premium-priced brands. Based on the analysis of buying patterns of 80 consumers for 9 product categories, the paper examines the continuum of consumers so defined and seeks to relate their buying behavior to the question of how and what consumers maximize.

The marketing firm and consumer choice: implications of bilateral contingency for levels of analysis in organizational neuroscience

PubMed Central

Foxall, Gordon R.

2014-01-01

The emergence of a conception of the marketing firm (Foxall, 1999a) conceived within behavioral psychology and based on a corresponding model of consumer choice, (Foxall, 1990/2004) permits an assessment of the levels of behavioral and organizational analysis amenable to neuroscientific examination. This paper explores the ways in which the bilateral contingencies that link the marketing firm with its consumerate allow appropriate levels of organizational neuroscientific analysis to be specified. Having described the concept of the marketing firm and the model of consumer behavior on which it is based, the paper analyzes bilateral contingencies at the levels of (i) market exchange, (ii) emotional reward, and (iii) neuroeconomics. Market exchange emerges as a level of analysis that lends itself predominantly to the explanation of firm—consumerate interactions in terms of the super-personal level of reinforcing and punishing contingencies: the marketing firm can be treated as a contextual or operant system in its own right. However, the emotional reward and neuroeconomic levels of analysis should be confined to the personal level of analysis represented by individual managers on the one hand and individual consumers on the other. This also entails a level of abstraction but it is one that can be satisfactorily handled in terms of the concept of bilateral contingency. PMID:25071506

The marketing firm and consumer choice: implications of bilateral contingency for levels of analysis in organizational neuroscience.

PubMed

Foxall, Gordon R

2014-01-01

The emergence of a conception of the marketing firm (Foxall, 1999a) conceived within behavioral psychology and based on a corresponding model of consumer choice, (Foxall, 1990/2004) permits an assessment of the levels of behavioral and organizational analysis amenable to neuroscientific examination. This paper explores the ways in which the bilateral contingencies that link the marketing firm with its consumerate allow appropriate levels of organizational neuroscientific analysis to be specified. Having described the concept of the marketing firm and the model of consumer behavior on which it is based, the paper analyzes bilateral contingencies at the levels of (i) market exchange, (ii) emotional reward, and (iii) neuroeconomics. Market exchange emerges as a level of analysis that lends itself predominantly to the explanation of firm-consumerate interactions in terms of the super-personal level of reinforcing and punishing contingencies: the marketing firm can be treated as a contextual or operant system in its own right. However, the emotional reward and neuroeconomic levels of analysis should be confined to the personal level of analysis represented by individual managers on the one hand and individual consumers on the other. This also entails a level of abstraction but it is one that can be satisfactorily handled in terms of the concept of bilateral contingency.

Examining angler behavior using contingent behavior modeling: A case study of water quality change at a Wisconsin lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiswerth, Mark E.; Kashian, Russell D.; Skidmore, Mark

2008-11-01

We use contingent behavior (CB) analysis to examine the potential impacts of a hypothetical change in the clarity of a lake. We collect and use both CB and revealed preference data to estimate a pooled negative binomial count data travel cost model. From this analysis we calculate the consumer surplus per angling party day for our case study lake to be about $104, or a total annual consumer surplus of $1.4 million. Using this consumer surplus measure and changes in the intended number of visits obtained from the CB survey, we estimate the loss in consumer surplus associated with a decline in water clarity from 10 to 3 feet (1 foot = 0.3048 m) to be about $522,000 annually (a 38% decrease). Since this is the first such application of CB analysis to estimate the effects of a water clarity change, the study may illustrate a method well suited to analyzing changes in water quality attributes that are easily observable and well understood by recreators.

A model of service quality perceptions and health care consumer behavior.

PubMed

O'Connor, S J; Shewchuk, R M; Bowers, M R

1991-01-01

Analysis of covariance structures (LISREL) was used to examine the influence of consumer held perceptions of service quality on consumer satisfaction and intentions to return. Results indicate that service quality is a significant predictor of consumer satisfaction which, in turn, predicts intention to return. Health care marketing implications are discussed.

HealthStyles: a new psychographic segmentation system for health care marketers.

PubMed

Endresen, K W; Wintz, J C

1988-01-01

HealthStyles is a new psychographic segmentation system specifically designed for the health care industry. This segmentation system goes beyond traditional geographic and demographic analysis and examines health-related consumer attitudes and behaviors. Four statistically distinct "styles" of consumer health care preferences have been identified. The profiles of the four groups have substantial marketing implications in terms of design and promotion of products and services. Each segment of consumers also has differing expectations of physician behavior.

An investigation of used electronics return flows: A data-driven approach to capture and predict consumers storage and utilization behavior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sabbaghi, Mostafa, E-mail: mostafas@buffalo.edu; Esmaeilian, Behzad, E-mail: b.esmaeilian@neu.edu; Raihanian Mashhadi, Ardeshir, E-mail: ardeshir@buffalo.edu

Highlights: • We analyzed a data set of HDDs returned back to an e-waste collection site. • We studied factors that affect the storage behavior. • Consumer type, brand and size are among factors which affect the storage behavior. • Commercial consumers have stored computers more than household consumers. • Machine learning models were used to predict the storage behavior. - Abstract: Consumers often have a tendency to store their used, old or un-functional electronics for a period of time before they discard them and return them back to the waste stream. This behavior increases the obsolescence rate of usedmore » still-functional products leading to lower profitability that could be resulted out of End-of-Use (EOU) treatments such as reuse, upgrade, and refurbishment. These types of behaviors are influenced by several product and consumer-related factors such as consumers’ traits and lifestyles, technology evolution, product design features, product market value, and pro-environmental stimuli. Better understanding of different groups of consumers, their utilization and storage behavior and the connection of these behaviors with product design features helps Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and recycling and recovery industry to better overcome the challenges resulting from the undesirable storage of used products. This paper aims at providing insightful statistical analysis of Electronic Waste (e-waste) dynamic nature by studying the effects of design characteristics, brand and consumer type on the electronics usage time and end of use time-in-storage. A database consisting of 10,063 Hard Disk Drives (HDD) of used personal computers returned back to a remanufacturing facility located in Chicago, IL, USA during 2011–2013 has been selected as the base for this study. The results show that commercial consumers have stored computers more than household consumers regardless of brand and capacity factors. Moreover, a heterogeneous storage behavior is observed for different brands of HDDs regardless of capacity and consumer type factors. Finally, the storage behavior trends are projected for short-time forecasting and the storage times are precisely predicted by applying machine learning methods.« less

An investigation of used electronics return flows: a data-driven approach to capture and predict consumers storage and utilization behavior.

PubMed

Sabbaghi, Mostafa; Esmaeilian, Behzad; Raihanian Mashhadi, Ardeshir; Behdad, Sara; Cade, Willie

2015-02-01

Consumers often have a tendency to store their used, old or un-functional electronics for a period of time before they discard them and return them back to the waste stream. This behavior increases the obsolescence rate of used still-functional products leading to lower profitability that could be resulted out of End-of-Use (EOU) treatments such as reuse, upgrade, and refurbishment. These types of behaviors are influenced by several product and consumer-related factors such as consumers' traits and lifestyles, technology evolution, product design features, product market value, and pro-environmental stimuli. Better understanding of different groups of consumers, their utilization and storage behavior and the connection of these behaviors with product design features helps Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and recycling and recovery industry to better overcome the challenges resulting from the undesirable storage of used products. This paper aims at providing insightful statistical analysis of Electronic Waste (e-waste) dynamic nature by studying the effects of design characteristics, brand and consumer type on the electronics usage time and end of use time-in-storage. A database consisting of 10,063 Hard Disk Drives (HDD) of used personal computers returned back to a remanufacturing facility located in Chicago, IL, USA during 2011-2013 has been selected as the base for this study. The results show that commercial consumers have stored computers more than household consumers regardless of brand and capacity factors. Moreover, a heterogeneous storage behavior is observed for different brands of HDDs regardless of capacity and consumer type factors. Finally, the storage behavior trends are projected for short-time forecasting and the storage times are precisely predicted by applying machine learning methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors for consumer choice of dairy products in Iran.

PubMed

Rahnama, Hassan; Rajabpour, Shayan

2017-04-01

Little is known about consumers' behavior especially their choice behavior toward purchasing and consuming dairy products in developing countries. Hence, the aim of the present work is understanding the factors that affect on consumers' choice behavior toward dairy products in Iran. The study applies the theory of consumption values, which includes the functional values (taste, price, health, and body weight), social value, emotional value, conditional value and epistemic value. The sample were 1420 people (men and women). The data was collected using face to face survey in summer and fall 2015. Chi-square, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling is used to assess data collected. The results indicate that functional values, social value, emotional value and epistemic value have a positive impact on choosing dairy products and conditional value didn't have a positive impact. It was concluded that the main influential factors for consumers' choice behavior toward dairy products included consumers experience positive emotion (e.g. enjoyment, pleasure, comfort and feeling relaxed) and functional value-health. This study emphasized the proper pricing of dairy products by producers and sellers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deriving a Utility Function For the U.S. Economy

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

Jorgenson, D.W., L.J. Lau, and T.M. Stoker, "The Transcendental Logarithmic Model of Ag- gregate Consumer Behavior ," in R.L. Baseman and G. Rhodes (eds...Jorgenson, D.W., L.J. Lau, and T.M. Stoker, "Aggregate Consumer Behavior and Individual Welfare," Macro Economic Analysis, eds. D. Currie, R. Nabay, D. Peel

Development of a health information technology acceptance model using consumers' health behavior intention.

PubMed

Kim, Jeongeun; Park, Hyeoun-Ae

2012-10-01

For effective health promotion using health information technology (HIT), it is mandatory that health consumers have the behavioral intention to measure, store, and manage their own health data. Understanding health consumers' intention and behavior is needed to develop and implement effective and efficient strategies. To develop and verify the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in health care by describing health consumers' behavioral intention of using HIT. This study used a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design. We extended TAM by adding more antecedents and mediating variables to enhance the model's explanatory power and to make it more applicable to health consumers' behavioral intention. Additional antecedents and mediating variables were added to the hypothetical model, based on their theoretical relevance, from the Health Belief Model and theory of planned behavior, along with the TAM. We undertook structural equation analysis to examine the specific nature of the relationship involved in understanding consumers' use of HIT. Study participants were 728 members recruited from three Internet health portals in Korea. Data were collected by a Web-based survey using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The overall fitness indices for the model developed in this study indicated an acceptable fit of the model. All path coefficients were statistically significant. This study showed that perceived threat, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use significantly affected health consumers' attitude and behavioral intention. Health consumers' health status, health belief and concerns, subjective norm, HIT characteristics, and HIT self-efficacy had a strong indirect impact on attitude and behavioral intention through the mediators of perceived threat, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. An extended TAM in the HIT arena was found to be valid to describe health consumers' behavioral intention. We categorized the concepts in the extended TAM into 3 domains: health zone, information zone, and technology zone.

Analysis of consumers' preferences and behavior with regard to horse meat using a structured survey questionnaire.

PubMed

Oh, Woon Yong; Lee, Ji Woong; Lee, Chong Eon; Ko, Moon Seok; Jeong, Jae Hong

2009-12-01

In this study, a structured survey questionnaire was used to determine consumers' preferences and behavior with regard to horse meat at a horse meat restaurant located in Jeju, Korea, from October 1 to December 24, 2005. The questionnaire employed in this study consisted of 20 questions designed to characterize six general attributes: horse meat sensory property, physical appearance, health condition, origin, price, and other attributes. Of the 1370 questionnaires distributed, 1126 completed questionnaires were retained based on the completeness of the answers, representing an 82.2% response rate. Two issues were investigated that might facilitate the search for ways to improve horse meat production and marketing programs in Korea. The first step was to determine certain important factors, called principal components, which enabled the researchers to understand the needs of horse meat consumers via principal component analysis. The second step was to define consumer segments with regard to their preferences for horse meat, which was accomplished via cluster analysis. The results of the current study showed that health condition, price, origin, and leanness were the most critical physical attributes affecting the preferences of horse meat consumers. Four segments of consumers, with different demands for horse meat attributes, were identified: origin-sensitive consumers, price-sensitive consumers, quality and safety-sensitive consumers, and non-specific consumers. Significant differences existed among segments of consumers in terms of age, nature of work, frequency of consumption, and general level of acceptability of horse meat.

Counterconformity: an attribution model of adolescents' uniqueness-seeking behaviors in dressing.

PubMed

Ling, I-Ling

2008-01-01

This article explores how an attribution model will illustrate uniqueness-seeking behavior in dressing in the Taiwanese adolescent subculture. The study employed 443 senior high school students. Results show that the tendency of uniqueness-seeking behavior in dressing is moderate. However, using cluster analysis to segment the counterconformity behavior of the subjects, the study demonstrates that there are two conspicuous types of segmentation "markets": rubber stamp and self-determined. The attribution models investigate the susceptibilities to informational and normative influence which have different direction impacts and weights on the adolescents' counterconformity behavior. More interestingly, path analyses indicate that consumer self-confidence mediates the relationship between informational influence and counterconformity behavior only on the rubber stamp type. This study then discusses how the adolescent consumers' need for uniqueness could be used in better understanding consumer behavior and the role consumption plays in their expression of identity.

Explaining Consumer Safe Food Handling Through Behavior-Change Theories: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Young, Ian; Reimer, Danielle; Greig, Judy; Meldrum, Richard; Turgeon, Patricia; Waddell, Lisa

2017-11-01

Consumers often engage in unsafe food handling behaviors at home. Previous studies have investigated the ability of behavior-change theories to explain and predict these behaviors. The purpose of this review was to determine which theories are most consistently associated with consumers' safe food handling behaviors across the published literature. A standardized systematic review methodology was used, consisting of the following steps: comprehensive search strategy; relevance screening of identified references; confirmation of relevance and characterization of relevant articles; risk-of-bias assessment; data extraction; and descriptive analysis of study results. A total of 20 relevant studies were identified; they were mostly conducted in Australia (40%) and the United States (35%) and used a cross-sectional design (65%). Most studies targeted young adults (65%), and none focused on high-risk consumer groups. The outcomes of 70% of studies received high overall risk-of-bias ratings, largely due to a lack of control for confounding variables. The most commonly applied theory was the Theory of Planned Behavior (45% of studies), which, along with other investigated theories of behavior change, was frequently associated with consumer safe food handling behavioral intentions and behaviors. However, overall, there was wide variation in the specific constructs found to be significantly associated and in the percentage of variance explained in each outcome across studies. The results suggest that multiple theories of behavior change can help to explain consumer safe food handling behaviors and could be adopted to guide the development of future behavior-change interventions. In these contexts, theories should be appropriately selected and adapted to meet the needs of the specific target population and context of interest.

Does Consumer Confidence Forecast Household Saving and Borrowing Behavior? Evidence for Poland.

PubMed

Kłopocka, Aneta Maria

2017-01-01

Consumer confidence plays an important role in households' decision-making processes. This study investigates the effects of consumer confidence on household saving and borrowing behavior that are unsatisfactorily considered in previous discussions. The questions of interest are first, whether indexes of consumer confidence have any predictive power on their own for future household saving and borrowing rates, and second, whether they contain information about future household saving and borrowing rates aside from the information contained in other available indicators. In addition to aggregate confidence indicators, their components are used to provide more precise information. Overall, the multiple linear regression analysis (OLS technique) of Polish time-series data gives positive answers to both questions. This finding supports the recommendation of combining the strengths of objective indicators (such as economic fundamentals) and subjective indicators (such as consumer confidence) to improve household financial behavior forecasts.

Applying social marketing in health care: communicating evidence to change consumer behavior.

PubMed

Evans, W Douglas; McCormack, Lauren

2008-01-01

Social marketing uses commercial marketing strategies to change individual and organizational behavior and policies. It has been effective on a population level across a wide range of public health and health care domains. There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of social marketing in changing health care consumer behavior through its impact on patient-provider interaction or provider behavior. Social marketers need to identify translatable strategies (e.g., competition analysis, branding, and tailored messages) that can be applied to health care provider and consumer behavior. Three case studies from social marketing illustrate potential strategies to change provider and consumer behavior. Countermarketing is a rapidly growing social marketing strategy that has been effective in tobacco control and may be effective in countering pharmaceutical marketing using specific message strategies. Informed decision making is a useful strategy when there is medical uncertainty, such as in prostate cancer screening and treatment. Pharmaceutical industry marketing practices offer valuable lessons for developing competing messages to reach providers and consumers. Social marketing is an effective population-based behavior change strategy that can be applied in individual clinical settings and as a complement to reinforce messages communicated on a population level. There is a need for more research on message strategies that work in health care and population-level effectiveness studies.

Alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED): A critical review and meta‐analysis

PubMed Central

Benson, Sarah; Johnson, Sean J.; Alford, Chris; Godefroy, Samuel Benrejeb; Scholey, Andrew

2018-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to critically review the (1) prevalence of alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) consumption, (2) motives for AMED consumption, (3) correlates of AMED consumption, and (4) whether AMED consumption has an impact on (a) alcohol consumption, (b) subjective intoxication, and (c) risk‐taking behavior. Overall a minority of the population consumes AMED, typically infrequently. Motives for AMED consumption are predominantly hedonistic and social. Meta‐analyses revealed that AMED consumers drink significantly more alcohol than alcohol‐only (AO) consumers. Within‐subject comparisons restricted to AMED consumers revealed that alcohol consumption does not significantly differ between typical AMED and AO occasions. On past month heaviest drinking occasions, AMED users consume significantly less alcohol on AMED occasions when compared to AO occasions. AMED consumers experience significantly fewer negative consequences and risk‐taking behavior on AMED occasions compared with AO occasions. Meta‐analyses of subjective intoxication studies suggest that AMED consumption does not differentially affect subjective intoxication when compared to AO consumption. In conclusion, when compared to AO consumption, mixing alcohol with energy drink does not affect subjective intoxication and seems unlikely to increase total alcohol consumption, associated risk‐taking behavior, nor other negative alcohol‐related consequences. Further research may be necessary to fully reveal the effects of AMED. PMID:29417616

Using Consumer Behavior and Decision Models to Aid Students in Choosing a Major.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaynama, Shohreh A.; Smith, Louise W.

1996-01-01

A study found that using consumer behavior and decision models to guide students to a major can be useful and enjoyable for students. Students consider many of the basic parameters through multi-attribute and decision-analysis models, so time with professors, who were found to be the most influential group, can be used for more individual and…

Radical behaviorist interpretation: Generating and evaluating an account of consumer behavior.

PubMed

Foxall, G R

1998-01-01

This article considers an approach to the radical behaviorist interpretation of complex human social behavior. The chosen context is consumer psychology, a field currently dominated by cognitive models of purchase and consumption. The nature of operant interpretation is considered, and several levels of operant analysis of complex economic behavior in affluent marketing-oriented economies are developed. Empirical evidence for the interpretation is considered, and a case is made for the qualified use of the hypothetico-deductive method in the appraisal of operant interpretations of complex behaviors.

Radical behaviorist interpretation: Generating and evaluating an account of consumer behavior

PubMed Central

Foxall, Gordon R.

1998-01-01

This article considers an approach to the radical behaviorist interpretation of complex human social behavior. The chosen context is consumer psychology, a field currently dominated by cognitive models of purchase and consumption. The nature of operant interpretation is considered, and several levels of operant analysis of complex economic behavior in affluent marketing-oriented economies are developed. Empirical evidence for the interpretation is considered, and a case is made for the qualified use of the hypothetico-deductive method in the appraisal of operant interpretations of complex behaviors. PMID:22478315

A consumption value-gap analysis for sustainable consumption.

PubMed

Biswas, Aindrila

2017-03-01

Recent studies on consumption behavior have depicted environmental apprehension resulting from across wide consumer segments. However, this has not been widely reflected upon the growth in the market shares for green or environment-friendly products mostly because gaps exist between consumers' expectations and perceptions for those products. Previous studies have highlighted the impact of perceived value on potential demand, consumer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The necessity to understand the effects of gaps in expected and perceived values on consumers' behavioral intention and potential demand for green products cannot be undermined as it shapes the consumers' inclination to repeated purchase and consumption and thus foster potential market demand. Pertaining to this reason, the study aims to adopt a consumption value-gap model based on the theory of consumption values to assess their impact on sustainable consumption behavior and market demand of green products. Consumption value refers to the level of fulfillment of consumer needs by assessment of net utility derived after effective comparison between the benefits (financial or emotional) and the gives (money, time, or energy). The larger the gaps the higher will be the adversarial impact on behavioral intentions. A structural equation modeling was applied to assess data collected through questionnaire survey. The results indicate that functional value-gap and environmental value-gap has the most adversarial impact on sustainable consumption behavior and market demand for green products.

Psychosocial and demographic variables associated with consumer intention to purchase sustainably produced foods as defined by the Midwest Food Alliance.

PubMed

Robinson, Ramona; Smith, Chery

2002-01-01

To examine psychosocial and demographic variables associated with consumer intention to purchase sustainably produced foods using an expanded Theory of Planned Behavior. Consumers were approached at the store entrance and asked to complete a self-administered survey. Three metropolitan Minnesota grocery stores. Participants (n = 550) were adults who shopped at the store: the majority were white, female, and highly educated and earned >or= 50,000 dollars/year. Participation rates averaged 62%. The major domain investigated was consumer support for sustainably produced foods. Demographics, beliefs, attitudes, subjective norm, and self-identity and perceived behavioral control were evaluated as predictors of intention to purchase them. Descriptive statistics, independent t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product moment correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analyses (P <.05). Consumers were supportive of sustainably produced foods but not highly confident in their ability to purchase them. Independent predictors of intention to purchase them included attitudes, beliefs, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, past buying behavior, and marital status. Beliefs, attitudes, and confidence level may influence intention to purchase sustainably produced foods. Nutrition educators could increase consumers' awareness of sustainably produced foods by understanding their beliefs, attitudes, and confidence levels.

Focus Group Discussions: Three Examples from Family and Consumer Science Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrison, M. E. Betsy; Pierce, Sarah H.; Monroe, Pamela A.; Sasser, Diane D.; Shaffer, Amy C.; Blalock, Lydia B.

1999-01-01

Gives examples of the focus group method in terms of question development, group composition and recruitment, interview protocols, and data analysis as applied to three family and consumer-sciences research projects: consumer behavior of working female adolescents, work readiness of adult males with low educational attainment, and definition of…

The Effect of Doctor-Consumer Interaction on Social Media on Consumers’ Health Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Wu, Tailai; Deng, Zhaohua; Gaskin, Darrell J; Zhang, Donglan; Wang, Ruoxi

2018-01-01

Background Both doctors and consumers have engaged in using social media for health purposes. Social media has changed traditional one-to-one communication between doctors and patients to many-to-many communication between doctors and consumers. However, little is known about the effect of doctor-consumer interaction on consumers’ health behaviors. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate how doctor-consumer interaction in social media affects consumers’ health behaviors. Methods On the basis of professional-client interaction theory and social cognitive theory, we propose that doctor-consumer interaction can be divided into instrumental interaction and affective interaction. These two types of interactions influence consumers’ health behaviors through declarative knowledge (DK), self-efficacy (SE), and outcome expectancy (OE). To validate our proposed research model, we employed the survey method and developed corresponding measurement instruments for constructs in our research model. A total of 352 valid answers were collected, and partial least square was performed to analyze the data. Results Instrumental doctor-consumer interaction was found to influence consumers’ DK (t294=5.763, P<.001), SE (t294=4.891, P<.001), and OE (t294=7.554, P<.001) significantly, whereas affective doctor-consumer interaction also impacted consumers’ DK (t294=4.025, P<.001), SE (t294=4.775, P<.001), and OE (t294=4.855, P<.001). Meanwhile, consumers’ DK (t294=3.838, P<.001), SE (t294=3.824, P<.001), and OE (t294=2.985, P<.01) all significantly affected consumers’ health behaviors. Our mediation analysis showed that consumers’ DK, SE, and OE partially mediated the effect of instrumental interaction on health behaviors, whereas the three mediators fully mediated the effect of affective interaction on health behaviors. Conclusions Compared with many intentional intervention programs, doctor-consumer interaction can be treated as a natural cost-effective intervention to promote consumers’ health behaviors. Meanwhile, both instrumental and affective interaction should be highlighted for the best interaction results. DK, SE, and OE are working mechanisms of doctor-consumer interaction. PMID:29490892

Alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED): A critical review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Verster, Joris C; Benson, Sarah; Johnson, Sean J; Alford, Chris; Godefroy, Samuel Benrejeb; Scholey, Andrew

2018-03-01

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to critically review the (1) prevalence of alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) consumption, (2) motives for AMED consumption, (3) correlates of AMED consumption, and (4) whether AMED consumption has an impact on (a) alcohol consumption, (b) subjective intoxication, and (c) risk-taking behavior. Overall a minority of the population consumes AMED, typically infrequently. Motives for AMED consumption are predominantly hedonistic and social. Meta-analyses revealed that AMED consumers drink significantly more alcohol than alcohol-only (AO) consumers. Within-subject comparisons restricted to AMED consumers revealed that alcohol consumption does not significantly differ between typical AMED and AO occasions. On past month heaviest drinking occasions, AMED users consume significantly less alcohol on AMED occasions when compared to AO occasions. AMED consumers experience significantly fewer negative consequences and risk-taking behavior on AMED occasions compared with AO occasions. Meta-analyses of subjective intoxication studies suggest that AMED consumption does not differentially affect subjective intoxication when compared to AO consumption. In conclusion, when compared to AO consumption, mixing alcohol with energy drink does not affect subjective intoxication and seems unlikely to increase total alcohol consumption, associated risk-taking behavior, nor other negative alcohol-related consequences. Further research may be necessary to fully reveal the effects of AMED. © 2018 The Authors Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The evolution of risk perceptions related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy--Canadian consumer and producer behavior.

PubMed

Yang, Jun; Goddard, Ellen

2011-01-01

In this study the dynamics of risk perceptions related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) held by Canadian consumers and cow-calf producers were evaluated. Since the first domestic case of BSE in 2003, Canadian consumers and cow-calf producers have needed to make decisions on whether or not their purchasing/production behavior should change. Such changes in their behavior may relate to their levels of risk perceptions about BSE, risk perceptions that may be evolving over time and be affected by BSE media information available. An econometric analysis of the behavior of consumers and cow-calf producers might identify the impacts of evolving BSE risk perceptions. Risk perceptions related to BSE are evaluated through observed market behavior, an approach that differs from traditional stated preference approaches to eliciting risk perceptions at a particular point in time. BSE risk perceptions may be specified following a Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF) derived from sociology, psychology, and economics. Based on the SARF, various quality and quantity indices related to BSE media information are used as explanatory variables in risk perception equations. Risk perceptions are approximated using a predictive difference approach as defined by Liu et al. (1998). Results showed that Canadian consumer and cow-calf producer risk perceptions related to BSE have been amplified or attenuated by both quantity and quality of BSE media information. Government policies on risk communications need to address the different roles of BSE information in Canadian consumers' and cow-calf producers' behavior.

Model of personal consumption under conditions of modern economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakhmatullina, D. K.; Akhmetshina, E. R.; Ignatjeva, O. A.

2017-12-01

In the conditions of the modern economy, in connection with the development of production, the expansion of the market for goods and services, its differentiation, active use of marketing tools in the sphere of sales, changes occur in the system of values and consumer needs. Motives that drive the consumer are transformed, stimulating it to activity. The article presents a model of personal consumption that takes into account modern trends in consumer behavior. The consumer, making a choice, seeks to maximize the overall utility from consumption, physiological and socio-psychological satisfaction, in accordance with his expectations, preferences and conditions of consumption. The system of his preferences is formed under the influence of factors of a different nature. It is also shown that the structure of consumer spending allows us to characterize and predict its further behavior in the market. Based on the proposed model and analysis of current trends in consumer behavior, conclusions and recommendations have been made that can be used by legislative and executive government bodies, business organizations, research centres and other structures to form a methodological and analytical tool for preparing a forecast model of consumption.

Housing, Equipment, and Design Research and Scholarship: A Family and Consumer Sciences Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beamish, Julia O.; Ahn, Mira; Seiling, Sharon

2001-01-01

Analysis of research on housing, equipment, and design (n=333) in the Journal of Home Economics/Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences (1985-2000), Home Economics Research Journal/Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal (1985- 2000), and Housing and Society (1985-1999) found that articles declined by more than 50% and behavior theories were…

The Evolution of Research in Family and Consumer Sciences: Food, Nutrition, and Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Eleanor D.

2001-01-01

Analysis of research on food, nutrition, and health in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal 1985-2000 (n=172) identified four categories: (1) changes in dietary standards and nutrient requirements; (2) public policy and guidance on nutrition; (3) food behavior and nutrition intervention; and…

Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea

PubMed Central

Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis indicated that "tradition seekers" and "convenience seekers" should be regarded as the target segments. Chi-square tests and t-tests of the subdivided groups showed there were significant differences across marital status, education level, family type, eating-out expenditure, place of purchase, and reason for purchase. In conclusion, the tradition seekers consumed more ready-to-eat foods from discount marts or specialty stores and ate them between meals more often than the convenience seekers. In contrast, the convenience seekers purchased more ready-to-eat foods at convenience stores and ate them as meals more often than the tradition seekers. These findings suggest that ready-to-eat food market segmentation based on food-related lifestyles can be applied to develop proper marketing strategies. PMID:20827350

Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea.

PubMed

Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin; Ryu, Kisang

2010-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis indicated that "tradition seekers" and "convenience seekers" should be regarded as the target segments. Chi-square tests and t-tests of the subdivided groups showed there were significant differences across marital status, education level, family type, eating-out expenditure, place of purchase, and reason for purchase. In conclusion, the tradition seekers consumed more ready-to-eat foods from discount marts or specialty stores and ate them between meals more often than the convenience seekers. In contrast, the convenience seekers purchased more ready-to-eat foods at convenience stores and ate them as meals more often than the tradition seekers. These findings suggest that ready-to-eat food market segmentation based on food-related lifestyles can be applied to develop proper marketing strategies.

On the tautology of the matching law in consumer behavior analysis.

PubMed

Curry, Bruce; Foxall, Gordon R; Sigurdsson, Valdimar

2010-05-01

Matching analysis has often attracted the criticism that it is formally tautological and hence empirically unfalsifiable, a problem that particularly affects translational attempts to extend behavior analysis into new areas. An example is consumer behavior analysis where application of matching in natural settings requires the inference of ratio-based relationships between amount purchased and amount spent. This gives rise to the argument that matching is an artifact of the way in which the alleged independent and dependent variables are defined and measured. We argue that the amount matching law would be tautological only in extreme circumstances (those in which prices or quantities move strictly in proportion); this is because of the presence of an error term in the matching function which arises from aggregation, particularly aggregation over brands. Cost matching is a viable complement of amount matching which avoids this tautology but a complete explanation of consumer choice requires a viable measure of amount matching also. This necessitates a more general solution to the problem of tautology in matching. In general, the fact that there remain doubts about the functional form of the matching equation itself implies the absence of a tautology. In proposing a general solution to the problem of assumed tautology in matching, the paper notes the experiences of matching researchers in another translation field, sports behavior. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A small frog that makes a big difference: brain wave testing of TV advertisements.

PubMed

Ohme, Rafal; Matukin, Michal

2012-01-01

It is important for the marketing industry to better understand the role of the unconscious and emotions in advertising communication and shopping behavior. Yet, traditional consumer research is not enough for such a purpose. Conventional paper-and-pencil or verbal declarations favor conscious pragmatism and functionality as the principles underlying consumer decisions and motives. These approaches should be combined with an emerging discipline (consumer neuroscience or neuromarketing) to examine the brain and its functioning in the context of consumer choices. It has been widely acknowledged that patterns of brain activity are closely related to consumers cognition and behavior. Thus, the analysis of consumers neurophysiology may increase the understanding of how consumers process incoming information and how they use their memory and react emotionally (See "Three Types of Brain Wave Research on TV Advertisements"): Moreover, as the majority of consumer mental processes occur below the level of conscious awareness, observations of the brain reactions enable researchers to reach the very core (which is consciously inaccessible) foundations of consumer decisions, emotions, motivations, and preferences.

An Econometric Examination of the Behavioral Perspective Model in the Context of Norwegian Retailing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sigurdsson, Valdimar; Kahamseh, Saeed; Gunnarsson, Didrik; Larsen, Nils Magne; Foxall, Gordon R.

2013-01-01

The behavioral perspective model's (BPM; Foxall, 1990) retailing literature is built on extensive empirical research and techniques that were originally refined in choice experiments in behavioral economics and behavior analysis, and then tested mostly on British consumer panel data. We test the BPM in the context of Norwegian retailing. This…

Recycling Pricing and Coordination of WEEE Dual-Channel Closed-Loop Supply Chain Considering Consumers' Bargaining.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaodong; Wang, Jing; Tang, Juan

2017-12-15

Environmentally friendly handling and efficient recycling of waste electrical on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) have grown to be a global social problem. As holders of WEEE, consumers have a significant effect on the recycling process. A consideration of and attention to the influence of consumer behavior in the recycling process can help achieve more effective recycling of WEEE. In this paper, we built a dual-channel closed-loop supply chain model composed of manufacturers, retailers, and network recycling platforms. Based on the influence of customer bargaining behavior, we studied several different scenarios of centralized decision-making, decentralized decision-making, and contract coordination, using the Stackelberg game theory. The results show that retailers and network recycling platforms will reduce the direct recovery prices to maintain their own profit when considering the impact of consumer bargaining behavior, while remanufacturers will improve the transfer payment price for surrendering part of the profit under revenue and the expense sharing contract. Using this contract, we can achieve supply chain coordination and eliminate the effect of consumer bargaining behavior on supply chain performance. It can be viewed from the parameter sensitivity analysis that when we select the appropriate sharing coefficient, the closed-loop supply chain can achieve the same system performance under a centralized decision.

An empirical study of experiential value and lifestyles and their effects on satisfaction in adolescents: an example using online gaming.

PubMed

Shieh, Kwei-Fen; Cheng, Ming-Sung

2007-01-01

This study tests a consumer behavioral model on Taiwanese adolescents and young adults engaging in online gaming. The major focus is on how these consumers transfer the value of their experiences and lifestyles to satisfaction, which may assist in the further exploration of the specific consumption behavior characteristics of adolescents and young adults, particularly with regard to their social functioning and deep-seated psychological needs. Using a two-stage sampling design process, data were collected on a total of 211 consumers, with the statistical analysis methods adopted for this study including a reliability test, confirmatory factor analysis, and LISREL analysis. Our results indicate that causal relationships hold in certain experiential value and lifestyle constructs. In particular, two experiential value constructs (social function, empathy and escapism) and two lifestyle constructs (pursuit of recreation and taste for life, reference group) play major roles that affect satisfaction among adolescents and young adults in online gaming in Taiwan.

An Empirical Analysis of Elderly Consumers' Complaining Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jinkook; Soberon-Ferrer, Horacio

1999-01-01

Data from 957 adults (493 over 65) revealed the elderly were less likely to report dissatisfying consumer experiences; those who do express dissatisfaction were as likely as younger adults to take action. Education level was significant in younger adults' dissatisfaction. Attitudes toward business were associated with older adults' complaint…

On the Evolutionary Bases of Consumer Reinforcement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Michael; Xiao, Sarah Hong

2010-01-01

This article locates consumer behavior analysis within the modern neo-Darwinian synthesis, seeking to establish an interface between the ultimate-level theorizing of human evolutionary psychology and the proximate level of inquiry typically favored by operant learning theorists. Following an initial overview of the central tenets of neo-Darwinism,…

[Psychoactive substance use and violent behavior 11-18 year-old students. Itagüí, Colombia].

PubMed

Chavarriaga-Rios, Marcia C; Segura-Cardona, Ángela M

2015-10-01

Objective To determine the association between consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS) and violent behavior in middle and high school students (grades 6 to 11) in the municipality of Itagui, Colombia. Method Cross-sectional study with a random sample of 646 middle and high school students. Participants volunteered to fill out the survey independently and consent was provided. Participants' identity was kept anonymous. The survey contained questions regarding socio-demographic characteristics, PAS consumption and violent behavior. For these variables a descriptive analysis was conducted. In addition, prevalence ratios and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Lastly, a multivariate analysis was performed to determine association and risk factors. Results 646 students satisfactorily answered the survey. The median age was 15 years [Rq 3]. From this sample, 45.6 % (295) were male and 54.3 % (351) were female; 59.3 % (383) had a low socio-economic status, 38.9 % (251) have a medium socio-economic status, and 0.8 % (5) have a high socio-economic status. Regarding PAS consumption, 53.4% (345) of the participants reported to have consumed at least one PAS; 46.9 % (162/345) reported to have consumed alcohol within the last year; 15.3 % (53/345) reported to have consumed marihuana. All consumed substances were found to be associated with and were identified as a risk factor for violent behavior. Conclusions SPA consumption is associated with youth violent behavior and represents a risk factor to perform such behavior. Substances such as heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy, represent greater risk when compared to other analyzed PAS. When the other variables were adjusted, cigarettes and inhalants consumption, among others, were no longer a risk factor.

Incorporating Transformative Consumer Research into the Consumer Behavior Course Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petkus, Ed, Jr.

2010-01-01

In contrast to understanding consumer behavior for the benefit of business organizations, transformative consumer research (TCR) seeks to understand consumer behavior for the benefit of consumers themselves. Following Mari's (2008) call for the incorporation of TCR in doctoral programs in marketing, this article outlines the relevance of TCR to…

Relating residue in raccoon feces to food consumed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenwood, R.J.

1979-01-01

Feeding tests were conducted with captive raccoons (Procyon lotor) to permit more meaningful interpretation of food habit data obtained from fecal analysis. Ten diverse types of natural foods were offered in 20 tests. Digestibility coefficients were calculated that ranged from 3.6 for dry sunflowers, where considerable residue was recovered, to infinity for earthworms and boned meat where no residue was recovered. The influence of differences in both food and animal behavior on digestibility coefficients was significant (ANOVA, F<0.001). The use of digestibility coefficients to adjust quantitative estimates of fecal residue or to predict biomass consumed is of questionable value with raccoons due to variability in foods consumed and behavior of individual animals.

Smoking, alcohol consumption and betal-quid chewing among young adult Myanmar laborers in Thailand.

PubMed

Htin, Kyaw; Howteerakull, Nopporn; Suwannapong, Nawarat; TipayamongkholgulI, Mathuros

2014-07-01

Health-risk behaviors among young adults are a serious public health problem. This cross sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of single and concurrent multiple health-risk behaviors: smoking tobacco, consuming alcohol, and chewing betel quid among young adult Myanmar laborers in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. Three hundred Myanmar laborers, aged 18-24 years, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. About 33.6% reported no risk behaviors, 24.7% had one, and 41.7% had two or three risk behaviors. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed six variables were significantly associated with health-risk behaviors: male gender, high/moderate custom/traditional influences, friends who smoked/consumed alcohol/chewed betel quid, and exposure to betel-quid chewing by other family members.

Protein Supplement Usage Among Male University Students: Comparisons Between Current and Previous Users.

PubMed

Sung, Youngmo; Choi, Jinkyung

2018-02-01

Interest in specialized dietary supplements is leading market growth, and protein supplements are popular for increasing muscle mass among young males. Therefore, this study investigated the attitudes toward and satisfaction with protein supplements to identify detailed consumer behaviors related to the consumption of protein supplements. The study sample includes male university students in their 20s in South Korea. In total, 223 responses were entered for analysis. Questions related to attitudes, satisfaction, and future behavioral intentions were asked using 5-point Likert scales. The responses were divided into two groups, current and previous users, to identify significant differences in terms of attitudes, satisfaction, and future behavioral intentions. A descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression were run. The majority of respondents prefer the powdered form of supplements in bulk with a price range between 30,000 won and 60,000 won. Online shopping was preferred, while word of mouth and friends/family were considered credible information sources. The most common side effects experienced were problems with digestion and hives, although more than 78% did not experience side effects. In comparison between current and previous users in terms of attitudes and satisfaction, the following areas showed significances. Regarding attitudes, the importance of brand, preference for products from overseas, the search for nutritional facts, and reading carefully all product information were significant, while regarding satisfaction, price, effectiveness, and ease of consumption were significant. All significances showed that current users had more positive attitudes and greater satisfaction. Overall, consumers' satisfaction regarding ease of consumption influenced future behavioral intentions. The market for protein supplements has been growing, so measuring consumers' attitudes and satisfaction would help attract potential consumers. In addition, analyzing previous users' opinions on products could guide product development and encourage customers to return for repurchase.

Waste reduction through consumer education. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrison, E.Z.

The Waste Reduction through Consumer Education research project was conducted to determine how environmental educational strategies influence purchasing behavior in the supermarket. The objectives were to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate consumer education strategies for waste reduction. The amount of waste generated by packaging size and form, with an adjustment for local recyclability of waste, was determined for 14 product categories identified as having more waste generating and less waste generating product choices (a total of 484 products). Using supermarket scan data and shopper identification numbers, the research tracked the purchases of shoppers in groups receiving different education treatments for 9more » months. Statistical tests applied to the purchase data assessed patterns of change between the groups by treatment period. Analysis of the data revealed few meaningful statistical differences between study groups or changes in behavior over time. Findings suggest that broad brush consumer education about waste reduction is not effective in changing purchasing behaviors in the short term. However, it may help create a general awareness of the issues surrounding excess packaging and consumer responsibility. The study concludes that the answer to waste reduction in the future may be a combination of voluntary initiatives by manufacturers and retailers, governmental intervention, and better-informed consumers.« less

Environmental Assessment of Packaging: The Consumer Point of View

PubMed

Van Dam YK

1996-09-01

When marketing environmentally responsible packaged products, the producer is confronted with consumer beliefs concerning the environmental friendliness of packaging materials. When making environmentally conscious packaging decisions, these consumer beliefs should be taken into account alongside the technical guidelines. Dutch consumer perceptions of the environmental friendliness of packaged products are reported and compared with the results of a life-cycle analysis assessment. It is shown that consumers judge environmental friendliness mainly from material and returnability. Furthermore, the consumer perception of the environmental friendliness of packaging material is based on the postconsumption waste, whereas the environmental effects of production are ignored. From the consumer beliefs concerning environmental friendliness implications are deduced for packaging policy and for environmental policy.KEY WORDS: Consumer behavior; Environment; Food; Packaging; Perception; Waste

Dealing with consumer differences in liking during repeated exposure to food; typical dynamics in rating behavior.

PubMed

Dalenberg, Jelle R; Nanetti, Luca; Renken, Remco J; de Wijk, René A; Ter Horst, Gert J

2014-01-01

Consumers show high interindividual variability in food liking during repeated exposure. To investigate consumer liking during repeated exposure, data is often interpreted on a product level by averaging results over all consumers. However, a single product may elicit inconsistent behaviors in consumers; averaging will mix and hide possible subgroups of consumer behaviors, leading to a misinterpretation of the results. To deal with the variability in consumer liking, we propose to use clustering on data from consumer-product combinations to investigate the nature of the behavioral differences within the complete dataset. The resulting behavioral clusters can then be used to describe product acceptance. To test this approach we used two independent data sets in which young adults were repeatedly exposed to drinks and snacks, respectively. We found that five typical consumer behaviors existed in both datasets. These behaviors differed both in the average level of liking as well as its temporal dynamics. By investigating the distribution of a single product across typical consumer behaviors, we provide more precise insight in how consumers divide in subgroups based on their product liking (i.e. product modality). This work shows that taking into account and using interindividual differences can unveil information about product acceptance that would otherwise be ignored.

Dealing with Consumer Differences in Liking during Repeated Exposure to Food; Typical Dynamics in Rating Behavior

PubMed Central

Dalenberg, Jelle R.; Nanetti, Luca; Renken, Remco J.; de Wijk, René A.; ter Horst, Gert J.

2014-01-01

Consumers show high interindividual variability in food liking during repeated exposure. To investigate consumer liking during repeated exposure, data is often interpreted on a product level by averaging results over all consumers. However, a single product may elicit inconsistent behaviors in consumers; averaging will mix and hide possible subgroups of consumer behaviors, leading to a misinterpretation of the results. To deal with the variability in consumer liking, we propose to use clustering on data from consumer-product combinations to investigate the nature of the behavioral differences within the complete dataset. The resulting behavioral clusters can then be used to describe product acceptance. To test this approach we used two independent data sets in which young adults were repeatedly exposed to drinks and snacks, respectively. We found that five typical consumer behaviors existed in both datasets. These behaviors differed both in the average level of liking as well as its temporal dynamics. By investigating the distribution of a single product across typical consumer behaviors, we provide more precise insight in how consumers divide in subgroups based on their product liking (i.e. product modality). This work shows that taking into account and using interindividual differences can unveil information about product acceptance that would otherwise be ignored. PMID:24667832

The spread model of food safety risk under the supply-demand disturbance.

PubMed

Wang, Jining; Chen, Tingqiang

2016-01-01

In this paper, based on the imbalance of the supply-demand relationship of food, we design a spreading model of food safety risk, which is about from food producers to consumers in the food supply chain. We use theoretical analysis and numerical simulation to describe the supply-demand relationship and government supervision behaviors' influence on the risk spread of food safety and the behaviors of the food producers and the food retailers. We also analyze the influence of the awareness of consumer rights protection and the level of legal protection of consumer rights on the risk spread of food safety. This model contributes to the explicit investigation of the influence relationship among supply-demand factors, the regulation behavioral choice of government, the behavioral choice of food supply chain members and food safety risk spread. And this paper provides a new viewpoint for considering food safety risk spread in the food supply chain, which has a great reference for food safety management.

Validation of the Consumer Values versus Perceived Product Attributes Model Measuring the Purchase of Athletic Team Merchandise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Donghun; Byon, Kevin K.; Schoenstedt, Linda; Johns, Gary; Bussell, Leigh Ann; Choi, Hwansuk

2012-01-01

Various consumer values and perceived product attributes trigger consumptive behaviors of athletic team merchandise (Lee, Trail, Kwon, & Anderson, 2011). Likewise, using a principal component analysis technique on a student sample, a measurement scale was proposed that consisted of nine factors affecting the purchase of athletic team…

Trick or Treat? An Examination of Marketing Relationships in a Nondeceptive Counterfeit Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiao, Sarah Hong; Nicholson, Michael

2010-01-01

Who is most responsible for the proliferation of counterfeit goods--the illicit purveyor of such products or the consumer who procures them? This paper seeks to address this question by presenting a behavior analysis of counterfeit marketing firms in China and the interdependent relationships between legitimate retailers, consumers, and the…

Why Consumers Choose Managed Mutual Funds over Index Funds: Hypotheses from Consumer Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenstein, Donald R.; Kaufmann, Patrick J.; Bhagat, Sanjai

1999-01-01

Using the literature of psychology, consumer behavior, and behavioral finance, a series of hypotheses is presented that account for consumer choices of managed over index mutual funds. Results indicate a need for consumer education to increase awareness of the benefits of index investing. (SK)

Tobacco Regulation and Cost-Benefit Analysis: How Should We Value Foregone Consumer Surplus?

PubMed

Levy, Helen G; Norton, Edward C; Smith, Jeffrey A

2018-01-01

Recent tobacco regulations proposed by the Food and Drug Administration have raised a thorny question: how should the cost-benefit analysis accompanying such policies value foregone consumer surplus associated with regulation-induced reductions in smoking? In a model with rational and fully informed consumers, this question is straightforward. There is disagreement, however, about whether consumers are rational and fully informed, and the literature offers little practical guidance about what approach the FDA should use if they are not. In this paper, we outline the history of the FDA's recent attempts to regulate cigarettes and other tobacco products and how they have valued foregone consumer surplus in cost-benefit analyses. We advocate replacing the approach used in most of this literature, which first calculates health gains associated with regulation and then "offsets" them by some factor reflecting consumer surplus losses, with a more general behavioral public finance framework for welfare analysis. This framework applies standard tools of welfare analysis to consumer demand that may be "biased" (that is, not necessarily rational and fully informed) without requiring specific assumptions about the reason for the bias. This framework would require estimates of both biased and unbiased consumer demand; we sketch an agenda to help develop these in the context of smoking. The use of this framework would substantially reduce the confusion currently surrounding welfare analysis of tobacco regulation.

Tobacco Regulation and Cost-Benefit Analysis: How Should We Value Foregone Consumer Surplus?

PubMed Central

Levy, Helen G.; Norton, Edward C.; Smith, Jeffrey A.

2016-01-01

Recent tobacco regulations proposed by the Food and Drug Administration have raised a thorny question: how should the cost-benefit analysis accompanying such policies value foregone consumer surplus associated with regulation-induced reductions in smoking? In a model with rational and fully informed consumers, this question is straightforward. There is disagreement, however, about whether consumers are rational and fully informed, and the literature offers little practical guidance about what approach the FDA should use if they are not. In this paper, we outline the history of the FDA’s recent attempts to regulate cigarettes and other tobacco products and how they have valued foregone consumer surplus in cost-benefit analyses. We advocate replacing the approach used in most of this literature, which first calculates health gains associated with regulation and then “offsets” them by some factor reflecting consumer surplus losses, with a more general behavioral public finance framework for welfare analysis. This framework applies standard tools of welfare analysis to consumer demand that may be “biased” (that is, not necessarily rational and fully informed) without requiring specific assumptions about the reason for the bias. This framework would require estimates of both biased and unbiased consumer demand; we sketch an agenda to help develop these in the context of smoking. The use of this framework would substantially reduce the confusion currently surrounding welfare analysis of tobacco regulation. PMID:29404381

A content analysis of preconception health education materials: characteristics, strategies, and clinical-behavioral components.

PubMed

Levis, Denise M; Westbrook, Kyresa

2013-01-01

Many health organizations and practitioners in the United States promote preconception health (PCH) to consumers. However, summaries and evaluations of PCH promotional activities are limited. We conducted a content analysis of PCH health education materials collected from local-, state-, national-, and federal-level partners by using an existing database of partners, outreach to maternal and child health organizations, and a snowball sampling technique. Not applicable. Not applicable. Thirty-two materials were included for analysis, based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. A codebook guided coding of materials' characteristics (type, authorship, language, cost), use of marketing and behavioral strategies to reach the target population (target audience, message framing, call to action), and inclusion of PCH subject matter (clinical-behavioral components). The self-assessment of PCH behaviors was the most common material (28%) to appear in the sample. Most materials broadly targeted women, and there was a near-equal distribution in targeting by pregnancy planning status segments (planners and nonplanners). "Practicing PCH benefits the baby's health" was the most common message frame used. Materials contained a wide range of clinical-behavioral components. Strategic targeting of subgroups of consumers is an important but overlooked strategy. More research is needed around PCH components, in terms of packaging and increasing motivation, which could guide use and placement of clinical-behavioral components within promotional materials.

[Good for your health? An analysis of the requirements for scientific substantiation in European health claims regulation].

PubMed

Todt, Oliver; Luján, José Luis

2016-06-01

To identify the various types of evidence, as well as their relative importance in European health claims regulation, in order to analyze the consequences for consumer protection of the requirements for scientific substantiation in this regulation. Qualitative analysis of various documents relevant to the regulatory process, particularly as to the implications of the standards of proof for the functional food market, as well as consumer behavior. European regulation defines a hierarchy of evidence that turns randomized controlled trials into a necessary and sufficient condition for health claim authorizations. Consumer protection can be interpreted in different manners. High standards of proof protect consumers from false information about the health outcomes of functional foods, while lower standards lead to more, albeit less accurate information about such outcomes being available to consumers.

Trust in online prescription drug information among internet users: the impact on information search behavior after exposure to direct-to-consumer advertising.

PubMed

Menon, Ajit M; Deshpande, Aparna D; Perri, Matthew; Zinkhan, George M

2002-01-01

The proliferation of both manufacturer-controlled and independent medication-related websites has aroused concern among consumers and policy-makers concerning the trustworthiness of Web-based drug information. The authors examine consumers' trust in on-line prescription drug information and its influence on information search behavior. The study design involves a retrospective analysis of data from a 1998 national survey. The findings reveal that trust in drug information from traditional media sources such as television and newspapers transfers to the domain of the Internet. Furthermore, a greater trust in on-line prescription drug information stimulates utilization of the Internet for information search after exposure to prescription drug advertising.

Consumer Behavior Analysis of Fair Trade Coffee: Evidence from Field Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratton, Jeanine P.; Werner, Matt J.

2013-01-01

Consumers have shown increased interest in purchasing goods with pro- environmental claims or products that promote societal well-being, such as fair wages paid to farmers of the raw materials and workers in the manufacturing process of a good (e.g., social product labels, including Fair Trade). However, few studies have explored actual purchase…

An exploratory analysis of behavioral health care use within families.

PubMed

Lave, Judith R; Peele, Pamela B; Xu, Ying; Scholle, Sarah H; Pincus, Harold Alan

2002-06-01

The authors studied enrollees in employer-sponsored managed health plans to determine the extent of multiple behavioral health consumers within families, use of behavioral health services by employees who have another family member using such services, congruence of diagnoses between two family members using behavioral health services, and the effect on covered charge per behavioral health consumer when other family members use behavioral health services. Claims data from 911 plans sold or managed by a single managed behavioral health care company were examined. The plans provided coverage for 724,789 employees and covered about 1.7 million lives. Family members of employees were identified by the relationship codes on the claims. Service utilization rates were calculated for employees overall and for employees who had spouses or children who used behavioral health services. Mean and median covered charges were determined and were examined by number and type of consumers in the family. The use of behavioral health services was greater among employees whose children or spouses used behavioral health services. Utilization rates varied by the child's or spouse's diagnoses. More than 50 percent of male employees whose children received treatment for a depressive disorder also received such treatment. Congruence of diagnoses within families was noted. Covered charges per person generally increased with the number of family members who used behavioral health services. Greater knowledge about patterns of use of behavioral health services within families may help in improving access to care and developing more effective family interventions.

Behavior analysis in consumer affairs: Retail and consumer response to publicizing food price information

PubMed Central

Greene, Brandon F.; Rouse, Mark; Green, Richard B.; Clay, Connie

1984-01-01

A popular program among consumer action groups involves publicizing comparative food price information (CFPI) gathered from retail stores. Its significance is based on the assumption that publishing CFPI maximizes retail competition (i.e., moderates price levels or price increases) and occasions more frugal store selections among consumers. We tested these assumptions during a 2-year analysis. Specifically, we monitored the prices of two distinct market baskets in the supermarkets of two midwestern cities (target and contrast cities). Following a lengthy baseline, we published the prices of only one of the market baskets at stores in the target city in the local newspaper on five different occasions. The results suggested that reductions in price inflation occurred for both market baskets at the independently operated target stores. The corporate chain stores were not similarly affected. In addition, surveys indicated that many consumers used the CFPI as a basis for store selection. Finally, the analysis included a discussion of the politics, economics, and future of CFPI programs. PMID:16795672

Affect or cognition: which is more influencing older adult consumers' loyalty?

PubMed

Kaur, Deepraj; Mustika, Martina Dwi; Sjabadhyni, Bertina

2018-04-01

In studies on consumer behavior science, it is argued that brand affect, consumer satisfaction, and disconfirmation influence brand loyalty. This study aims to investigate whether the interaction of brand affect and cognition predicts brand loyalty in older adult consumers if consumer satisfaction is considered. A group of 344 older adult consumers participated and a mediated moderation analysis of the data was used to test our hypotheses. The results showed that consumer satisfaction increased the relationship between brand affect and brand loyalty in older adult consumers. However, disconfirmation did not influence that relationship. It can be concluded that the loyalty of older adult consumers toward a brand was more likely to be influenced by their affection than their cognition. Therefore, marketers should design products that better satisfy this population group and create loyalty to the product through enhancing affect connections.

Apps of Steel: Are Exercise Apps Providing Consumers with Realistic Expectations?: A Content Analysis of Exercise Apps for Presence of Behavior Change Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, Logan T.; Van Wagenen, Sarah A.; Brown, Brittany A.; Hedin, Riley J.; Seino-Stephan, Yukiko; Hall, P. Cougar; West, Joshua H.

2013-01-01

Objective. To quantify the presence of health behavior theory constructs in iPhone apps targeting physical activity. Methods. This study used a content analysis of 127 apps from Apple's (App Store) "Health & Fitness" category. Coders downloaded the apps and then used an established theory-based instrument to rate each app's inclusion of…

Licensing Behavior Analysts: Risks and Alternatives

PubMed Central

Green, Gina; Johnston, James M

2009-01-01

Under certain conditions, obtaining state laws to license practitioners of behavior analysis might be feasible and could produce benefits for practitioners and consumers. Those conditions are not yet in place in most states, however, and pursuing licensure prematurely carries substantial risks for the entire field. We describe the most serious risks and the conditions that make it more or less likely that licensure initiatives will succeed. Finally, we recommend strategies for securing recognition of practitioners of behavior analysis in laws, regulations, and policies that can minimize risks. PMID:22477698

Contributions of Socialization Theory to Consumer Behavior Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Scott

1978-01-01

Socialization theory can contribute to consumer research because it focuses on (1) youth and development, (2) interaction of factors affecting consumer behavior, and (3) linkages between mental processes and overt behavior. Various approaches to socialization research and consumer research are described, including cognitive development and…

Recycling Pricing and Coordination of WEEE Dual-Channel Closed-Loop Supply Chain Considering Consumers’ Bargaining

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiaodong; Wang, Jing; Tang, Juan

2017-01-01

Environmentally friendly handling and efficient recycling of waste electrical on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) have grown to be a global social problem. As holders of WEEE, consumers have a significant effect on the recycling process. A consideration of and attention to the influence of consumer behavior in the recycling process can help achieve more effective recycling of WEEE. In this paper, we built a dual-channel closed-loop supply chain model composed of manufacturers, retailers, and network recycling platforms. Based on the influence of customer bargaining behavior, we studied several different scenarios of centralized decision-making, decentralized decision-making, and contract coordination, using the Stackelberg game theory. The results show that retailers and network recycling platforms will reduce the direct recovery prices to maintain their own profit when considering the impact of consumer bargaining behavior, while remanufacturers will improve the transfer payment price for surrendering part of the profit under revenue and the expense sharing contract. Using this contract, we can achieve supply chain coordination and eliminate the effect of consumer bargaining behavior on supply chain performance. It can be viewed from the parameter sensitivity analysis that when we select the appropriate sharing coefficient, the closed-loop supply chain can achieve the same system performance under a centralized decision. PMID:29244778

Explaining Cigarette Smoking: An Endogenous-Exogenous Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKillip, Jack

Kruglanski's endogenous-exogenous partition, when applied to reasons given by smokers for smoking cigarettes, distinguishes two types of actions: (1) endogenous reasons implying that the behavior of consuming the cigarette is the goal of the action and the actor is positive toward the behavior, and (2) exogenous reasons implying that the behavior…

Rasch Analysis of Professional Behavior in Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, R.; Verhulst, S. J.; Roberts, N. K.; Dorsey, J. K.

2015-01-01

The use of students' "consumer feedback" to assess faculty behavior and improve the process of medical education is a significant challenge. We used quantitative Rasch measurement to analyze pre-categorized student comments listed by 385 graduating medical students. We found that students differed little with respect to the number of…

Statistical inference of empirical constituents in partitioned analysis from integral-effect experiments: An application in thermo-mechanical coupling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stevens, Garrison N.; Atamturktur, Sez; Brown, D. Andrew

Rapid advancements in parallel computing over the last two decades have enabled simulations of complex, coupled systems through partitioning. In partitioned analysis, independently developed constituent models communicate, representing dependencies between multiple physical phenomena that occur in the full system. Figure 1 schematically demonstrates a coupled system with two constituent models, each resolving different physical behavior. In this figure, the constituent model, denoted as the “consumer,” relies upon some input parameter that is being provided by the constituent model acting as a “feeder”. The role of the feeder model is to map operating conditions (i.e. those that are stimulating the process)more » to consumer inputs, thus providing functional inputs to the consumer model*. Problems arise if the feeder model cannot be built–a challenge that is prevalent for highly complex systems in extreme operational conditions that push the limits of our understanding of underlying physical behavior. Often, these are also the situations where separate-effect experiments isolating the physical phenomena are not available; meaning that experimentally determining the unknown constituent behavior is not possible (Bauer and Holland, 1995; Unal et al., 2013), and that integral-effect experiments that reflect the behavior of the complete system tend to be the only available observations. In this paper, the authors advocate for the usefulness of integral-effect experiments in furthering a model developer’s knowledge of the physics principles governing the system behavior of interest.« less

Statistical inference of empirical constituents in partitioned analysis from integral-effect experiments: An application in thermo-mechanical coupling

DOE PAGES

Stevens, Garrison N.; Atamturktur, Sez; Brown, D. Andrew; ...

2018-04-16

Rapid advancements in parallel computing over the last two decades have enabled simulations of complex, coupled systems through partitioning. In partitioned analysis, independently developed constituent models communicate, representing dependencies between multiple physical phenomena that occur in the full system. Figure 1 schematically demonstrates a coupled system with two constituent models, each resolving different physical behavior. In this figure, the constituent model, denoted as the “consumer,” relies upon some input parameter that is being provided by the constituent model acting as a “feeder”. The role of the feeder model is to map operating conditions (i.e. those that are stimulating the process)more » to consumer inputs, thus providing functional inputs to the consumer model*. Problems arise if the feeder model cannot be built–a challenge that is prevalent for highly complex systems in extreme operational conditions that push the limits of our understanding of underlying physical behavior. Often, these are also the situations where separate-effect experiments isolating the physical phenomena are not available; meaning that experimentally determining the unknown constituent behavior is not possible (Bauer and Holland, 1995; Unal et al., 2013), and that integral-effect experiments that reflect the behavior of the complete system tend to be the only available observations. In this paper, the authors advocate for the usefulness of integral-effect experiments in furthering a model developer’s knowledge of the physics principles governing the system behavior of interest.« less

77 FR 12031 - Impacts of Overdraft Programs on Consumers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-28

... uncertain what impact these changes to Regulation DD have had on consumer behavior or on the incidence... related fees are charged? c. What changes in consumer behavior or understanding of overdrafts have... programs on consumer behavior and options is of particular interest to the Bureau. Some have argued that...

Identifying X-consumers using causal recipes: "whales" and "jumbo shrimps" casino gamblers.

PubMed

Woodside, Arch G; Zhang, Mann

2012-03-01

X-consumers are the extremely frequent (top 2-3%) users who typically consume 25% of a product category. This article shows how to use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to provide "causal recipes" sufficient for profiling X-consumers accurately. The study extends Dik Twedt's "heavy-half" product users for building theory and strategies to nurture or control X-behavior. The study here applies QCA to offer configurations that are sufficient in identifying "whales" and "jumbo shrimps" among X-casino gamblers. The findings support the principle that not all X-consumers are alike. The theory and method are applicable for identifying the degree of consistency and coverage of alternative X-consumers among users of all product-service category and brands.

Disease-specific direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals: An examination of endorser type and gender effects on consumers' attitudes and behaviors.

PubMed

Bhutada, Nilesh S; Rollins, Brent L

2015-01-01

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising is still a controversial topic for pharmaceutical manufacturers' and researchers, and while numerous studies have examined the DTC phenomenon, little research has examined the effect of gender, particularly gender of the endorser and consumer. The objective of this research was to assess the impact of the endorser (celebrity vs. expert vs. non-celebrity) and gender - both gender of the endorser and gender of the consumer - on consumers' attitudes and behaviors in response to a print disease-specific direct-to-consumer advertisement. Using Qualtrics consumer panel, data were obtained for 514 US adults (age 18 years and above) who demonstrated at least minimal symptoms of depression and need for monitoring based on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) score. Data were analyzed using a 3 (Endorser Type: Celebrity/Expert/Non-Celebrity) × 2 (Endorser Gender: Male/Female) × 2 (Consumer Gender: Male/Female) full factorial between subjects multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and necessary univariate analysis. Only the type of the endorser (celebrity vs. expert vs. non-celebrity) used in the ad had a significant main effect on the dependent variables. Further univariate analyses revealed that, of the several dependent variables, endorser type had a significant influence only on attitude towards the ad, attention paid to the ad, and endorser credibility, with gender being non-significant in all cases. Expert endorser generated significantly more favorable levels of attitude towards the ad, and endorser credibility compared to the non-celebrity endorser. Celebrity endorser attracted more consumer attention towards the ad and generated favorable endorser credibility perceptions compared to the non-celebrity endorser. However, celebrity and expert endorsers did not significantly differ from each other on the abovementioned ad effectiveness variables. Lastly, endorser gender and consumer gender did not have a significant influence on ad effectiveness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavior analysis in consumer affairs: encouraging dental professionals to provide consumers with shielding from unnecessary X-ray exposure.

PubMed

Greene, B F; Neistat, M D

1983-01-01

An unobtrusive observation system was developed to determine the extent to which dental professionals in two communities provided lead shielding to patients during X-ray exams. A lengthy baseline revealed low and irregular provision of shielding among half of these professionals. Subsequently, a program was undertaken by a consumer's group in which these professionals were requested to provide shielding and were given confidential feedback regarding its use during the baseline period. The provision of shielding dramatically increased at all offices and was maintained throughout a follow-up period extending to more than 9 months after the program's implementation. Little or no generalized effect was observed in the occurrence of three collateral behaviors that were also assessed throughout the study.

Behavior analysis in consumer affairs: encouraging dental professionals to provide consumers with shielding from unnecessary X-ray exposure.

PubMed Central

Greene, B F; Neistat, M D

1983-01-01

An unobtrusive observation system was developed to determine the extent to which dental professionals in two communities provided lead shielding to patients during X-ray exams. A lengthy baseline revealed low and irregular provision of shielding among half of these professionals. Subsequently, a program was undertaken by a consumer's group in which these professionals were requested to provide shielding and were given confidential feedback regarding its use during the baseline period. The provision of shielding dramatically increased at all offices and was maintained throughout a follow-up period extending to more than 9 months after the program's implementation. Little or no generalized effect was observed in the occurrence of three collateral behaviors that were also assessed throughout the study. PMID:6833165

Differences among consumer segments with regard to perceptions of comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Williams, Sunyna S; Frost, Sloane L

2014-11-01

To examine differences among health-related decision-making consumer segments with regard to knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors pertinent to comparative effectiveness research. Data were collected via an online survey from 603 adults with chronic conditions. Consumer segment was determined using a two-item tool. Active consumers (high skills and motivation) reported the highest levels of engagement in various behaviors. Passive consumers (low skills and motivation) reported the lowest levels of engagement in various behaviors. High-effort consumers (low skills, high motivation) reported more positive attitudes and opinions and more engagement in various behaviors than did complacent consumers (high skills, low motivation). Effective translation and dissemination of comparative effectiveness research will require the development of approaches tailored to consumers with varying levels of skills and motivation.

A stage model as an analysis framework for studying voluntary change in food choices - The case of beef consumption reduction in Norway.

PubMed

Klöckner, Christian A

2017-01-01

This paper studies the application of a stage-based model of consumer behavior change on describing the processes behind the reduction of beef consumption in two Norwegian samples (N = 746, N = 2967). The way to reduce beef consumption is modeled through a progression through four stages (predecision, decision, action, and postaction) with a chain of first forming goal intentions, then more concrete behavioral intentions and finally implementation intentions. The analyzes show that general goal intentions to reduce beef consumption are determined by perceived social norms and awareness of a behaviors negative consequences through the activation of personal norms. Attitudes are the main determinant of choosing the alternative behavior (reduction of portion size, substitution of beef with other meats or seafood, or vegetarian meals), but perceived difficulty of behavior also has an impact for some alternatives. Not all alternative behaviors correspond to reduced beef consumption. The pattern of means in beef consumption and intentions for consumers in different stages of change mostly matched predictions by the model, most importantly, showing beef consumption reduction only for consumers in the last stage of change. Implications for interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

REAL-TIME ENERGY INFORMATION AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: A META-ANALYSIS AND FORECAST

EPA Science Inventory

The meta-analysis of literature and program results will shed light on potential causes of study-to-study variation in information feedback programs and trials. Outputs from the meta-analysis, such as price elasticity, will be used in NEMS to estimate the impact of a nation...

The Role of Social and Behavioral Science in Policymaking for Television.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rand Corp., Santa Monica, CA.

An analysis of the present system of American television broadcasting reveals that social and behavioral science has had very limited influence on its regulatory policymaking. The television advertisement and its potential adverse effect on children have come to the attention of federal regulatory bodies, as well as consumer and children advocacy…

Intentions to consume omega-3 fatty acids: a comparison of protection motivation theory and ordered protection motivation theory.

PubMed

Calder, Samuel Christian; Davidson, Graham R; Ho, Robert

2011-06-01

There has been limited research to date into methods for increasing people's intentions to use omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), which have been linked with decreased risk of suffering from numerous major diseases. The present study employed a cross-sectional design with 380 university students, employees, and visitors to investigate the efficacy of the protection motivation (PM) theory and the ordered protection motivation (OPM) theory, to predict behavioral intention to consume omega-3 rich foods and dietary supplements. Analysis of model fit indicated that both the PM model and the OPM model adequately represented the structural relationships between the cognitive variables and intention to consume n-3 PUFA. Further evaluation of relative fit of the two competing models suggested that the PM model might provide a better representation of decision-making following evaluation of the health threat of n-3 PUFA deficiency. Path analysis indicated that the component of coping appraisal was significantly associated with the behavioral intention to consume n-3 PUFA. Threat appraisal was found to be significantly associated with behavioral intention to consume n-3 PUFA only for the OPM model. Overall, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the roles that cognitive appraisal processes play in young and healthy individuals' protective health decision-making regarding consumption of n-3 PUFA. Implications of the findings and recommendations, which include (a) encouraging the consumption of n-3 PUFA as an effective barrier against the incidence of disease, and (b) effective health messaging that focuses on beliefs about the effectiveness of n-3 PUFA in reducing health risks, are discussed.

Alcohol-impaired driving: average quantity consumed and frequency of drinking do matter.

PubMed

Birdsall, William C; Reed, Beth Glover; Huq, Syeda S; Wheeler, Laura; Rush, Sarah

2012-01-01

The objective of this article is to estimate and validate a logistic model of alcohol-impaired driving using previously ignored alcohol consumption behaviors, other risky behaviors, and demographic characteristics as independent variables. The determinants of impaired driving are estimated using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys. Variables used in a logistic model to explain alcohol-impaired driving are not only standard sociodemographic variables and bingeing but also frequency of drinking and average quantity consumed, as well as other risky behaviors. We use interactions to understand how being female and being young affect impaired driving. Having estimated our model using the 1997 survey, we validated our model using the BRFSS data for 1999. Drinking 9 or more times in the past month doubled the odds of impaired driving. The greater average consumption of alcohol per session, the greater the odds of driving impaired, especially for persons in the highest quartile of alcohol consumed. Bingeing has the greatest effect on impaired driving. Seat belt use is the one risky behavior found to be related to such driving. Sociodemographic effects are consistent with earlier research. Being young (18-30) interacts with two of the alcohol consumption variables and being a woman interacts with always wearing a seat belt. Our model was robust in the validation analysis. All 3 dimensions of drinking behavior are important determinants of alcohol-impaired driving, including frequency and average quantity consumed. Including these factors in regressions improves the estimates of the effects of all variables.

Trust in prescription drug brand websites: website trust cues, attitude toward the website, and behavioral intentions.

PubMed

Huh, Jisu; Shin, Wonsun

2014-01-01

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug brand websites, as a form of DTC advertising, are receiving increasing attention due to the growing number and importance as an ad and a consumer information source. This study examined consumer trust in a DTC website as an important factor influencing consumers' attitude toward the website and behavioral intention. Applying the conceptual framework of website trust, the particular focus of investigation was the effect of the website trust cue factor on consumers' perceived DTC website trust and subsequent attitudinal and behavioral responses. Results show a significant relation between the website trust cue factor and consumers' perceived DTC website trust. Perceived DTC website trust, in turn, was found to be significantly associated with consumers' attitude toward the DTC website and behavioral intention.

Analysis of factors influencing organic fruit and vegetable purchasing in Istanbul, Turkey.

PubMed

Oraman, Yasemin; Unakitan, Gökhan

2010-01-01

This article examines the influences on the purchasing decisions of fruit and vegetable consumers and presents findings from a survey conducted with 385 respondents living in urban areas in Istanbul, Turkey. It uses a binary logistic model to estimate factor effects in organic fruit and vegetable purchasing in Turkey. The results indicate that concern for human health and safety is a key factor that influences consumer preferences for organic food. Findings will help organic product suppliers understand the key factors influencing consumer purchasing and consumption behaviors.

Conjoint analysis on the purchase intent for traditional fermented soy product (natto) among Japanese housewives.

PubMed

Kimura, Atsushi; Kuwazawa, Shigetaka; Wada, Yuji; Kyutoku, Yasushi; Okamoto, Masako; Yamaguchi, Yui; Masuda, Tomohiro; Dan, Ippeita

2011-04-01

The effect of sensory and extrinsic attributes on consumer intentions to purchase the Japanese traditional fermented soybean product natto was evaluated using conjoint analysis. Six attributes with 2 levels each were chosen and manipulated: price (high compared with low), the country of origin of the soybeans (domestic compared with imported), stickiness (strong compared with moderate), smell (rich compared with moderate), attached seasonings (attached compared with no attached seasonings), and the environmental friendliness of the packaging (high compared with low). A fractional factorial design was applied and 8 hypothetical product labels were produced. A sample of 479 Japanese housewives ranked these product labels based on their purchase intentions. Overall purchase intention was affected by country of origin, attached seasonings, and price; those attributes accounted for 81.0%, while the sensory attributes of the product accounted for 19.0% of purchase intents. In order to estimate market segments for the natto products based on consumer preference, a cluster analysis was performed. It identified 4 segments of consumers: 1 oriented to attached seasonings, another conscious of the price, and the other 2 oriented to origins. The behavioral and demographic characteristics of the respondents had a limited influence on segment membership.   This research was conducted to understand how consumers valuate various sensory and nonsensory product attributes based on their assessment of the overall product in the case of Japanese fermented soy product (natto). The data of this research would be of great importance both in understanding consumer behavior and in designing strategies for product development.

Early intensive behavioral intervention: Emergence of a consumer-driven service model

PubMed Central

Jacobson, John W.

2000-01-01

Parents are becoming influential stimulators and shapers of public policy in regard to educational services for their children. Increasingly, this advocacy has created a controversy about the role of applied behavior analysis as a foundation for early intensive behavioral intervention in autism. Uncertainties exist in policy regarding the role of behavior analysis in early intervention and the capacity of behavior analysis to field a trained work force. Based on contacts with parents of children with autism and information available in a variety of forms on the Internet, there is a rising demand for fundamentally better early intervention services that are available and accessible, provide active intervention, and are based on principles of behavior analysis. Contemporary movements in special and early education, however, appear to be nonconducive to scientifically based treatments, and school districts seem hostile to an increasing role for behavior analysis and to the establishment of services that are responsive to changing parental priorities for the education of their children with autism and related disorders. PMID:22478344

The impact of online brand community type on consumer's community engagement behaviors: consumer-created vs. marketer-created online brand community in online social-networking web sites.

PubMed

Lee, Doohwang; Kim, Hyuk Soo; Kim, Jung Kyu

2011-01-01

The current study proposed and tested a theoretical model of consumers' online brand community engagement behaviors, with particular attention given to online brand community type (consumer vs. marketer-created). By integrating attribution and social identity theories, this study investigated the causal linkages between intrinsic motives of altruism, social identification motivations, and online brand community engagement behaviors. The results showed that consumers' online brand community engagement intentions were indirectly influenced by the different types of communities through different levels of consumers' attributions to intrinsic motives of altruism. This study also found that, in the attribution processes, consumers' intrinsic motives of altruism motivated them to identify themselves socially with the online communities they join. Finally, this study demonstrated that the intrinsic motives of altruism and social identification motivations provided strong social incentives to motivate consumers to engage in subsequent online brand community behaviors.

Three empirical essays on consumer behavior related to climate change and energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobsen, Grant Douglas

This dissertation consists of three essays. All of the chapters address a topic in the area of household and consumer behavior related to climate change or energy. The first chapter is titled "The Al Gore Effect: An Inconvenient Truth and Voluntary Carbon Offsets". This chapter examines the relationship between climate change awareness and household behavior by testing whether Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth caused an increase in the purchase of voluntary carbon offsets. The analysis shows that in the two months following the film's release, zip codes within a 10-mile radius of a zip code where the film was shown experienced a 50 percent relative increase in the purchase of voluntary carbon offsets. The second chapter is titled "Are Building Codes Effective at Saving Energy? Evidence from Residential Billing Data in Florida". The analysis shows that Florida's energy-code change that took effect in 2002 is associated with a 4-percent decrease in electricity consumption and a 6-percent decrease in natural-gas consumption in Gainesville, FL. The estimated private payback period for the average residence is 6.4 years and the social payback period ranges between 3.5 and 5.3 years. The third chapter in this dissertation is titled "Do Environmental Offsets Increase Demand for Dirty Goods? Evidence from Residential Electricity Demand". This study evaluates the relationship between green products and existing patterns of consumer behavior by examining the relationship between household enrollment in a green electricity program and consumption of residential electricity. The results suggest there are two different types of green consumers. One type makes a small monthly donation and partially views the donation as a substitute for a previously existing pattern of green behavior, in this case, energy conservation. The other type makes a larger monthly donation and views the donation as a way to make strictly additional improvements in environmental quality.

News Media Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

technology, changing consumer behavior and increased pressure for profitability. These three forces are the catalysts of change and have pushed the...model in order to compete. Consumer Behavior : Changes in consumer behavior began with the growth of broadcast television in the 1960’s and 70’s

77 FR 38305 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Announcement of Office of Management and Budget...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-27

...; ``Real Time'' Surveys of Consumers' Knowledge, Perceptions and Reported Behavior Concerning Foodborne...' Surveys of Consumers' Knowledge, Perceptions and Reported Behavior Concerning Foodborne Illness Outbreaks... ```Real Time' Surveys of Consumers' Knowledge, Perceptions and Reported Behavior Concerning Foodborne...

Continuous recording and interobserver agreement algorithms reported in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (1995-2005).

PubMed

Mudford, Oliver C; Taylor, Sarah Ann; Martin, Neil T

2009-01-01

We reviewed all research articles in 10 recent volumes of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA): Vol. 28(3), 1995, through Vol. 38(2), 2005. Continuous recording was used in the majority (55%) of the 168 articles reporting data on free-operant human behaviors. Three methods for reporting interobserver agreement (exact agreement, block-by-block agreement, and time-window analysis) were employed in more than 10 of the articles that reported continuous recording. Having identified these currently popular agreement computation algorithms, we explain them to assist researchers, software writers, and other consumers of JABA articles.

Under consumers' scrutiny - an investigation into consumers' attitudes and concerns about nudging in the realm of health behavior.

PubMed

Junghans, Astrid F; Cheung, Tracy T L; De Ridder, Denise D T

2015-04-09

Nudging strategies have recently attracted attention from scholars and policy makers for their potential in influencing people's behaviors on large scales. But is the fact that nudges do not forbid any choice-options or significantly alter people's economic incentives sufficient to conclude that nudges should be implemented? While this is discussed amongst scholars from various disciplines the voices of consumers, the target-group of nudges, remain unheard. Since understanding their knowledge about nudging and their opinions on being nudged are crucial for the evaluation of the moral appropriateness of nudging, the current study examines consumers' knowledge of and attitudes toward nudging in general and the realm of health behavior. In this qualitative investigation in-depth semi-structured interviews with UK consumers were conducted to examine consumers' attitudes to four domains of inquiry around which the scholarly discussions about nudging have revolved: consumers' approval of nudging, consumers' views on the origin of nudges, consumers' perceived effectiveness of nudging, and consumers' concerns about manipulative aspects of nudging. Interviews revealed that consumers are largely unfamiliar with the concept of nudging altogether. Once defined and explained to them most consumers approve of the concept, especially in the realm of health behavior, given particular conditions: 1. Nudges should be designed for benefiting individuals and society; 2. consumers comprehend the decision-making context and the reasoning behind the promotion of the targeted behavior. Interviews revealed very limited concerns with manipulative aspects of nudges. These findings call for better information-management to ensure consumers knowledge of nudges and awareness of their current implementation. Under that condition the findings encourage the implementation of nudges benefitting individuals and society in domains that consumers comprehend, such as health behaviors. Further research is required to clarify consumers' concerns and requirements for nudges in more complex domains such as financial decisions and retirement plans.

The attitude-behavior relationship in consumer conduct: the role of norms, past behavior, and self-identity.

PubMed

Smith, Joanne R; Terry, Deborah J; Manstead, Antony S R; Louis, Winnifred R; Kotterman, Diana; Wolfs, Jacqueline

2008-06-01

The authors used a revised planned behavior model in the consumer domain. The revised model incorporated separate measures of descriptive and injunctive/ prescriptive norms, self-identity, and past behavior in an effort to improve the predictive power of the theory of planned behavior (TPB; I. Ajzen, 1985) in relation to a self-reported consumer behavior: purchasing one's preferred soft drink. At Time 1, respondents (N = 112) completed self-report measures of (a) attitudes, (b) perceived behavioral control, (c) descriptive and injunctive/prescriptive norms, (d) self-identity, (e) past behavior, and (f) intentions. The authors assessed self-reported behavior 1 week later (Time 2). Attitudes, injunctive/prescriptive norms, descriptive norms, past behavior, and self-identity were all positively related to purchase intentions, and intentions were predictive of self-reported behavior at Time 2. These findings highlight the utility of the TPB in the consumer domain.

A Data-Driven Approach to Reverse Engineering Customer Engagement Models: Towards Functional Constructs

PubMed Central

de Vries, Natalie Jane; Carlson, Jamie; Moscato, Pablo

2014-01-01

Online consumer behavior in general and online customer engagement with brands in particular, has become a major focus of research activity fuelled by the exponential increase of interactive functions of the internet and social media platforms and applications. Current research in this area is mostly hypothesis-driven and much debate about the concept of Customer Engagement and its related constructs remains existent in the literature. In this paper, we aim to propose a novel methodology for reverse engineering a consumer behavior model for online customer engagement, based on a computational and data-driven perspective. This methodology could be generalized and prove useful for future research in the fields of consumer behaviors using questionnaire data or studies investigating other types of human behaviors. The method we propose contains five main stages; symbolic regression analysis, graph building, community detection, evaluation of results and finally, investigation of directed cycles and common feedback loops. The ‘communities’ of questionnaire items that emerge from our community detection method form possible ‘functional constructs’ inferred from data rather than assumed from literature and theory. Our results show consistent partitioning of questionnaire items into such ‘functional constructs’ suggesting the method proposed here could be adopted as a new data-driven way of human behavior modeling. PMID:25036766

A data-driven approach to reverse engineering customer engagement models: towards functional constructs.

PubMed

de Vries, Natalie Jane; Carlson, Jamie; Moscato, Pablo

2014-01-01

Online consumer behavior in general and online customer engagement with brands in particular, has become a major focus of research activity fuelled by the exponential increase of interactive functions of the internet and social media platforms and applications. Current research in this area is mostly hypothesis-driven and much debate about the concept of Customer Engagement and its related constructs remains existent in the literature. In this paper, we aim to propose a novel methodology for reverse engineering a consumer behavior model for online customer engagement, based on a computational and data-driven perspective. This methodology could be generalized and prove useful for future research in the fields of consumer behaviors using questionnaire data or studies investigating other types of human behaviors. The method we propose contains five main stages; symbolic regression analysis, graph building, community detection, evaluation of results and finally, investigation of directed cycles and common feedback loops. The 'communities' of questionnaire items that emerge from our community detection method form possible 'functional constructs' inferred from data rather than assumed from literature and theory. Our results show consistent partitioning of questionnaire items into such 'functional constructs' suggesting the method proposed here could be adopted as a new data-driven way of human behavior modeling.

Intermittent access to sweet high-fat liquid induces increased palatability and motivation to consume in a rat model of binge consumption

PubMed Central

Lardeux, Sylvie; Kim, James J.; Nicola, Saleem M.

2013-01-01

Binge eating disorders are characterized by discrete episodes of rapid and excessive food consumption. In rats, giving intermittent access to sweet fat food mimics this aspect of binge eating. These models typically employ solid food; however, the total amount consumed depends on motivation, palatability and satiety, which are difficult to dissociate with solid food. In contrast, lick microstructure analysis can be used to dissociate these parameters when the ingestant is a liquid. Therefore, we developed a binge model using a liquid emulsion composed of corn oil, heavy cream and sugar. We show that rats given intermittent access to this high-fat emulsion develop binge-like behavior comparable to that previously observed with solid high-fat food. One feature of this behavior was a gradual escalation in consumption across 2.5 weeks of intermittent access, which was not apparent in rats given lower-fat liquid on the same access schedule. Lick microstructure analysis suggests that this escalation was due at least in part to increases in both motivation to consume and palatability-driven consumption. PMID:23499930

New Languages and New Consumers: Changing Italian "Media-Scapes"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milic, Enrico Maria

2006-01-01

This research aims to point out some of the behavior, interests, and relationships within the public sphere of young Italian users of the Internet. The topics of analysis were the motivations of the users in expressing themselves through their blogs, their online and offline behavior towards what is offered by the ruling class for consumption,…

On Motivating Operations at the Point of Online Purchase Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagerstrom, Asle; Arntzen, Erik

2013-01-01

Consumer behavior analysis can be applied over a wide range of economic topics in which the main focus is the contingencies that influence the behavior of the economic agent. This paper provides an overview on the work that has been done on the impact from motivating operations at the point of online purchase situation. Motivating operations, a…

Behavioral Targeting—Consumer Tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srimani, P. K.; Srinivas, A.

2011-12-01

Behavioral targeting is an online marketing method that collects data on the browsing activities of consumers, in order to `target' more relevant online advertising. Behavioral targeting enables marketers to reach in-market consumers and increases the value of publisher inventory. At the heart of behavioral targeting is a learning-based investigation of consumer behaviors. It helps marketers understand consumers' purchase patterns over time, mapping out a customer's activities based not only on a single purchase but also on an annual or even lifetime basis. As marketers increasingly appreciate the importance of customer lifetime value, behavioral targeting can be a foundation for creating a continuous analytical study of consumer trends and patterns. But as behavioural-targeting systems become more sophisticated and invasive, it is vital that the companies behind them are open with users about what is going on, and give them control over their personal information. The aim of this paper is to explore the various tools and techniques of behavioral targeting and its benefits to online marketing. A multiple—case study approach was used for exploring the effectiveness and acceptance of online marketing in the area of the online marketing.

75 FR 78259 - Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-15

... conducts research related to behavioral science, including consumer behavior and consumer perception of...; prohibiting marketing measures that are misleading to consumers; establishing tobacco product standards... interactions with other government agencies, State and local governments, industry, academia, consumer...

77 FR 76291 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-27

... collection titled, ``Clearance for Consumer Attitudes, Understanding, and Behaviors with Respect to Financial... Consumer Attitudes, Understanding, and Behaviors with Respect to Financial Services and Products. OMB... consumer attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors as they navigate financial decisions. It will help the CFPB...

Measures of Residential Energy Consumption and their Relationships to DOE Policy,

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-11-01

on consumer behavior is inconclusive. Du Pont and Lord report that "a large percentage of consumers either ignore or misinterpret the labels (du...residential per capita energy consumption. 2. Implications Consumer behavior with respect to energy efficiency remains poorly understood and the proper...question by studies of consumer behavior . The results are also subject to numerical instability. Descriptive statistics can be helpful in interpreting the

A Consumer-Driven Approach To Increase Suggestive Selling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohn, Don; Austin, John; Sanford, Alison

2003-01-01

Discussion of the effectiveness of behavioral interventions in improving suggestive selling behavior of sales staff focuses on a study that examined the efficacy of a consumer-driven approach to improve suggestive selling behavior of three employees of a fast food franchise. Reports that consumer-driven intervention increased suggestive selling…

77 FR 65999 - Assessments, Large Bank Pricing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-31

... period for PD estimation, as opposed to a longer history, to capture the consumer behavior that generated... default behavior of consumers during a period of economic stress, the default rate is to be calculated as... consumer behavior that affect the riskiness of different product types. To ensure that the PD methodology...

Surveys suck: Consumer preferences when purchasing genetically engineered foods.

PubMed

Powell, Douglas A

2013-01-01

Many studies have attempted to gauge consumers' acceptance of genetically engineered or modified (GM) foods. Surveys, asking people about attitudes and intentions, are easy-to-collect proxies of consumer behavior. However, participants tend to respond as citizens of society, not discrete individuals, thereby inaccurately portraying their potential behavior. The Theory of Planned Behavior improved the accuracy of self-reported information, but its limited capacity to account for intention variance has been attributed to the hypothetical scenarios to which survey participants must respond. Valuation methods, asking how much consumers may be willing to pay or accept for GM foods, have revealed that consumers are usually willing to accept them at some price, or in some cases willing to pay a premium. Ultimately, it's consumers' actual--not intended--behavior that is of most interest to policy makers and business decision-makers. Real choice experiments offer the best avenue for revealing consumers' food choices in normal life.

The Case for Licensure of Applied Behavior Analysts

PubMed Central

Dorsey, Michael F; Weinberg, Michael; Zane, Thomas; Guidi, Megan M

2009-01-01

The evolution of the field of applied behavior analysis to a practice-oriented profession has created the need to ensure that the consumers of these services are adequately protected. We review the limitations of the current board certification process and present a rationale for the establishment of licensing standards for applied behavior analysts on a state-by-state basis. Recommendations for securing the passage of a licensure bill also are discussed. PMID:22477697

Consumer Knowledge, Attitudes and Salt-Related Behavior in the Middle-East: The Case of Lebanon

PubMed Central

Nasreddine, Lara; Akl, Christelle; Al-Shaar, Laila; Almedawar, Mohamad M.; Isma’eel, Hussain

2014-01-01

Sodium intake is high in Lebanon, a country of the Middle East region where rates of cardiovascular diseases are amongst the highest in the world. This study examines salt-related knowledge, attitude and self-reported behaviors amongst adult Lebanese consumers and investigates the association of socio-demographic factors, knowledge and attitudes with salt-related behaviors. Using a multicomponent questionnaire, a cross-sectional study was conducted in nine supermarkets in Beirut, based on systematic random sampling (n = 442). Factors associated with salt-related behaviors were examined by multivariate regression analysis. Specific knowledge and attitude gaps were documented with only 22.6% of participants identifying processed foods as the main source of salt, 55.6% discerning the relationship between salt and sodium, 32.4% recognizing the daily limit of salt intake and 44.7% reporting being concerned about the amount of salt in their diet. The majority of participants reported behavioral practices that increase salt intake with only 38.3% checking for salt label content, 43.7% reporting that their food purchases are influenced by salt content and 38.6% trying to buy low-salt foods. Knowledge, attitudes and older age were found to significantly predict salt-related behaviors. Findings offer valuable insight on salt-related knowledge, attitude and behaviors in a sample of Lebanese consumers and provide key information that could spur the development of evidence-based salt-reduction interventions specific to the Middle East. PMID:25401502

Which product characteristics are preferred by Chinese consumers when choosing pork? A conjoint analysis on perceived quality of selected pork attributes.

PubMed

Ma, Xiu Q; Verkuil, Julia M; Reinbach, Helene C; Meinert, Lene

2017-05-01

Due to the economic growth achieved by China over the past 20 years, Chinese consumers have changed their purchasing behavior regarding meat. Instead of buying locally produced pork, they are increasingly willing to purchase imported pork. A conjoint analysis investigated how intrinsic pork attributes ( fat content and processing) and extrinsic pork attributes ( origin , price , and packaging ) relate to the perceived quality of pork and the choices made by Chinese consumers. A questionnaire distributed among a sample of Chinese consumers ( n  = 81) revealed that processing (fresh/frozen) is the most important determinant of pork choice (36%), followed by fat content (27%), origin (18%), price (12%), and packaging (6.6%). Estimates of utility showed that Chinese consumers value fresh pork highly (0.147), followed by lean pork (0.111) and pork imported from countries other than China (0.073). The findings indicate that Chinese consumer's value both intrinsic and extrinsic attributes, and these results may help the meat industry improve China's competitive meat market by developing new and more products that are tailored to the needs of the consumer.

Factors affecting physician loyalty and exit: a longitudinal analysis of physician-hospital relationships.

PubMed Central

Burns, L R; Wholey, D R

1992-01-01

This article examines forces that influence physicians to change the percentage of their admissions to a hospital (loyalty) and to cease admitting patients to a hospital altogether (exit). Because physicians are both members of a hospital and consumers of its services, their admitting patterns can be described using models of employee commitment and consumer buying behavior. We test several hypotheses drawn from these literatures using data on physician admissions at hospitals over a two-year period. Results indicate that admitting patterns are explained primarily by convenience and inertia processes characteristic of consumer behavior. On the other hand, factors believed to influence organizational commitment (e.g., decision-making involvement, conflict, economic investments) have little effect on loyalty and exit. The findings question the utility of hospital strategies to improve the climate of physician-hospital relations, and suggest several qualifications for research on the commitment of professionals. PMID:1563950

"When diet and exercise are not enough": an examination of lifestyle change inefficacy claims in direct-to-consumer advertising.

PubMed

Byrne, Sahara; Niederdeppe, Jeff; Avery, Rosemary J; Cantor, Jonathan

2013-01-01

Previous research suggests that direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for pharmaceutical drugs have the potential to influence consumers' perceptions of whether symptoms should be treated medically and/or through behavior change. However, the relative frequency of messages emphasizing these approaches in pharmaceutical advertising remains largely unknown. A content analysis of print and television advertisements for cholesterol management medication between 1994 and 2005 (for print) and between 1999 and 2007 (for television) was conducted. First, the extent to which established theoretical constructs drawn from health communication scholarship are depicted in the content of DTC cholesterol advertisements is quantified. Second, specific claims about behavior change inefficacy when a pharmaceutical alternative is available are identified. Findings indicate that DTC ads offer many mixed messages about the efficacy of diet and exercise in reducing cholesterol and risk of heart disease. Theoretical and practical implications of this work are discussed.

News Media Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

convergence of media types, rapidly evolving technology, changing consumer behavior , and traditionalists ensconced in the ways of the past all...changing consumer behavior have all contributed to uncertain times for these media icons. Newspaper readership and subscriptions levels continue to...consistently center on changing technologies, corporate pressures, changing consumer behavior and revenue generation (advertising). Because it’s

Dietary and weight-related behaviors and body mass index among Hispanic, Hmong, Somali, and white adolescents.

PubMed

Arcan, Chrisa; Larson, Nicole; Bauer, Kate; Berge, Jerica; Story, Mary; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-03-01

The population of the United States is becoming increasingly ethnically and racially diverse, much of it due to immigration patterns. However, little is known about dietary intake and weight-related concerns and behaviors of youth from some ethnic-minority groups, especially Hispanic, Hmong, and Somali adolescents. Our aim was to describe dietary intake and weight-related concerns and behaviors among Hispanic, Hmong, and Somali adolescents and compare them with white adolescents. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from Eating and Activity in Teens 2010, a population-based study in the Minneapolis/St Paul metropolitan area. Current analysis includes 1,672 adolescents (Hispanic: n=562 [33.6%]; Hmong: n=477 [28.5%]; Somali: n=113 [6.8%]; white: n=520 [31.1%]; mean age=15.0 years). Adolescents completed classroom surveys and had their height/weight measured during the 2009-2010 academic year. Multivariable regression models, adjusted for socioeconomic status, age, and school as a random effect were used to examine racial/ethnic differences for each outcome variable for boys and girls. There were numerous differences in the behaviors of Hispanic, Hmong, and Somali adolescents as compared with whites. Hispanic and Somali youth consumed fruit and fast food more frequently. Hmong adolescents consumed sugar-sweetened beverages less frequently, and Somali boys consumed energy and sport drinks more frequently than whites. Compared with white boys, overweight/obesity was higher among Hispanic and Hmong. A higher percentage of Hmong and Somali adolescents engaged in unhealthy weight control behaviors. Body satisfaction was lower for all Hmong adolescents compared with whites. There were varying areas of concern in dietary intake, weight, and weight-related concerns and behaviors among adolescents in all ethnic groups. Future nutrition and physical activity interventions that include adolescents from these ethnic and cultural groups can benefit from, for example, modifying intervention strategies to the specific priority behaviors within the target population. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Normative Emotional Responses to Behavior Analysis Jargon or How Not to Use Words to Win Friends and Influence People.

PubMed

Critchfield, Thomas S; Doepke, Karla J; Kimberly Epting, L; Becirevic, Amel; Reed, Derek D; Fienup, Daniel M; Kremsreiter, Jamie L; Ecott, Cheryl L

2017-06-01

It has been suggested that non-experts regard the jargon of behavior analysis as abrasive, harsh, and unpleasant. If this is true, excessive reliance on jargon could interfere with the dissemination of effective services. To address this often discussed but rarely studied issue, we consulted a large, public domain list of English words that have been rated by members of the general public for the emotional reactions they evoke. Selected words that behavior analysts use as technical terms were compared to selected words that are commonly used to discuss general science, general clinical work, and behavioral assessment. There was a tendency for behavior analysis terms to register as more unpleasant than other kinds of professional terms and also as more unpleasant than English words generally. We suggest possible reasons for this finding, discuss its relevance to the challenge of deciding how to communicate with consumers who do not yet understand or value behavior analysis, and advocate for systematic research to guide the marketing of behavior analysis.

A hydrologic-economic modeling approach for analysis of urban water supply dynamics in Chennai, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, Veena; Gorelick, Steven M.; Goulder, Lawrence

2010-07-01

In this paper, we discuss a challenging water resources problem in a developing world city, Chennai, India. The goal is to reconstruct past system behavior and diagnose the causes of a major water crisis. In order to do this, we develop a hydrologic-engineering-economic model to address the complexity of urban water supply arising from consumers' dependence on multiple interconnected sources of water. We integrate different components of the urban water system: water flowing into the reservoir system; diversion and distribution by the public water utility; groundwater flow in the aquifer beneath the city; supply, demand, and prices in the informal tanker-truck-based water market; and consumer behavior. Both the economic and physical impacts of consumers' dependence on multiple sources of water are quantified. The model is calibrated over the period 2002-2006 using a range of hydrologic and socio-economic data. The model's results highlight the inadequacy of the reservoir system and the buffering role played by the urban aquifer and consumers' coping investments during multiyear droughts.

Consumer attitudes and the governance of food safety.

PubMed

Todt, Oliver; Muñoz, Emilio; González, Marta; Ponce, Gloria; Estévez, Betty

2009-01-01

This paper reports the analysis of a recent study of public perception of food safety governance in Spain, using genetically modified (GM) foods as an indicator. The data make clear that Spanish food consumers are aware of their rights and role in the marketplace. They are critical of current regulatory decision making, which they perceive to be unduly influenced by certain social actors, such as industry. In contrast, consumers demand decisions to be based primarily on scientific opinion, as well as consumer preferences. They want authorities to facilitate informed purchasing decisions, and favor labeling of GM foods mostly on the grounds of their right to know. However, consumers' actual level of knowledge with respect to food technology and food safety remains low. There are several ambivalences as to the real impact of these attitudes on actual consumer behavior (specifically when it comes to organizing themselves or searching out background information).

Direct-to-consumer advertising of predictive genetic tests: a health belief model based examination of consumer response.

PubMed

Rollins, Brent L; Ramakrishnan, Shravanan; Perri, Matthew

2014-01-01

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of predictive genetic tests (PGTs) has added a new dimension to health advertising. This study used an online survey based on the health belief model framework to examine and more fully understand consumers' responses and behavioral intentions in response to a PGT DTC advertisement. Overall, consumers reported moderate intentions to talk with their doctor and seek more information about PGTs after advertisement exposure, though consumers did not seem ready to take the advertised test or engage in active information search. Those who perceived greater threat from the disease, however, had significantly greater behavioral intentions and information search behavior.

Human Social Culture Behavior Modeling Program Newsletter. Volume 1. Issue 1, Spring 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-30

the social psychol- ogy of consumer behavior . A key theory in this space is the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), which hypothesizes the re...useful in predicting a range of consumer behavior , including the effectiveness of anti-smoking cam- paigns and weight loss programs—each of which...Priester, J.R. (2002). The social psychology of consumer behavior . Buckingham, UK: Open University Press. Ajzen, I. & Fishbein, M. (1980

Does Practicing CSR Makes Consumers Like Your Shop More? Consumer-Retailer Love Mediates CSR and Behavioral Intentions.

PubMed

Ho, Ching-Wei

2017-12-12

This research paper was designed to examine the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations and environmental concerns on consumer-retailer love and attitude toward the retailer, as well as the subsequent effects on consumer behavioral intentions regarding the retailer, such as repeat patronage intention and willingness to pay a premium price for products offered by the retailer. In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted on consumers for the purpose of investigating five proposed hypotheses. This research applied partial least squares (PLS) to exam the hypotheses and analyze the data. The findings of this research indicated that CSR association and environmental concern both have positive effects on consumer-retailer love and attitude toward the retailer. Also, the results showed that consumer-retailer love has a significantly positive effect on consumer attitude towards the retailer. This paper establishes that consumer-retailer love and attitude toward a retailer are main mediators of the relationship between CSR associations, environmental concern, and consumer behavioral intentions.

Does Practicing CSR Makes Consumers Like Your Shop More? Consumer-Retailer Love Mediates CSR and Behavioral Intentions

PubMed Central

Ho, Ching-Wei

2017-01-01

This research paper was designed to examine the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations and environmental concerns on consumer-retailer love and attitude toward the retailer, as well as the subsequent effects on consumer behavioral intentions regarding the retailer, such as repeat patronage intention and willingness to pay a premium price for products offered by the retailer. In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted on consumers for the purpose of investigating five proposed hypotheses. This research applied partial least squares (PLS) to exam the hypotheses and analyze the data. The findings of this research indicated that CSR association and environmental concern both have positive effects on consumer-retailer love and attitude toward the retailer. Also, the results showed that consumer-retailer love has a significantly positive effect on consumer attitude towards the retailer. This paper establishes that consumer-retailer love and attitude toward a retailer are main mediators of the relationship between CSR associations, environmental concern, and consumer behavioral intentions. PMID:29231873

Programmer/Analyst Guide for the Army Unit Resiliency Analysis (AURA) computer Simulation Model. Volume 1. AURA Methodology

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-01

involving a heavy artillery barrage, the impact point output alone could consume upwards of 10,000 pages of computer paper. For this reason, AURA provides...but pervasive factor: the asset allocation model must be compatible with the mathematical behavior of the input data. Thus, for example, if assets are...described as expendable during repair or decontamination activities, it must have HOMELINKS which appear in the consuming repair SUBCHAINs

Reasons for continuing use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in students: a consumer commitment model.

PubMed

Sirois, Fuschia M; Salamonsen, Anita; Kristoffersen, Agnete E

2016-02-24

Research on continued CAM use has been largely atheoretical and has not considered the broader range of psychological and behavioral factors that may be involved. The purpose of this study was to test a new conceptual model of commitment to CAM use that implicates utilitarian (trust in CAM) and symbolic (perceived fit with CAM) in psychological and behavioral dimensions of CAM commitment. A student sample of CAM consumers, (N = 159) completed a survey about their CAM use, CAM-related values, intentions for future CAM use, CAM word-of-mouth behavior, and perceptions of being an ongoing CAM consumer. Analysis revealed that the utilitarian, symbolic, and CAM commitment variables were significantly related, with r's ranging from .54 to .73. A series hierarchical regression analyses controlling for relevant demographic variables found that the utilitarian and symbolic values uniquely accounted for significant and substantial proportion of the variance in each of the three CAM commitment indicators (R(2) from .37 to .57). The findings provide preliminary support for the new model that posits that CAM commitment is a multi-dimensional psychological state with behavioral indicators. Further research with large-scale samples and longitudinal designs is warranted to understand the potential value of the new model.

The neonicotinoid pesticide, imidacloprid, affects Bombus impatiens (bumblebee) sonication behavior when consumed at doses below the LD50.

PubMed

Switzer, Callin M; Combes, Stacey A

2016-08-01

We investigated changes in sonication (or buzz-pollination) behavior of Bombus impatiens bumblebees, after consumption of the neonicotinoid pesticide, imidacloprid. We measured sonication frequency, sonication length, and flight (wing beat) frequency of marked bees collecting pollen from Solanum lycopsersicum (tomato), and then randomly assigned bees to consume 0, 0.0515, 0.515, or 5.15 ng of imidacloprid. We recorded the number of bees in each treatment group that resumed sonication behavior after consuming imidacloprid, and re-measured sonication and flight behavior for these bees. We did not find evidence that consuming 0.0515 ng imidacloprid affected the sonication length, sonication frequency, or flight frequency for bees that sonicated after consuming imidacloprid; we were unable to test changes in these variables for bees that consumed 0.515 or 5.15 ng because we did not observe enough of these bees sonicating after treatment. We performed Cox proportional hazard regression to determine whether consuming imidacloprid affected the probability of engaging in further sonication behavior on S. lycopersicum and found that bumblebees who consumed 0.515 or 5.15 ng of imidacloprid were significantly less likely to sonicate after treatment than bees who consumed no imidacloprid. At the end of the experiment, we classified bees as dead or alive; our data suggest a trend of increasing mortality with higher doses of imidacloprid. Our results show that even modest doses of imidacloprid can significantly affect the likelihood of bumblebees engaging in sonication, a behavior critical for the pollination of a variety of crops and other plants.

Cost-Efficacy Analysis of Out-of-District Special Education Placements: An Evaluative Measure of Behavior Support Intervention in Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putnam, Robert F.; Luiselli, James K.; Sennett, Kenneth; Malonson, Joanne

2002-01-01

Evaluation of out-of-district special education placement costs in the 15 largest Massachusetts public school districts found the criterion school district (which had developed a system-wide approach to behavioral intervention) had the lowest per capita cost, lowest percentage of total school budget consumed by out-of-district placements, and the…

Member’s Perception of Service Quality At the Nellis Air Force Base Officers Open Mess

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-01

35 Consumer Behavior ............................... 36 Perceptions ...................................... 37 Value...110 Table 13. Problem Resolution: Overall Service Quality .... 111 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Faith Popcorn’s Ten Changes in Consumer Behavior .......................................... 16...military club has the same characteristics as their civilian counterparts in regards to consumer behavior , needs, and expectations; S3: The miliary

A Model to Predict Shopper Reaction to Commissary Stockouts

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

consumer behavior brought about by inflation. Because food items doubled in price during the 1970s, these authors focus their study on the purchase...situation, and shopper characteristics - were used to predict consumer behavior . The investigative questions which addressed demographics used ten...demographic variables in an attempt to predict consumer behavior . The variables were sex, age, education, household description, number of children

The Determinants of Organic Vegetable Purchasing in Jabodetabek Region, Indonesia.

PubMed

Slamet, Alim Setiawan; Nakayasu, Akira; Bai, Hu

2016-12-07

Over the last few years, the global market of organic vegetables has grown. This is due to increased consumer concern regarding environmental and health issues, especially for food products. This study aims to examine factors that influence consumer behavior in purchasing organic vegetables. In this study, data were obtained from household surveys conducted in the Jabodetabek region (Greater Jakarta) from February to March 2015. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and a binary logit model were used to analyze the data. Subsequently, the results show that consumers with fewer family members and have a higher income, and are price tolerant, are more likely to purchase organic vegetables. Meanwhile, female consumers are less likely to buy organic vegetables. Another important finding is that positive attitude towards organic products, safety and health, environmental concerns, as well as degree of trust in organic attributes, are the determinants of organic vegetable purchasing among consumers. Therefore, based on the study results, the following recommendations are needed for organic vegetable development in Indonesia: (a) implementing an appropriate pricing strategy; (b) encouraging organic labeling and certification for vegetables; and (c) intensively promoting organic food with respect to consumers' motives and concerns on health, safety, as well as environmental sustainability.

Psychometric evaluation of an inpatient consumer survey measuring satisfaction with psychiatric care.

PubMed

Ortiz, Glorimar; Schacht, Lucille

2012-01-01

Measurement of consumers' satisfaction in psychiatric settings is important because it has been correlated with improved clinical outcomes and administrative measures of high-quality care. These consumer satisfaction measurements are actively used as performance measures required by the accreditation process and for quality improvement activities. Our objectives were (i) to re-evaluate, through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the structure of an instrument intended to measure consumers' satisfaction with care in psychiatric settings and (ii) to examine and publish the psychometric characteristics, validity and reliability, of the Inpatient Consumer Survey (ICS). To psychometrically test the structure of the ICS, 34 878 survey results, submitted by 90 psychiatric hospitals in 2008, were extracted from the Behavioral Healthcare Performance Measurement System (BHPMS). Basic descriptive item-response and correlation analyses were performed for total surveys. Two datasets were randomly created for analysis. A random sample of 8229 survey results was used for EFA. Another random sample of 8261 consumer survey results was used for CFA. This same sample was used to perform validity and reliability analyses. The item-response analysis showed that the mean range for a disagree/agree five-point scale was 3.10-3.94. Correlation analysis showed a strong relationship between items. Six domains (dignity, rights, environment, empowerment, participation, and outcome) with internal reliabilities between good to moderate (0.87-0.73) were shown to be related to overall care satisfaction. Overall reliability for the instrument was excellent (0.94). Results from CFA provided support for the domains structure of the ICS proposed through EFA. The overall findings from this study provide evidence that the ICS is a reliable measure of consumer satisfaction in psychiatric inpatient settings. The analysis has shown the ICS to provide valid and reliable results and to focus on the specific concerns of consumers of psychiatric inpatient care. Scores by item indicate that opportunity for improvement exists across healthcare organizations.

Consumer Behavior: Developing Skills for Assertiveness. Consumer Education Training Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thayer, Lou

The goal of this inservice guide for teaching consumer education at the secondary and adult level is to help consumers become more assertive when buying goods and services. A major section in the guide defines assertiveness. The four basic components of assertive behavior are the ability to express emotions openly, the capacity to exercise one's…

Visual elements in direct-to-consumer advertising: Messages communicated to patients with arthritis.

PubMed

Willis, Erin

2017-01-01

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising saturates popular health magazines, communicating persuasive messages to readers that may influence attitudes and behaviors. This research used a two-prong approach to investigate the visual elements used in DTC advertising and their influence on consumers' understanding of a disease and its treatment options. An analysis was conducted of DTC advertisements (N = 62) from a population sample of Arthritis Today magazine, 2000-2010. Three panels of people with arthritis were used to validate the findings and discuss implications for health literacy. Pharmaceutical companies have an opportunity to communicate tailored messages to readers of niche publications and improve disease management.

Variables influencing food perception reviewed for consumer-oriented product development.

PubMed

Sijtsema, Siet; Linnemann, Anita; van Gaasbeek, Ton; Dagevos, Hans; Jongen, Wim

2002-01-01

Consumer wishes have to be translated into product characteristics to implement consumer-oriented product development. Before this step can be made, insight in food-related behavior and perception of consumers is necessary to make the right, useful, and successful translation. Food choice behavior and consumers' perception are studied in many disciplines. Models of food behavior and preferences therefore were studied from a multidisciplinary perspective. Nearly all models structure the determinants related to the person, the food, and the environment. Consequently, the overview of models was used as a basis to structure the variables influencing food perception into a model for consumer-oriented product development. To this new model, referred to as food perception model, other variables like time and place as part of consumption moment were added. These are important variables influencing consumers' perception, and therefore of increasing importance to consumer-oriented product development nowadays. In further research, the presented food perception model is used as a tool to implement successful consumer-oriented product development.

Consumers' various and surprising responses to direct-to-consumer advertisements in magazine print.

PubMed

Arney, Jennifer; Street, Richard L; Naik, Aanand D

2013-01-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is ubiquitous in media outlets, but little is known about the ways in which consumers' values, needs, beliefs, and biases influence the perceived meaning and value of DTCA. This article aims to identify the taxonomy of readership categories that reflect the complexity of how health care consumers interact with DTCA, with particular focus on individuals' perceptions of print DTCA in popular magazines. Respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit 18 male and female magazine readers and 18 male and female prescription medication users aged 18-71 years. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with consumers about their attentiveness, motivations, perceived value, and behavioral responses to DTCA were conducted. The analyses were guided by principles of grounded theory analysis; four categories that vary in consumers' attentiveness, motivations, perceived value, and behavioral responses to DTCA were identified. Two categories - the lay physician and the informed shopper - see value in information from DTCA and are likely to seek medical care based on the information. One category - the voyeur - reads DTCA, but is not likely to approach a clinician regarding advertised information. The fourth category - the evader - ignores DTCA and is not likely to approach a clinician with DTCA information. Responses to DTCA vary considerably among consumers, and physicians should view patients' understanding and response to DTCA within the context of their health-related needs. Patients' comments related to DTCA may be used as an opportunity to engage and understand patients' perspectives about illness and medication use. Clinicians may use information about these categories to facilitate shared understanding and improve communication within the doctor-patient relationship.

Observing Reasonable Consumers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silber, Norman I.

1991-01-01

Although courts and legislators usually set legal standards that correspond to empirical knowledge of human behavior, recent developments in behavioral psychology have led courts to appreciate the limits and errors in consumer decision making. "Reasonable consumer" standards that are congruent with cognitive reality should be developed.…

Alienation of sexuality in male erotic dancing.

PubMed

Boden, David M

2007-01-01

This ethnographic study investigates a male-for-male gender arrangement of erotic dancing. Analysis of the data suggests that the men in this occupation understand their labor as titillation, a pleasurable erotic flirtation, for the entertainment of the consumer. Central to the performance is a constructed sexuality that is not reflective of the desires of the dancer but, rather, those of the consumer. The alienation of the dancer from his sexuality may result in behaviors and encounters that violate his normative and moral expectations.

Shaping beliefs in experimental markets for expert services: Guilt aversion and the impact of promises and money-burning options.

PubMed

Beck, Adrian; Kerschbamer, Rudolf; Qiu, Jianying; Sutter, Matthias

2013-09-01

In a credence goods game with an expert and a consumer, we study experimentally the impact of two devices that are predicted to induce consumer-friendly behavior if the expert has a propensity to feel guilty when he believes that he violates the consumer's payoff expectations: (i) an opportunity for the expert to make a non-binding promise; and (ii) an opportunity for the consumer to burn money. In belief-based guilt aversion theory the first opportunity shapes an expert's behavior if an appropriate promise is made and if it is expected to be believed by the consumer; by contrast, the second opportunity might change behavior even though this option is never used along the predicted path. Experimental results confirm the behavioral relevance of (i) but fail to confirm (ii).

Identifying effective factors on consumers' choice behavior toward green products: the case of Tehran, the capital of Iran.

PubMed

Rahnama, Hassan; Rajabpour, Shayan

2017-01-01

The environment is increasingly turning to a vital and very important issue for all people. By increasing environmental concerns as well as legislating and regulating rules on the protection of the environment and the emergence of green consumers, implementing green marketing approach for organizations seems to be more crucial and essential. As a result, the need for ecological products and green business activities compels companies to combine environmental issues with marketing strategies. The first step in the success of companies and organizations is to identify consumers and their consumption behaviors correctly and accurately. So, the purpose of this study is to identify effective factors for the choice of consumers of green products. We used consumption values (functional value, social value, emotional value, conditional value, epistemic value, and environmental value) as the effective factor for choosing green products. The original place of this research was in Tehran, capital city of Iran, which is one of the most polluted cities in the world due to environmental issues. The results from the survey questionnaires are analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The results indicated that functional value-price, functional value-quality, social value, epistemic value, and environmental value had significantly positive effects on the choice of green products; also, conditional value and emotional value had no influence on it. It was concluded that the main influential factors for consumers' choice behavior regarding green products included environmental value and epistemic value. This study emphasized the proper pricing of green products by producers and sellers.

Extremely frequent behavior in consumer research: theory and empirical evidence for chronic casino gambling.

PubMed

Perfetto, Ralph; Woodside, Arch G

2009-09-01

The present study informs understanding of customer segmentation strategies by extending Twedt's heavy-half propositions to include a segment of users that represent less than 2% of all households-consumers demonstrating extremely frequent behavior (EFB). Extremely frequent behavior (EFB) theory provides testable propositions relating to the observation that few (2%) consumers in many product and service categories constitute more than 25% of the frequency of product or service use. Using casino gambling as an example for testing EFB theory, an analysis of national survey data shows that extremely frequent casino gamblers do exist and that less than 2% of all casino gamblers are responsible for nearly 25% of all casino gambling usage. Approximately 14% of extremely frequent casino users have very low-household income, suggesting somewhat paradoxical consumption patterns (where do very low-income users find the money to gamble so frequently?). Understanding the differences light, heavy, and extreme users and non-users can help marketers and policymakers identify and exploit "blue ocean" opportunities (Kim and Mauborgne, Blue ocean strategy, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, 2005), for example, creating effective strategies to convert extreme users into non-users or non-users into new users.

The Other Side of the Dependence on Foreign Oil

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-16

changes that could greatly impact the quantity of oil consumed in the United States concern consumer behavior . As the economic costs of using petroleum...emphasis on mass transit and options for pedestrians. While technological advances and changing consumer behavior could intentionally change the

Development of a scale to measure consumer perception of the risks involved in consuming raw vegetable salad in full-service restaurants.

PubMed

Danelon, Mariana Schievano; Salay, Elisabete

2012-12-01

The importance of the number of meals taken away-from-home represents an opportunity to promote consumption of vegetables in this context. However, the perception of risk may interfere with the food consumption behavior. The objective of this research was to develop a scale to measure consumer perception of the risks involved in consuming raw vegetable salad in full-service restaurants. The following research steps were carried out: item elaboration; content validity; scale purification (item-total correlation, internal consistency and exploratory factor analysis); and construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis). Non-probabilistic samples of consumers were interviewed (a total of 672 individuals) in the city of Campinas, Brazil. Several analyses were carried out using the Predictive Analytics Software 18.0 and LISREL 8.80. The final scale contained 26 items with an adequate content validity index (0.97) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.93). The confirmatory factor analysis validates a six risk type factor model: physical, psychological, social, time, financial and performance (chi-square/degrees of freedom=2.29, root mean square error of approximation - RMSEA=0.060 and comparative fit index - CFI=0.98). The scale developed presented satisfactory reliability and validity results and could therefore be employed in further studies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soft drinks consumption is associated with behavior problems in 5-year-olds.

PubMed

Suglia, Shakira F; Solnick, Sara; Hemenway, David

2013-11-01

To examine soda consumption and aggressive behaviors, attention problems, and withdrawal behavior among 5-year-old children. The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study is a prospective birth cohort study that follows a sample of mother-child pairs from 20 large US cities. Mothers reported children's behaviors using the Child Behavior Checklist at age 5 years and were asked to report how many servings of soda the child drinks on a typical day. In the sample of 2929 children, 52% were boys, 51% were African-American, 43% consumed at least one serving of soda per day, and 4% consumed 4 or more servings per day. In analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors, consuming one (beta, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.1-1.4), 2 (beta, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.8-2.7), 3 (beta, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.6-3.4), or 4 or more (beta, 4.7; 95% CI, 3.2-6.2) servings was associated with a higher aggressive behavior score compared with consuming no soda. Furthermore, those who consumed 4 or more (beta, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-2.4) soda servings had higher scores on the attention problems subscale. Higher withdrawn behavior scores were noted among those consuming 2 (beta, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.3-1.8) or 4 or more (beta, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.8-3.1) soda servings compared with those who consumed no soda. We note an association between soda consumption and negative behavior among very young children; future studies should explore potential mechanisms that could explain this association. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Market Allocation of Agricultural Water Resources in the Salinas River Valley

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

Consumer Behavior ................. 42 3.3 Isoquants for Vegetable Output ............................................ 43 3.4 Time Paths for Groundwater...support staff. These rates do not alter consumer behavior because they provide no eco- nomic incentive to the users to reduce consumption. The rates affect...the users’ fixed costs and total cost but not their variable costs. Figure 3.2 describes consumer behavior in this situation. Assuming landowners are

Estimating Demand Elasticities for Mobile Telecommunications in Austria

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

method to measure price elasticities relies on individual or survey data of consumer behavior . Independently of whether aggregated or individual data has...are able to distinguish between short- and long-run elasticities and to distinguish between consumer behavior on the firm level. 3 The Austrian...Insert Table 2 about here * In order to take a closer look on consumer behavior in the Austrian mobile telephone market, we have used four different

Middle Eastern Energy Security: Synchronizing Domestic and Foreign Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-18

Reversing profligacy is largely an undertaking to change consumer behavior that will reduce demand and therefore dependence on oil. It will have the...transportation technology and associated goods and services. One of the most powerful catalysts for change in America is consumer behavior . As such...and reducing consumption run the risk of failure because changing consumer behavior and long-standing cultural norms will face stiff resistance in the

Recipe Modification Improves Food Safety Practices during Cooking of Poultry.

PubMed

Maughan, Curtis; Godwin, Sandria; Chambers, Delores; Chambers, Edgar

2016-08-01

Many consumers do not practice proper food safety behaviors when preparing food in the home. Several approaches have been taken to improve food safety behaviors among consumers, but there still is a deficit in actual practice of these behaviors. The objective of this study was to assess whether the introduction of food safety instructions in recipes for chicken breasts and ground turkey patties would improve consumers' food safety behaviors during preparation. In total, 155 consumers in two locations (Manhattan, KS, and Nashville, TN) were asked to prepare a baked chicken breast and a ground turkey patty following recipes that either did or did not contain food safety instructions. They were observed to track hand washing and thermometer use. Participants who received recipes with food safety instructions (n = 73) demonstrated significantly improved food safety preparation behaviors compared with those who did not have food safety instructions in the recipe (n = 82). In addition, the majority of consumers stated that they thought the recipes with instructions were easy to use and that they would be likely to use similar recipes at home. This study demonstrates that recipes could be a good source of food safety information for consumers and that they have the potential to improve behaviors to reduce foodborne illness.

Consumer Perception of Inpatient Medical Services.

PubMed

Izugami, Satoko; Takase, Kozo

2016-01-01

Although it is currently popular to reflect consumers' perspectives to medical service management, insufficient attempts have been made to understand detailed perception of the consumer side of medical services to promote medical services' evaluation from the consumer viewpoint. The aim of this study was to descriptively reveal how consumers perceive medical services that they receive, focusing on inpatient medical services. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 adults who experienced hospitalization of five or more days. Constant comparative analysis was performed on the obtained descriptive data. We identified 1) medical procedures, 2) explanations from medical professionals, 3) behavior of medical service providers, 4) somatic sensations, and 5) self-perceived physical conditions as target factors that medical service consumers perceived during hospitalization. The response to the perceived target factors, "compared with the expectation that the consumer had before the hospitalization," suggests that it is an important medical service consumer reaction to check if the service met their expectations for perceived factors. The response to the medical services perception targets suggested that medical service consumers are involved in medical services and interested in various perception targets. The expectations that medical service consumers have prior to hospitalization can largely influence inpatient medical services evaluation.

Consumer Brand Choice: Individual and Group Analyses of Demand Elasticity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveira-Castro, Jorge M.; Foxall, Gordon R.; Schrezenmaier, Teresa C.

2006-01-01

Following the behavior-analytic tradition of analyzing individual behavior, the present research investigated demand elasticity of individual consumers purchasing supermarket products, and compared individual and group analyses of elasticity. Panel data from 80 UK consumers purchasing 9 product categories (i.e., baked beans, biscuits, breakfast…

Behavioral Observation and Microbiological Analysis of Older Adult Consumers' Cross-Contamination Practices in a Model Domestic Kitchen.

PubMed

Evans, Ellen W; Redmond, Elizabeth C

2018-04-01

The incidence of foodborne illness is higher in older adults because of their increased susceptibility; therefore, food safety practices are important. However, inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes toward food safety have been reported, which may increase use of unsafe food handling practices. Data on the actual food safety behaviors of older adults are lacking. In this study, food safety practices of older adults were observed and linked to microbiological analysis of kitchen surfaces to identify suspected routes of contamination. Older adults (≥60 years, n = 100) prepared a set meal in a model domestic kitchen sanitized according to a validated protocol to ensure minimal and consistent microbiological loads. Food safety behaviors were observed using ceiling-mounted cameras and recorded using a predetermined behavioral checklist. Surface microbiological contamination also was determined after food preparation. Overall, older adults frequently implemented unsafe food handling practices; 90% failed to implement adequate hand decontamination immediately after handling raw chicken. For older adults who used a larger number of adequate hand decontamination attempts, microbiological contamination levels in the kitchen following the food preparation session were significantly lower ( P < 0.001). The novel utilization of behavioral observation in conjunction with microbiological analysis facilitated identification of potentially unsafe food handling practices as suspected routes of microbiological cross-contamination in a model domestic kitchen. Findings indicate the potential impact on domestic food safety of unsafe food handling practices used by older adult consumers. This innovative approach revealed that a large proportion of older adults implement behaviors resulting in microbiological cross-contamination that may increase the risk of foodborne illness in the home.

Behavioral Economics Applied to Energy Demand Analysis: A Foundation

EIA Publications

2014-01-01

Neoclassical economics has shaped our understanding of human behavior for several decades. While still an important starting point for economic studies, neoclassical frameworks have generally imposed strong assumptions, for example regarding utility maximization, information, and foresight, while treating consumer preferences as given or external to the framework. In real life, however, such strong assumptions tend to be less than fully valid. Behavioral economics refers to the study and formalizing of theories regarding deviations from traditionally-modeled economic decision-making in the behavior of individuals. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has an interest in behavioral economics as one influence on energy demand.

Dogmatism as a mediating influence on the perception of risk in consumer choice decisions.

PubMed

Durand, R M; Davis, D L; Bearden, W O

1977-01-01

The risk perceived by individual consumers when faced with an unfamiliar purchase situation was examined across three groups of females for three product categories. Group membership was determined on the basis of high, medium, and low scores on the Trodahl-Powell dogmatism instrument. Ss were 155 housewives of a medium size midwestern city in the United States surveyed as part of a two-tiered sampling process. The results of a multivariate analysis of variance procedure supported the hypothesis that consumers of a less dogmatic nature perceive lower levels of risk inherent within unfamiliar purchase situations than more dogmatic individuals. The implication for management is that the likelihood of obtaining successful new product introductions may be substantially enhanced through the process of risk reduction across dogmatic consumer segments by use of direct testimonial promotional themes stressing product acceptance in support of more traditional and informative advertising messages. The feasibility of this approach is based upon the premise that the behavior of dogmatic individuals is more frequently affected by pressures from peers and significant others than the behavior of individuals low in dogmatism which is generally based on more factual and relevant information.

Shaping beliefs in experimental markets for expert services: Guilt aversion and the impact of promises and money-burning options☆☆☆

PubMed Central

Beck, Adrian; Kerschbamer, Rudolf; Qiu, Jianying; Sutter, Matthias

2013-01-01

In a credence goods game with an expert and a consumer, we study experimentally the impact of two devices that are predicted to induce consumer-friendly behavior if the expert has a propensity to feel guilty when he believes that he violates the consumerʼs payoff expectations: (i) an opportunity for the expert to make a non-binding promise; and (ii) an opportunity for the consumer to burn money. In belief-based guilt aversion theory the first opportunity shapes an expertʼs behavior if an appropriate promise is made and if it is expected to be believed by the consumer; by contrast, the second opportunity might change behavior even though this option is never used along the predicted path. Experimental results confirm the behavioral relevance of (i) but fail to confirm (ii). PMID:24003266

Consumer food handling in the home: a review of food safety studies.

PubMed

Redmond, Elizabeth C; Griffith, Christopher J

2003-01-01

Epidemiological data from Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand indicate that a substantial proportion of foodborne disease is attributable to improper food preparation practices in consumers' homes. International concern about consumer food safety has prompted considerable research to evaluate domestic food-handling practices. The majority of consumer food safety studies in the last decade have been conducted in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (48%) and in the United States (42%). Surveys (questionnaires and interviews), the most frequent means of data collection, were used in 75% of the reviewed studies. Focus groups and observational studies have also been used. One consumer food safety study examined the relationship between pathogenic microbial contamination from raw chicken and observed food-handling behaviors, and the results of this study indicated extensive Campylobacter cross-contamination during food preparation sessions. Limited information about consumers' attitudes and intentions with regard to safe food-handling behaviors has been obtained, although a substantial amount of information about consumer knowledge and self-reported practices is available. Observation studies suggest that substantial numbers of consumers frequently implement unsafe food-handling practices. Knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and self-reported practices did not correspond to observed behaviors, suggesting that observational studies provide a more realistic indication of the food hygiene actions actually used in domestic food preparation. An improvement in consumer food-handling behavior is likely to reduce the risk and incidence of foodborne disease. The need for the development and implementation of food safety education strategies to improve specific food safety behaviors is reviewed in this paper.

Predicting Exposure to Consumer-Products Using Agent-Based Models Embedded with Needs-Based Artificial Intelligence and Empirically -Based Scheduling Models

EPA Science Inventory

Information on human behavior and consumer product use is important for characterizing exposures to chemicals in consumer products and in indoor environments. Traditionally, exposure-assessors have relied on time-use surveys to obtain information on exposure-related behavior. In ...

Psychological Traits and Behavioral Coping of Psychiatric Consumers: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahng, Sang K.; Mowbray, Carol T.

2005-01-01

A positive coping style can be critical to successful rehabilitation of psychiatric consumers. Using structural equation modeling, this study examined the relationships among consumers' psychological characteristics, self-esteem, and behaviors, and the role of self-esteem in mediating the relationships between psychological characteristics and…

Measures of Consumer Satisfaction in Social Welfare and Behavioral Health: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Mark W.; Wu, Shiyou

2016-01-01

This article reviews the origins, conceptual bases, psychometric properties, and limitations of consumer satisfaction measures in social welfare and behavioral health. Based on a systematic review of research reports published between 2003 and 2013, we identify 58 consumer satisfaction measures. On average, these measures have acceptable…

The impact of nutritional supplement intake on diet behavior and obesity outcomes.

PubMed

Anders, Sven; Schroeter, Christiane

2017-01-01

After decades-old efforts to nudge consumers towards healthier lifestyles through dietary guidelines, diet-related diseases are on the rise. In addition, a growing share of U.S. consumers proactively chooses nutritional supplements as an alternative preventative way of maintaining good health, a $25.5 billion industry in the United States. This paper investigates possible linkages between the economics of consumer supplement choices and the relationship to important dietary and health outcomes. We use National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to estimate the impact of nutritional supplements intake on respondent's body weight outcomes, controlling for diet quality.: The focus of this article is to determine whether nutritional supplements takers differ from non-takers with regard to their health outcomes when controlling for differences in diet quality, based on individual Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) score. The analysis applies treatment effects estimators that account for the selection bias and endogeneity of self-reported behavior and diet-health outcomes. The analysis demonstrates a negative association between supplement intake and BMI but no significant effect on an individual's diet quality. Our findings suggest that individuals proactively invest into their health by taking nutritional supplements instead of improving diet quality through more nutritious food choices. Our results provide important contributions to the literature on a key food policy issue. Knowledge of the determinants of supplement demand in the context of strong diet-health trends should also be helpful to stakeholders in the U.S. produce sector in their competition over consumer market share.

I Never Left a Place that I didn’t Clean up. The Legacy of Historic Settlement on Lands Administered by Holloman Air Force Base.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-10-01

these two sites. Extensive artifact analyses would contribute to studies concerning consumer behavior , and archaeological testing would help determine...Specific research areas to be considered especially from the artifact assemblages are: subsistence patterns, consumer behavior , market accessibility...to provide archaeological information which could be used in various studies, such as subsistence patterns, consumer behavior , market accessibility

Two-Sided Matching in Hierarchical Organizations-An Application for the Assignment of Military Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

information overload has been examined in fields such as consumer behavior , it has not previously been examined in relation to assignment decision making...such as accounting, organization science and consumer behavior , and show that there is considerable evidence that humans make poor quality decisions...accuracy in the consumer behavior domain, however his approach was different for two primary reasons. Firstly, he examined the effect of an individual’s

AdChoices? Compliance with Online Behavioral Advertising Notice and Choice Requirements. Revised Version

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-07

further information and a means of opting out. Revised October 7, 2011. Keywords: Online behavioral advertising ; privacy; consumer choice; notice... consumers ’ activities online to target advertising .”1 The FTC has been examining ways to reduce the privacy concerns associated with OBA for over a decade...behavioral advertising practices that would foster transparency, knowledge and choice for consumers . As the FTC determines what to do next, it is

Determinants of Consumer eHealth Information Seeking Behavior.

PubMed

Sandefer, Ryan H; Westra, Bonnie L; Khairat, Saif S; Pieczkiewicz, David S; Speedie, Stuart M

2015-01-01

Patients are increasingly using the Internet and other technologies to engage in their own healthcare, but little research has focused on the determinants of consumer eHealth behaviors related to Internet use. This study uses data from 115,089 respondents to four years of the National Health Interview Series to identify the associations between one consumer eHealth behavior (information seeking) and demographics, health measures, and Personal Health Information Management (PHIM) (messaging, scheduling, refills, and chat). Individuals who use PHIM are 7.5 times more likely to search the internet for health related information. Just as health has social determinants, the results of this study indicate there are potential social determinants of consumer eHealth behaviors including personal demographics, health status, and healthcare access.

Behavioral Hypervolumes of Predator Groups and Predator-Predator Interactions Shape Prey Survival Rates and Selection on Prey Behavior

PubMed Central

Pruitt, Jonathan N.; Howell, Kimberly A.; Gladney, Shaniqua J.; Yang, Yusan; Lichtenstein, James L. L.; Spicer, Michelle Elise; Echeverri, Sebastian A.; Pinter-Wollman, Noa

2017-01-01

Predator-prey interactions often vary on the basis of the traits of the individual predators and prey involved. Here we examine whether the multidimensional behavioral diversity of predator groups shapes prey mortality rates and selection on prey behavior. We ran individual sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) through three behavioral assays to characterize individuals’ behavioral phenotype along three axes. We then created groups that varied in the volume of behavioral space that they occupied. We further manipulated the ability of predators to interact with one another physically via the addition of barriers. Prey snails (Chlorostome funebralis) were also run through an assay to evaluate their predator avoidance behavior before their use in mesocosm experiments. We then subjected pools of prey to predator groups and recorded the number of prey consumed and their behavioral phenotypes. We found that predator-predator interactions changed survival selection on prey traits: when predators were prevented from interacting, more fearful snails had higher survival rates, whereas prey fearfulness had no effect on survival when predators were free to interact. We also found that groups of predators that occupied a larger volume in behavioral trait space consumed 35% more prey snails than homogeneous predator groups. Finally, we found that behavioral hypervolumes were better predictors of prey survival rates than single behavioral traits or other multivariate statistics (i.e., principal component analysis). Taken together, predator-predator interactions and multidimensional behavioral diversity determine prey survival rates and selection on prey traits in this system. PMID:28221831

Behavioral Hypervolumes of Predator Groups and Predator-Predator Interactions Shape Prey Survival Rates and Selection on Prey Behavior.

PubMed

Pruitt, Jonathan N; Howell, Kimberly A; Gladney, Shaniqua J; Yang, Yusan; Lichtenstein, James L L; Spicer, Michelle Elise; Echeverri, Sebastian A; Pinter-Wollman, Noa

2017-03-01

Predator-prey interactions often vary on the basis of the traits of the individual predators and prey involved. Here we examine whether the multidimensional behavioral diversity of predator groups shapes prey mortality rates and selection on prey behavior. We ran individual sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) through three behavioral assays to characterize individuals' behavioral phenotype along three axes. We then created groups that varied in the volume of behavioral space that they occupied. We further manipulated the ability of predators to interact with one another physically via the addition of barriers. Prey snails (Chlorostome funebralis) were also run through an assay to evaluate their predator avoidance behavior before their use in mesocosm experiments. We then subjected pools of prey to predator groups and recorded the number of prey consumed and their behavioral phenotypes. We found that predator-predator interactions changed survival selection on prey traits: when predators were prevented from interacting, more fearful snails had higher survival rates, whereas prey fearfulness had no effect on survival when predators were free to interact. We also found that groups of predators that occupied a larger volume in behavioral trait space consumed 35% more prey snails than homogeneous predator groups. Finally, we found that behavioral hypervolumes were better predictors of prey survival rates than single behavioral traits or other multivariate statistics (i.e., principal component analysis). Taken together, predator-predator interactions and multidimensional behavioral diversity determine prey survival rates and selection on prey traits in this system.

Merging Empiricism and Humanism: Role of Social Validity in the School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchant, Michelle; Heath, Melissa Allen; Miramontes, Nancy Y.

2013-01-01

Criteria for evaluating behavior support programs are changing. Consumer-based educational and behavioral programs, such as School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS), are particularly influenced by consumer opinion. Unfortunately, the need for and use of social validity measures have not received adequate attention in the empirical literature…

A Conceptual Model of Leisure-Time Choice Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergier, Michel J.

1981-01-01

Methods of studying the gap between predisposition and actual behavior of consumers of spectator sports is discussed. A model is drawn from the areas of behavioral sciences, consumer behavior, and leisure research. The model is constructed around the premise that choice is primarily a function of personal, product, and environmental factors. (JN)

Food safety practices among Norwegian consumers.

PubMed

Røssvoll, Elin Halbach; Lavik, Randi; Ueland, Øydis; Jacobsen, Eivind; Hagtvedt, Therese; Langsrud, Solveig

2013-11-01

An informed consumer can compensate for several potential food safety violations or contaminations that may occur earlier in the food production chain. However, a consumer can also destroy the work of others in the chain by poor food handling practices, e.g., by storing chilled ready-to-eat foods at abusive temperatures. To target risk-reducing strategies, consumer groups with high-risk behavior should be identified. The aim of this study was to identify demographic characteristics associated with high-risk food handling practices among Norwegian consumers. More than 2,000 randomly selected Norwegian consumers were surveyed, and the results were analyzed with a risk-based grading system, awarding demerit points for self-reported food safety violations. The violations were categorized into groups, and an ordinary multiple linear regression analysis was run on the summarized demerit score for each group and for the entire survey group as a whole. Young and elderly men were identified as the least informed consumer groups with the most unsafe practices regarding food safety. Single persons reported poorer practices than those in a relationship. People with higher education reported poorer practices than those with lower or no education, and those living in the capital of Norway (Oslo) reported following more unsafe food practices than people living elsewhere in Norway. Men reported poorer food safety practices than women in all categories with two exceptions: parboiling raw vegetables before consumption and knowledge of refrigerator temperature. These findings suggest that risk-reducing measures should target men, and a strategy is needed to change their behavior and attitudes.

Winning the War on Drugs - An Economic Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

consumer demand for illegal drugs is influenced by the same market mechanisms that influence consumer behavior towards legal goods. In this regard...increased. (19:23-45; 20:2694) From the consumer behavior described , it can be generally concluded that the demand curves for cocaine use can be 17...mechanisms currently being employed. A closer examination of the real character or cocaine demand might reveal which market mechanisms intluence consumer

How food marketers can sell smaller portions: Consumer insights and product innovation.

PubMed

Riis, J; Fisher, J O; Rowe, S

2016-08-01

Food portion size has been shown to be an important driver of energy intake. Despite the well acknowledged role of portion control in weight management, large portion sizes remain ubiquitous in the marketplace. Moving consumers towards consumption of smaller portion sizes will require changes in consumer behavior as well as changes in products available to consumers in a variety of settings. This special supplement presents cutting edge research aimed at understanding consumer behavior around portion size and innovations in product design that may promote the selection and consumption of smaller portion sizes. We identify further research that will be needed to translate basic behavioral findings into real world settings and to viable product development. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Eggs and Poultry Purchase, Storage, and Preparation Practices of Consumers in Selected Asian Countries

PubMed Central

Koppel, Kadri; Suwonsichon, Suntaree; Chitra, Uma; Lee, Jeehyun; Chambers, Edgar

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to begin characterizing purchase, storage, handling, and preparation of poultry products and eggs by selected consumers in three Asian countries: India, Korea, and Thailand. Approximately 100 consumers in each location were recruited to participate in this study. The consumers were surveyed about eggs and poultry purchase behavior characteristics, such as temperatures and locations, storage behavior, such as storage locations in the refrigerator or freezer, preparation behavior, such as washing eggs and poultry before cooking, and handling behavior, such as using cutting boards during cooking. The results indicated differences in purchase and storage practices of raw eggs. Most Korean consumers purchased refrigerated eggs and stored the eggs in the refrigerator, while Indian and Thai consumers bought eggs that were stored at room temperature, but would refrigerate the eggs at home. Approximately half of the consumers in each country froze raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Food preparation practices showed potential for cross-contamination during cooking, such as using the same cutting board for different kinds of foods or not washing hands with soap and water. The results presented in this pilot study may lead to development of educational messages and raising consumer awareness of food safety practices in Asian countries. PMID:28234307

Consumer brand choice: individual and group analyses of demand elasticity.

PubMed

Oliveira-Castro, Jorge M; Foxall, Gordon R; Schrezenmaier, Teresa C

2006-03-01

Following the behavior-analytic tradition of analyzing individual behavior, the present research investigated demand elasticity of individual consumers purchasing supermarket products, and compared individual and group analyses of elasticity. Panel data from 80 UK consumers purchasing 9 product categories (i.e., baked beans, biscuits, breakfast cereals, butter, cheese, fruit juice, instant coffee, margarine and tea) during a 16-week period were used. Elasticity coefficients were calculated for individual consumers with data from all or only 1 product category (intra-consumer elasticities), and for each product category using all data points from all consumers (overall product elasticity) or 1 average data point per consumer (interconsumer elasticity). In addition to this, split-sample elasticity coefficients were obtained for each individual with data from all product categories purchased during weeks 1 to 8 and 9 to 16. The results suggest that: 1) demand elasticity coefficients calculated for individual consumers purchasing supermarket food products are compatible with predictions from economic theory and behavioral economics; 2) overall product elasticities, typically employed in marketing and econometric research, include effects of interconsumer and intraconsumer elasticities; 3) when comparing demand elasticities of different product categories, group and individual analyses yield similar trends; and 4) individual differences in demand elasticity are relatively consistent across time, but do not seem to be consistent across products. These results demonstrate the theoretical, methodological, and managerial relevance of investigating the behavior of individual consumers.

Consumer Brand Choice: Individual and Group Analyses of Demand Elasticity

PubMed Central

Oliveira-Castro, Jorge M; Foxall, Gordon R; Schrezenmaier, Teresa C

2006-01-01

Following the behavior-analytic tradition of analyzing individual behavior, the present research investigated demand elasticity of individual consumers purchasing supermarket products, and compared individual and group analyses of elasticity. Panel data from 80 UK consumers purchasing 9 product categories (i.e., baked beans, biscuits, breakfast cereals, butter, cheese, fruit juice, instant coffee, margarine and tea) during a 16-week period were used. Elasticity coefficients were calculated for individual consumers with data from all or only 1 product category (intra-consumer elasticities), and for each product category using all data points from all consumers (overall product elasticity) or 1 average data point per consumer (interconsumer elasticity). In addition to this, split-sample elasticity coefficients were obtained for each individual with data from all product categories purchased during weeks 1 to 8 and 9 to 16. The results suggest that: 1) demand elasticity coefficients calculated for individual consumers purchasing supermarket food products are compatible with predictions from economic theory and behavioral economics; 2) overall product elasticities, typically employed in marketing and econometric research, include effects of interconsumer and intraconsumer elasticities; 3) when comparing demand elasticities of different product categories, group and individual analyses yield similar trends; and 4) individual differences in demand elasticity are relatively consistent across time, but do not seem to be consistent across products. These results demonstrate the theoretical, methodological, and managerial relevance of investigating the behavior of individual consumers. PMID:16673823

In Dreams Begin Responsibility: Why and How to Measure the Quality of Graduate Training in Applied Behavior Analysis.

PubMed

Critchfield, Thomas S

2015-10-01

Although no one knows just how effective graduate training may be in creating effective practitioners of applied behavior analysis, there are plenty of logical and historical reasons to think that not all practitioners are equally competent. I detail some of those reasons and explain why practitioner effectiveness may be a more pressing worry now than in the past. Because ineffective practitioners harm the profession, rigorous mechanisms are needed for evaluating graduate training programs in terms of the field effectiveness of their practitioners. Accountability of this nature, while difficult to arrange, would make applied behavior analysis nearly unique among professions, would complement existing quality control processes, and would help to protect the positive reputation and vigorous consumer demand that the profession currently enjoys.

Consumer Perception of Inpatient Medical Services

PubMed Central

Takase, Kozo

2016-01-01

Although it is currently popular to reflect consumers’ perspectives to medical service management, insufficient attempts have been made to understand detailed perception of the consumer side of medical services to promote medical services’ evaluation from the consumer viewpoint. The aim of this study was to descriptively reveal how consumers perceive medical services that they receive, focusing on inpatient medical services. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 adults who experienced hospitalization of five or more days. Constant comparative analysis was performed on the obtained descriptive data. We identified 1) medical procedures, 2) explanations from medical professionals, 3) behavior of medical service providers, 4) somatic sensations, and 5) self-perceived physical conditions as target factors that medical service consumers perceived during hospitalization. The response to the perceived target factors, “compared with the expectation that the consumer had before the hospitalization,” suggests that it is an important medical service consumer reaction to check if the service met their expectations for perceived factors. The response to the medical services perception targets suggested that medical service consumers are involved in medical services and interested in various perception targets. The expectations that medical service consumers have prior to hospitalization can largely influence inpatient medical services evaluation. PMID:27832165

Presenting quality data to vulnerable groups: charts, summaries or behavioral economic nudges?

PubMed

Elbel, Brian; Gillespie, Colleen; Raven, Maria C

2014-07-01

Despite the increased focus on health care consumers' active choice, not enough is known about how to best facilitate the choice process. We sought to assess methods of improving this process for vulnerable consumers in the United States by testing alternatives that emphasize insights from behavioral economics, or 'nudges'. We performed a hypothetical choice experiment where subjects were randomized to one of five experimental conditions and asked to choose a health center (location where they would receive all their care). The conditions presented the same information about health centers in different ways, including graphically as a chart, via written summary and using behavioral economics, 'nudging' consumers toward particular choices. We hypothesized that these 'nudges' might help simplify the choice process. Our primary outcomes focused on the health center chosen and whether consumers were willing to accept 'nudges'. We found that consumer choice was influenced by the method of presentation and the majority of consumers accepted the health center they were 'nudged' towards. Consumers were accepting of choices grounded in insights from behavioral economics and further consideration should be given to their role in patient choice. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Research into the influence of internal interdepartmental integration on service innovation and customer loyalty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jui-Chan; Wu, Tzu-Jung; Wen, Hao-Ming; Hsin-Fei, Wu; Hairui, Ji

2017-06-01

It is the most important for the company to improve customer value and customer loyalty through service innovation. However, at present, only researches related to organizations or consumer behaviors are conducted, there is rare research into the combination between organization level and consumer behavior, and this research tries to explore this aspect, which is the motivation and contribution of this research. This research aims to explore the relationship between "Interdepartmental Integration", "Service Innovation" and "Customer Loyalty", according to the analysis results, the relationship between "interdepartmental integration and service innovation" and "service innovation and customer loyalty" has a low positive correlation and it reaches significant level; it shows the relationship between "interdepartmental interaction and progressive innovation" and "interdepartmental collaboration and fundamental innovation" is significant.

LOGAM (Logistic Analysis Model). Volume 2. Users Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

as opposed to simulation models which represent a system’s behavior as a function of time. These latter classes of models are often complex. They...includes the cost of ammunition and missiles comsumed by the system being costed during unit training. Excluded is the cost of ammunition consumed during...data. The results obtained from sensitivity testing may be used to construct graphs which display the behavior of the maintenance concept over the range

An analysis of strategic price setting in retail gasoline markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaureguiberry, Florencia

This dissertation studies price-setting behavior in the retail gasoline industry. The main questions addressed are: How important is a retail station's brand and proximity to competitors when retail stations set price? How do retailers adjust their pricing when they cater to consumers who are less aware of competing options or have less discretion over where they purchase gasoline? These questions are explored in two separate analyses using a unique datasets containing retail pricing behavior of stations in California and in 24 different metropolitan areas. The evidence suggests that brand and location generate local market power for gasoline stations. After controlling for market and station characteristics, the analysis finds a spread of 11 cents per gallon between the highest and the lowest priced retail gasoline brands. The analysis also indicates that when the nearest competitor is located over 2 miles away as opposed to next door, consumers will pay an additional 1 cent per gallon of gasoline. In order to quantify the significance of local market power, data for stations located near major airport rental car locations are utilized. The presumption here is that rental car users are less aware or less sensitive to fueling options near the rental car return location and are to some extent "captured consumers". Retailers located near rental car locations have incentives to adjust their pricing strategies to exploit this. The analysis of pricing near rental car locations indicates that retailers charge prices that are 4 cent per gallon higher than other stations in the same metropolitan area. This analysis is of interest to regulators who are concerned with issues of consolidation, market power, and pricing in the retail gasoline industry. This dissertation concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of the empirical analysis.

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS TO PROMOTE HEALTH: UNPRECEDENTED OPORTUNITIES FOR BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS

PubMed Central

KURTI, ALLISON N.; DALLERY, JESSE

2015-01-01

The use of mobile devices is growing worldwide in both industrialized and developing nations. Alongside the worldwide penetration of web-enabled devices, the leading causes of morbidity and mortality are increasingly modifiable lifestyle factors (e.g., improving one’s diet and exercising more). Behavior analysts have the opportunity to promote health by combining effective behavioral methods with technological advancements. The objectives of this paper are (1) to highlight the public health gains that may be achieved by integrating technology with a behavior analytic approach to developing interventions, and (2) to review some of the currently, under-examined issues related to merging technology and behavior analysis (enhancing sustainability, obtaining frequent measures of behavior, conducting component analyses, evaluating cost-effectiveness, incorporating behavior analysis in the creation of consumer-based applications, and reducing health disparities). Thorough consideration of these issues may inspire the development, implementation, and dissemination of innovative, efficacious interventions that substantially improve global public health. PMID:25774070

The Determinants of Organic Vegetable Purchasing in Jabodetabek Region, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Slamet, Alim Setiawan; Nakayasu, Akira; Bai, Hu

2016-01-01

Over the last few years, the global market of organic vegetables has grown. This is due to increased consumer concern regarding environmental and health issues, especially for food products. This study aims to examine factors that influence consumer behavior in purchasing organic vegetables. In this study, data were obtained from household surveys conducted in the Jabodetabek region (Greater Jakarta) from February to March 2015. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and a binary logit model were used to analyze the data. Subsequently, the results show that consumers with fewer family members and have a higher income, and are price tolerant, are more likely to purchase organic vegetables. Meanwhile, female consumers are less likely to buy organic vegetables. Another important finding is that positive attitude towards organic products, safety and health, environmental concerns, as well as degree of trust in organic attributes, are the determinants of organic vegetable purchasing among consumers. Therefore, based on the study results, the following recommendations are needed for organic vegetable development in Indonesia: (a) implementing an appropriate pricing strategy; (b) encouraging organic labeling and certification for vegetables; and (c) intensively promoting organic food with respect to consumers’ motives and concerns on health, safety, as well as environmental sustainability. PMID:28231181

Analyzing the Effects of Technological Change: A Computable General Equilibrium Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

to obtain. One way out of this dilemma is to change slightly the interpretation of the formal model of consumer behavior which has been presented above...approach to analyzing the economy-wide effects of a phenomenon such as technological change. By focussing on aggregate producer and consumer behavior , it is... Consumer Behavior ." In R.L. Baseman and G. Rhodes, eds., Advances in Econometrics, vol. 1. Greenwich: JAI Press, 1982. Nagurney [1987] Nagurney, A

Association of breakfast intake with obesity, dietary and physical activity behavior among urban school-aged adolescents in Delhi, India: results of a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In developed countries, regular breakfast consumption is inversely associated with excess weight and directly associated with better dietary and improved physical activity behaviors. Our objective was to describe the frequency of breakfast consumption among school-going adolescents in Delhi and evaluate its association with overweight and obesity as well as other dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors. Methods Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Eight schools (Private and Government) of Delhi in the year 2006. Participants: 1814 students from 8th and 10th grades; response rate was 87.2%; 55% were 8th graders, 60% were boys and 52% attended Private schools. Main outcome measures: Body mass index, self-reported breakfast consumption, diet and physical activity related behaviors, and psychosocial factors. Data analysis: Mixed effects regression models were employed, adjusting for age, gender, grade level and school type (SES). Results Significantly more Government school (lower SES) students consumed breakfast daily as compared to Private school (higher SES) students (73.8% vs. 66.3%; p<0.01). More 8th graders consumed breakfast daily vs.10th graders (72.3% vs. 67.0%; p<0.05). A dose–response relationship was observed such that overall prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents who consumed breakfast daily (14.6%) was significantly lower vs. those who only sometimes (15.2%) or never (22.9%) consumed breakfast (p<0.05 for trend). This relationship was statistically significant for boys (15.4 % vs. 16.5% vs. 26.0; p<0.05 for trend) but not for girls. Intake of dairy products, fruits and vegetables was 5.5 (95% CI 2.4-12.5), 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.5) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.3-3.5) times higher among those who consumed breakfast daily vs. those who never consumed breakfast. Breakfast consumption was associated with greater physical activity vs. those who never consumed breakfast. Positive values and beliefs about healthy eating; body image satisfaction; and positive peer and parental influence were positively associated with daily breakfast consumption, while depression was negatively associated. Conclusion Daily breakfast consumption is associated with less overweight and obesity and with healthier dietary- and physical activity-related behaviors among urban Indian students. Although prospective studies should confirm the present results, intervention programs to prevent or treat childhood obesity in India should consider emphasizing regular breakfast consumption. PMID:23075030

Tobacco control environment in the United States and individual consumer characteristics in relation to continued smoking: Differential responses among menthol smokers?

PubMed Central

Lewis, Michael; Wang, Yanwen; Berg, Carla J.

2014-01-01

Objective We used a consumer panel augmented with state-specific measures of tobacco control activities to examine main effects and interactions among consumer behaviors, particularly menthol cigarette smoking, and tobacco control environment on cessation over a six-year period. Methods We used the Nielson Homescan Panel, which tracks consumer purchasing behaviors, and tobacco control information matched to panelist zip code. We focused on 1,582 households purchasing ≥20 packs from 2004–2009. Our analysis included demographics; purchasing behavior including menthol versus nonmenthol use (≥80% of cigarettes purchased being menthol), quality preferences (average price/pack), purchase recency, and nicotine intake (nicotine levels of cigarettes purchased); and tobacco control metrics (taxation, anti-tobacco advertising, smoke-free policies). Results Menthol smoking (Hazards Ratio [HR]=0.79, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.64, 0.99), being African American (HR=0.67, CI 0.46, 0.98), being male (HR=0.46; CI 0.28, 0.74), higher quality premium preferences (HR=0.80, CI0.77, 0.91), lower recency (HR=1.04, CI 1.02, 1.05), and higher nicotine intake rates (HR=0.99, CI 0.99, 0.99) were related to continued smoking. No significant interactions were found. Conclusion While there were no interactions between menthol use and effects of tobacco control activities, we did find additional support for the decreased cessation rates among menthol cigarette smokers, particularly in the African American population. PMID:24780527

Tobacco control environment in the United States and individual consumer characteristics in relation to continued smoking: differential responses among menthol smokers?

PubMed

Lewis, Michael; Wang, Yanwen; Berg, Carla J

2014-08-01

We used a consumer panel augmented with state-specific measures of tobacco control activities to examine the main effects and interactions among consumer behaviors, particularly menthol cigarette smoking, and tobacco control environment on cessation over a six-year period. We used the Nielson Homescan Panel, which tracks consumer purchasing behaviors, and tobacco control information matched to panelist zip code. We focused on 1582 households purchasing ≥20 packs from 2004 to 2009. Our analysis included demographics; purchasing behavior including menthol versus nonmenthol use (≥80% of cigarettes purchased being menthol), quality preferences (average price/pack), purchase recency, and nicotine intake (nicotine levels of cigarettes purchased); and tobacco control metrics (taxation, anti-tobacco advertising, smoke-free policies). Menthol smoking (Hazard Ratio [HR]=0.79, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.64, 0.99), being African American (HR=0.67, CI 0.46, 0.98), being male (HR=0.46, CI 0.28, 0.74), higher quality premium preferences (HR=0.80, CI 0.77, 0.91), lower recency (HR=1.04, CI 1.02, 1.05), and higher nicotine intake rates (HR=0.99, CI 0.99, 0.99) were related to continued smoking. No significant interactions were found. While there were no interactions between menthol use and effects of tobacco control activities, we did find additional support for the decreased cessation rates among menthol cigarette smokers, particularly in the African American population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examining consumer luxury brand-related behavior intentions in a social media context: The moderating role of hedonic and utilitarian motivations.

PubMed

Martín-Consuegra, David; Díaz, Estrella; Gómez, Mar; Molina, Arturo

2018-03-28

Luxury brand marketers have recently turned their attention to customer-driven social media devoted to their brands. The key concepts of involvement, interaction and behavioral intention provide the theoretical foundation to investigate luxury brands. The purpose of this study is to test a model that analyzes the relationship among brand involvement, consumer-brand interaction and behavioral intention in the context of luxury brand-related activities on social media. Based on content value theory, the present research identifies the moderating role of utilitarian/hedonic motivations on the relationships proposed. Data were collected from 326 social media users who look for information on internet about luxury brands before purchasing a specific brand. We provide evidence indicating positive relationships between brand involvement, consumer-brand interaction and behavioral intention. The results also confirm the moderating role of the utilitarian/hedonic motivations. This study provides recommendations to luxury brands to understand the nature of consumer involvement and brand-customer relationship in order to forecast the behavioral intention of their consumers more accurately. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterizing and reaching high-risk drinkers using audience segmentation.

PubMed

Moss, Howard B; Kirby, Susan D; Donodeo, Fred

2009-08-01

Market or audience segmentation is widely used in social marketing efforts to help planners identify segments of a population to target for tailored program interventions. Market-based segments are typically defined by behaviors, attitudes, knowledge, opinions, or lifestyles. They are more helpful to health communication and marketing planning than epidemiologically defined groups because market-based segments are similar in respect to how they behave or might react to marketing and communication efforts. However, market segmentation has rarely been used in alcohol research. As an illustration of its utility, we employed commercial data that describes the sociodemographic characteristics of high-risk drinkers as an audience segment, including where they tend to live, lifestyles, interests, consumer behaviors, alcohol consumption behaviors, other health-related behaviors, and cultural values. Such information can be extremely valuable in targeting and planning public health campaigns, targeted mailings, prevention interventions, and research efforts. We described the results of a segmentation analysis of those individuals who self-reported to consume 5 or more drinks per drinking episode at least twice in the last 30 days. The study used the proprietary PRIZM (Claritas, Inc., San Diego, CA) audience segmentation database merged with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) database. The top 10 of the 66 PRIZM audience segments for this risky drinking pattern are described. For five of these segments we provided additional in-depth details about consumer behavior and the estimates of the market areas where these risky drinkers resided. The top 10 audience segments (PRIZM clusters) most likely to engage in high-risk drinking are described. The cluster with the highest concentration of binge-drinking behavior is referred to as the "Cyber Millenials." This cluster is characterized as "the nation's tech-savvy singles and couples living in fashionable neighborhoods on the urban fringe." Almost 65% of Cyber Millenials households are found in the Pacific and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. Additional consumer behaviors of the Cyber Millenials and other segments are also described. Audience segmentation can assist in identifying and describing target audience segments, as well as identifying places where segments congregate on- or offline. This information can be helpful for recruiting subjects for alcohol prevention research as well as planning health promotion campaigns. Through commercial data about high-risk drinkers as "consumers," planners can develop interventions that have heightened salience in terms of opportunities, perceptions, and motivations, and have better media channel identification.

Characterizing and Reaching High-Risk Drinkers Using Audience Segmentation

PubMed Central

Moss, Howard B.; Kirby, Susan D.; Donodeo, Fred

2010-01-01

Background Market or audience segmentation is widely used in social marketing efforts to help planners identify segments of a population to target for tailored program interventions. Market-based segments are typically defined by behaviors, attitudes, knowledge, opinions, or lifestyles. They are more helpful to health communication and marketing planning than epidemiologically-defined groups because market-based segments are similar in respect to how they behave or might react to marketing and communication efforts. However, market segmentation has rarely been used in alcohol research. As an illustration of its utility, we employed commercial data that describes the sociodemographic characteristics of high-risk drinkers as an audience segment; where they tend to live, lifestyles, interests, consumer behaviors, alcohol consumption behaviors, other health-related behaviors, and cultural values. Such information can be extremely valuable in targeting and planning public health campaigns, targeted mailings, prevention interventions and research efforts. Methods We describe the results of a segmentation analysis of those individuals who self-report consuming five or more drinks per drinking episode at least twice in the last 30-days. The study used the proprietary PRIZM™ audience segmentation database merged with Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) database. The top ten of the 66 PRIZM™ audience segments for this risky drinking pattern are described. For five of these segments we provide additional in-depth details about consumer behavior and the estimates of the market areas where these risky drinkers reside. Results The top ten audience segments (PRIZM clusters) most likely to engage in high-risk drinking are described. The cluster with the highest concentration of binge drinking behavior is referred to as the “Cyber Millenials.” This cluster is characterized as “the nation's tech-savvy singles and couples living in fashionable neighborhoods on the urban fringe. Almost 65% of Cyber Millenials households are found in the Pacific and Middle Atlantic regions of the U.S. Additional consumer behaviors of the Cyber Millenials and other segments are also described. Conclusions Audience segmentation can assist in identifying and describing target audience segments, as well as identifying places where segments congregate on- or offline. This information can be helpful for recruiting subjects for alcohol prevention research, as well as planning health promotion campaigns. Through commercial data about high-risk drinkers as “consumers,” planners can develop interventions that have heightened salience in terms of opportunities, perceptions, and motivations, and have better media channel identification. PMID:19413650

Self-perceived Age and Attitudes Toward Marketing of Older Consumers in China

PubMed Central

Ying, Bin

2010-01-01

Understanding consumer psychological characteristics and their impact on consumer behavior is an important foundation for business marketing strategies. Self-perceived age has a great impact on older consumers’ behavior. This article defines the gray market in China, investigates the factors that affect the differences between older consumers’ self-perceived age and life age, and analyzes the influence of self-perceived age on older Chinese consumers’ behavior. In this study, 1,120 older consumers were randomly selected from six cities in China. Findings show that over half of the respondents feel younger than their actual life age. Related marketing strategies are discussed. PMID:20835378

Marketing drugs, marketing health care relationships: a content analysis of visual cues in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising.

PubMed

Welch Cline, Rebecca J; Young, Henry N

2004-01-01

Proponents and opponents of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs argue that it promotes greater participation in health care by consumers with significant implications for public health and health care outcomes. This article (a). proposes a social cognitive theoretical framework to explain DTCA's effects, and (b). reports the first in a series of studies on DTCA's observational learning functions that may influence consumer behavior and the physician-patient relationship. This investigation addresses visual features of print DTCA. Results focus on the prevalence and nature of models featured in the ads and how visual cues may offer identity and relational motivators while reinforcing the value of prescription drug treatments. Further, DTCA may market disenfranchising images that increase disparity in health care information and access, despite their argued educational function.

Consumer Education for the Mentally Handicapped

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alperstein, Neil M.

1977-01-01

Discusses community placement of mentally handicapped people and remedial procedures for encouraging independent decision making and behavior. Intertwines this behavior change with an alternative method of consumer education. (Author/RK)

College Enrollment Motivation: A Theoretical Marketing Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pomazal, Richard J.

1980-01-01

Personal beliefs and opinions regarding enrolling at university were obtained from 147 residents to test ability of a consumer/marketing theory of behavioral intention to account for factors related to college enrollment motivation. Analysis of the perceived quality of education revealed factors that were different from enrollment motivational…

What Is Evidence-Based Behavior Analysis?

PubMed Central

Smith, Tristram

2013-01-01

Although applied behavior analysts often say they engage in evidence-based practice, they express differing views on what constitutes “evidence” and “practice.” This article describes a practice as a service offered by a provider to help solve a problem presented by a consumer. Solving most problems (e.g., increasing or decreasing a behavior and maintaining this change) requires multiple intervention procedures (i.e., a package). Single-subject studies are invaluable in investigating individual procedures, but researchers still need to integrate the procedures into a package. The package must be standardized enough for independent providers to replicate yet flexible enough to allow individualization; intervention manuals are the primary technology for achieving this balance. To test whether the package is effective in solving consumers' problems, researchers must evaluate outcomes of the package as a whole, usually in group studies such as randomized controlled trials. From this perspective, establishing an evidence-based practice involves more than analyzing the effects of discrete intervention procedures on behavior; it requires synthesizing information so as to offer thorough solutions to problems. Recognizing the need for synthesis offers behavior analysts many promising opportunities to build on their existing research to increase the quality and quantity of evidence-based practices. PMID:25729130

75 FR 75936 - Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements; Research Report

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... on consumer attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and intended behaviors related to cigarette smoking. The... that FDA was conducting research to: (1) Measure consumer attitudes, beliefs, and intended behaviors... warnings on smoking behavior and evaluating the communication effectiveness of such images. FDA worked with...

An Investigation of the Determinants of Reservoir Recreation Use and Demand: the Effect of Water Surface Elevation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-11-01

often the investigators have failed to note the restrictions placed on the demand equation by the theory of consumer behavior . The exact form of the...can be written in the form: xi = pi (bI + bc pj- clpi ) (9) to fulfill the homogeneity restriction implied by the theory of consumer behavior . The...due to multicollinearity. The theory of consumer behavior suggests that the prices of other goods in the marketplace will have an effect on the

Assessing corporate social responsibility in China's sports lottery administration and its influence on consumption behavior.

PubMed

Li, Hai; Zhang, James J; Mao, Luke Lunhua; Min, Sophia D

2012-09-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine consumer perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in China's sports lottery industry, and the effect of perceived CSR initiatives on sports lottery consumption behavior. Research participants (N = 4,980), selected based on a computer-generated, randomly stratified multistage sampling process, comprised Chinese residents who had purchased sports lottery tickets in the past 12 months. They completed a questionnaire that was derived from a qualitative research process. A factor analysis extracted two factors associated with perceptions of CSR in China's sports lottery administration: Regulatory and Prevention Responsibilities and Product Development Responsibility. Logistic regression analyses revealed that these two factors were influential of consumer behavior (i.e., relative and absolute expenditure, purchasing frequency, and time commitment). This study represents an initial effort to understand the dimensions of perceived CSR associated with Chinese sports lottery. The findings signify the importance of enforcing CSR in sports lottery administration.

Narcissism and consumer behaviour: a review and preliminary findings

PubMed Central

Cisek, Sylwia Z.; Sedikides, Constantine; Hart, Claire M.; Godwin, Hayward J.; Benson, Valerie; Liversedge, Simon P.

2014-01-01

We review the literature on the relation between narcissism and consumer behavior. Consumer behavior is sometimes guided by self-related motives (e.g., self-enhancement) rather than by rational economic considerations. Narcissism is a case in point. This personality trait reflects a self-centered, self-aggrandizing, dominant, and manipulative orientation. Narcissists are characterized by exhibitionism and vanity, and they see themselves as superior and entitled. To validate their grandiose self-image, narcissists purchase high-prestige products (i.e., luxurious, exclusive, flashy), show greater interest in the symbolic than utilitarian value of products, and distinguish themselves positively from others via their materialistic possessions. Our review lays the foundation for a novel methodological approach in which we explore how narcissism influences eye movement behavior during consumer decision-making. We conclude with a description of our experimental paradigm and report preliminary results. Our findings will provide insight into the mechanisms underlying narcissists’ conspicuous purchases. They will also likely have implications for theories of personality, consumer behavior, marketing, advertising, and visual cognition. PMID:24711797

Factors influencing consumers' attitudinal and behavioral responses to direct-to-consumer and over-the-counter drug advertising.

PubMed

Lee, Mina; Whitehill King, Karen; Reid, Leonard N

2015-04-01

Using a model developed from the research literature, the authors compared consumers' attitudinal and behavioral responses to direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising (DCTA) and over-the-counter nonprescription drug advertising (OTCA) of drugs. Adults 18 years of age and older who had taken any prescription drugs in the past 6 months completed online survey questionnaires. Variables measured included demographics (age, gender, race, education, and income), health-related characteristics (health status, prescription and over-the-counter drug use, health consciousness, and involvement with prescription or over-the-counter drugs), perceived amount of attention and exposure to DTCA and OTCA, attitudinal outcomes (skepticism toward DTCA/OTCA and attitude toward DTCA/OTCA), and behavioral outcomes triggered by DTCA and OTCA. The findings indicate that exposure to drug advertising is one of the most significant predictors of attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. Some audience factors such as health status, involvement with drugs, health consciousness, drug use, income, and age also were differentially associated with consumer responses to drug advertising.

Narcissism and consumer behaviour: a review and preliminary findings.

PubMed

Cisek, Sylwia Z; Sedikides, Constantine; Hart, Claire M; Godwin, Hayward J; Benson, Valerie; Liversedge, Simon P

2014-01-01

We review the literature on the relation between narcissism and consumer behavior. Consumer behavior is sometimes guided by self-related motives (e.g., self-enhancement) rather than by rational economic considerations. Narcissism is a case in point. This personality trait reflects a self-centered, self-aggrandizing, dominant, and manipulative orientation. Narcissists are characterized by exhibitionism and vanity, and they see themselves as superior and entitled. To validate their grandiose self-image, narcissists purchase high-prestige products (i.e., luxurious, exclusive, flashy), show greater interest in the symbolic than utilitarian value of products, and distinguish themselves positively from others via their materialistic possessions. Our review lays the foundation for a novel methodological approach in which we explore how narcissism influences eye movement behavior during consumer decision-making. We conclude with a description of our experimental paradigm and report preliminary results. Our findings will provide insight into the mechanisms underlying narcissists' conspicuous purchases. They will also likely have implications for theories of personality, consumer behavior, marketing, advertising, and visual cognition.

Personal and Ecological Factors in the Seeking of Assistance When Making Consumer Decisions: A Social Comparison Interpretation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Duane I.

Failure to establish a strong relationship between attitudes and buying behavior may indicate that the personality-consumer behavior link is mediated by some social mechanism, such as differential propensities toward advice-seeking. Undergraduates (N=75) completed two measures of attitudes, a questionnaire consisting of 10 consumer decisions and…

Assessing the Short-Term Effects on Output of Changes in Federal Fiscal Policies (Working Paper Series)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-01

and to gauge how changes in business and consumer behavior may affect multipliers. In the simplified forms of such models, increases in government...or rule-of-thumb consumers). Research on consumer behavior has found that the spending of some households tends to vary one-for-one with income

Mid-Atlantic Consumer Purchasing Behavior and Knowledge of Locally Grown and Seasonal Produce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chamberlain, Amy J.; Kelley, Kathleen M.; Hyde, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

Mid-Atlantic urban consumers were surveyed on their fruit and vegetable purchasing behaviors and their knowledge of produce grown in the region. Consumers were generally unaware of what produce is grown in the mid-Atlantic and during what months they are harvested. Additionally, differences pertaining to number of produce items purchased were…

Patterns of Reinforcement and the Essential Value of Brands: II. Evaluation of a Model of Consumer Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Ji; Foxall, Gordon R.; Doyle, John R.

2012-01-01

We employ a behavioral-economic equation put forward by Hursh and Silberberg (2008) to explain human consumption behavior among substitutable food brands, applying a consumer-choice model--the behavioral perspective model (BPM; Foxall, 1990/2004, 2005). In this study, we apply the behavioral-economic equation to human economic consumption data. We…

Housing Search and Consumption Adjustment,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

in any detail the " consumer behavior " that is entailed, that is, how households go about trying to find a new resi- dence and why. This may be a...behavior should have such an effect because the success of housing choices, like other types of consumer behavior , should depend on the information

A Behavioral Science Assessment of Selected Principles of Consumer Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Monroe; Rees, Jennifer

1988-01-01

This study examined the bahavioral science support for a set of 20 food-buying principles. Three types of principles are found; they differ in the consumer behaviors they recommend and in the nature and strength of support they receive in the behavioral science literature. (Author/JOW)

Improving healthcare practice behaviors: an exploratory study identifying effective and ineffective behaviors in healthcare.

PubMed

Van Fleet, David D; Peterson, Tim O

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of exploratory research designed to develop an awareness of healthcare behaviors, with a view toward improving the customer satisfaction with healthcare services. It examines the relationship between healthcare providers and their consumers/patients/clients. The study uses a critical incident methodology, with both effective and ineffective behavioral specimens examined across different provider groups. The effects of these different behaviors on what Berry (1999) identified as the common core values of service organizations are examined, as those values are required to build a lasting service relationship. Also examined are categories of healthcare practice based on the National Quality Strategy priorities. The most obvious is the retrospective nature of the method used. How accurate are patient or consumer memories? Are they capable of making valid judgments of healthcare experiences (Berry and Bendapudi, 2003)? While an obvious limitation, such recollections are clearly important as they may be paramount in following the healthcare practitioners' instructions, loyalty for repeat business, making recommendations to others and the like. Further, studies have shown retrospective reports to be accurate and useful (Miller et al., 1997). With this information, healthcare educators should be in a better position to improve the training offered in their programs and practitioners to better serve their customers. The findings would indicate that the human values of excellence, innovation, joy, respect and integrity play a significant role in building a strong service relationship between consumer and healthcare provider. Berry (1999) has argued that the overriding importance in building a lasting service business is human values. This exploratory study has shown how critical incident analysis can be used to determine both effective and ineffective practices of different medical providers. It also provides guidelines as to what are effective and ineffective behaviors in healthcare.

Factors associated with daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among adult patients at four federally qualified health centers, Bronx, New York, 2013.

PubMed

Kristal, Ross B; Blank, Arthur E; Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Selwyn, Peter A

2015-01-08

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors. This study examined the relationships between SSB consumption and demographic, health behavior, health service, and health condition characteristics of adult patients of a network of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in a low-income, urban setting. Validated, standardized self-reported health behavior questions were incorporated into the electronic health record (EHR) and asked of patients yearly, at 4 FQHCs. We conducted cross-sectional analysis of EHR data collected in 2013 from 12,214 adult patients by using logistic regression. Forty percent of adult patients consumed 1 or more SSBs daily. The adjusted odds ratios indicated that patients who consumed more than 1 SSB daily were more likely to be aged 18 to 29 years versus age 70 or older, current smokers versus never smoking, eating no servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily or 1 to 4 servings daily versus 5 or more servings daily, and not walking or biking more than 10 blocks in the past 30 days. Patients consuming 1 or more servings of SSBs daily were less likely to speak Spanish than English, be women than men, be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes versus no diabetes, and be diagnosed with hypertension versus no hypertension. SSB consumption differed by certain demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and health conditions. Recording SSB intake and other health behaviors data in the EHR could help clinicians in identifying and counseling patients to promote health behavior changes. Future studies should investigate how EHR data on patient health behavior can be used to improve the health of patients and communities.

Factors Associated With Daily Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Among Adult Patients at Four Federally Qualified Health Centers, Bronx, New York, 2013

PubMed Central

Blank, Arthur E.; Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Selwyn, Peter A.

2015-01-01

Introduction Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors. This study examined the relationships between SSB consumption and demographic, health behavior, health service, and health condition characteristics of adult patients of a network of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in a low-income, urban setting. Methods Validated, standardized self-reported health behavior questions were incorporated into the electronic health record (EHR) and asked of patients yearly, at 4 FQHCs. We conducted cross-sectional analysis of EHR data collected in 2013 from 12,214 adult patients by using logistic regression. Results Forty percent of adult patients consumed 1 or more SSBs daily. The adjusted odds ratios indicated that patients who consumed more than 1 SSB daily were more likely to be aged 18 to 29 years versus age 70 or older, current smokers versus never smoking, eating no servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily or 1 to 4 servings daily versus 5 or more servings daily, and not walking or biking more than 10 blocks in the past 30 days. Patients consuming 1 or more servings of SSBs daily were less likely to speak Spanish than English, be women than men, be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes versus no diabetes, and be diagnosed with hypertension versus no hypertension. Conclusion SSB consumption differed by certain demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and health conditions. Recording SSB intake and other health behaviors data in the EHR could help clinicians in identifying and counseling patients to promote health behavior changes. Future studies should investigate how EHR data on patient health behavior can be used to improve the health of patients and communities. PMID:25569695

Effect of co-payment on behavioral response to consumer genomic testing.

PubMed

Liu, Wendy; Outlaw, Jessica J; Wineinger, Nathan; Boeldt, Debra; Bloss, Cinnamon S

2018-01-29

Existing research in consumer behavior suggests that perceptions and usage of a product post-purchase depends, in part, on how the product was marketed, including price paid. In the current study, we examine the effect of providing an out-of-pocket co-payment for consumer genomic testing (CGT) on consumer post-purchase behavior using both correlational field evidence and a hypothetical online experiment. Participants were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study of the impact of CGT and completed behavioral assessments before and after receipt of CGT results. Most participants provided a co-payment for the test (N = 1668), while others (N = 369) received fully subsidized testing. The two groups were compared regarding changes in health behaviors and post-test use of health care resources. Participants who paid were more likely to share results with their physician (p = .012) and obtain follow-up health screenings (p = .005) relative to those who received fully subsidized testing. A follow-up online experiment in which participants (N = 303) were randomized to a "fully-subsidized" versus "co-payment" condition found that simulating provision of a co-payment significantly increased intentions to seek follow-up screening tests (p = .050) and perceptions of the test results as more trustworthy (p = .02). Provision of an out-of-pocket co-payment for CGT may influence consumer's post-purchase behavior consistent with a price placebo effect. Cognitive dissonance or sunk cost may help explain the increase in screening propensity among paying consumers. Such individuals may obtain follow-up screenings to validate their initial decision to expend personal resources to obtain CGT. © Society of Behavioral Medicine 2018.

How to Teach Hicksian Compensation and Duality Using a Spreadsheet Optimizer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghosh, Satyajit; Ghosh, Sarah

2007-01-01

Principle of duality and numerical calculation of income and substitution effects under Hicksian Compensation are often left out of intermediate microeconomics courses because they require a rigorous calculus based analysis. But these topics are critically important for understanding consumer behavior. In this paper we use excel solver--a…

Buying higher welfare poultry products? Profiling Flemish consumers who do and do not.

PubMed

Vanhonacker, F; Verbeke, W

2009-12-01

A substantial number of studies has already investigated differences within the consumer market with regard to attitudes and perceptions in relation to farm animal welfare. Likewise, several studies focused on the gap that exists between positive attitudes and reported consumption or purchase intentions for sustainable food products in general and higher welfare products more specific, and on the factors influencing this attitude-behavior gap. Little or no studies, however, have started from reported pro-welfare behavior to distinguish between consumer groups and to explore the motivations of the respective behavior. With this study, we aim to group consumers according to their reported buying frequency of higher welfare eggs and higher welfare chicken meat. Similarities and dissimilarities between these groups are mapped in terms of individual characteristics, product attribute importance, perceived consumer effectiveness, perception of higher welfare products, and attitude toward a welfare label. The research methodology applied was a quantitative study with cross-sectional consumer survey data collected in Flanders in spring 2007 (n = 469). Pro-welfare behavior was unevenly distributed across different consumer segments, despite a general interest and concern for bird welfare. A consistent choice for standard (no welfare premium) poultry products was related to strong perceived price and availability barriers, to a low importance attached to ethical issues as product attributes, and to a low perceived consumer effectiveness. A consistent choice for products with higher welfare standards to the contrast associated with a high importance attached to ethical issues; a low effect of price and availability perception; a strong association of higher welfare products with product attributes like health, taste, and quality; and a high perceived consumer effectiveness. The identification of market segments with common characteristics is essential for positioning higher welfare products and developing effective communication strategies. Finally, a welfare label emerged as an appropriate communication vehicle for consumers who engage in pro-welfare behavior and who experienced the label as a solution to lower the search costs for higher welfare products.

Diel diet of fantail darter in a tributary to Lake Ontario, New York, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chalupnicki, Marc A.; Johnson, James H.

2016-01-01

The foraging behavior of benthic fishes in streams is seldom examined but is vital to the health of the aquatic community. We examined the feeding ecology of the fantail darter (Etheostoma flaballere) in Trout Brook, a tributary of the Salmon River in central New York, USA. Of the six time periods examined, fantail darters fed most intensely from 1600–2000 h, with ephemeropterans the major prey consumed during all time periods except for 2000 where chironomid larvae were consumed the most. Fantail darter diet composition was similar across all time periods except during the night which appeared to be uniquely different. According to the prey selection analysis, fantail darters appear to prefer dipterans and ephemeropterans but also demonstrated an opportunistic behavior feeding on what was available in the brook.

Restaurant eating in nonpurge binge-eating women.

PubMed

Timmerman, Gayle M

2006-11-01

This study describes restaurant-eating behaviors for nonpurge binge-eating women in comparison to dieters. Restaurant-eating behaviors were determined from a content analysis of 14-day food diaries using a convenience sample of 71 women who reported binging without purging and 46 dieters without a recent binge history. Comparing bingers to dieters, there were no significant differences in frequency of eating out, dessert consumption at restaurants, or fast food eating. Bingers more often perceived restaurant eating to be uncontrolled and excessive. Both bingers and dieters consumed significantly more calories (226-253 kcal) and fat (10.4-16.0 gm) on restaurant days. Extra calories consumed on restaurant-eating days may contribute to weight gain over time, especially with frequent restaurant eating. Restaurants may present a high-risk food environment for bingers and dieters, contributing to loss of control and excess consumption.

Consumer behavior: a quadrennium.

PubMed

Jacoby, J; Johar, G V; Morrin, M

1998-01-01

Consumer behavior continued to attract additional researchers and publication outlets from 1993 through 1996. Both general interest and domain-specific scholarly contributions are discussed, along with limitations and suggested areas for future research. A concluding section observes that the integrity of consumer research is unnecessarily compromised by the failure of the major scholarly association in the field to develop and adopt a code of researcher ethics.

Preventive Health Care Utilization: A Study of Factors Influencing Military Personnel in Their Use of Three Preventive Health Care Factors

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-03-01

0Michael Zubkoff and David Dunlop, " Consumer Behavior in Preventive Health Services," in Consumer Incentives for Health Care, ed. Selma J. Mushkin (New...78 Sorkin, Alan L. Health Economics. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath, 1975. Zubkoff, Michael, and Dunlop, David. " Consumer Behavior in Preventive Health

The effect of the behavior of an average consumer on the public debt dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Luca, Roberto; Di Mauro, Marco; Falzarano, Angelo; Naddeo, Adele

2017-09-01

An important issue within the present economic crisis is understanding the dynamics of the public debt of a given country, and how the behavior of average consumers and tax payers in that country affects it. Starting from a model of the average consumer behavior introduced earlier by the authors, we propose a simple model to quantitatively address this issue. The model is then studied and analytically solved under some reasonable simplifying assumptions. In this way we obtain a condition under which the public debt steadily decreases.

Risky sexual behaviors and associated factors among male and female students in Jimma Zone preparatory schools, South West Ethiopia: comparative study.

PubMed

Fentahun, Netsanet; Mamo, Abebe

2014-01-01

Youth engage in risk sexual behavior due to insufficient knowledge of reproductive health and family planning. Youth sexual behavior is important not only because of the possible reproductive outcomes, but also because of sexually transmitted infections. The level of risks and sexual behaviors are different between male and female youth due to sexual exposure and socio-cultural factors. The aim of this study was to compare risky sexual behaviors and associated factors among male and female preparatory school (grades 11 and 12) students in Jimma Zone. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 randomly selected preparatory schools of Jimma Zone. A total of 520 students were selected using simple random sampling technique. A structured, pretested and self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Both descriptive analysis and binary logistic regressions were performed on the data to understand risky sexual behaviors among students. Twenty-two (25.9%) of male and 25(21.6%) of female students had two or more sexual partners in the last six months. Eighty-three (32.3%), 113(43.5%) male and female students were sexually at risk in the last six months. Only 8(9.4%) of the male and 10(8.6%) of the female students used condom consistently in the last six months. Female students living away from their parents were 3 times more likely to be at risk than students living with their parents (OR 95%CI 3.0(1.48-6.34)). Female students who consumed alcohol were 7 times more likely to be at risk than those who did not consume alcohol (OR 95%CI 7.27(3.36-15.7)). Male students who consumed alcohol were 2.8 times more likely to be at risk than those who did not consumed alcohol (OR 95%CI, 2.81(1.3-6.06)). Male students who chewed khat were 4.6 times more likely to be at risk than students who did not chew khat (OR 95%CI, 4.58(1.95-10.76). Living arrangement, educational status of parents, family connectedness, alcohol consumption and khat-chewing were the major predictors of risky sexual behavior. Therefore, School, family and zonal education office should be involved in reducing the risky sexual behavior of school youth.

The Development of a Bi-Lingual Assessment Instrument to Measure Agentic and Communal Consumer Motives in English and French.

PubMed

Friedman, Mike; Bartier, Anne-Laure; Lown, Josh; Hopwood, Christopher J

2016-01-01

Consumer behavior is driven, in part, by the degree to which goods and services appeal to underlying motives for agency and communion. The purpose of this research was to develop a brief individual differences measure of these motivations for use in behavioral research and theoretical and applied consumer psychology and marketing studies. We employed a bi-lingual scale development procedure to create the 10-item Agentic and Communal Consumer Motivation Inventory (ACCMI) in English and French. Two studies show that the ACCMI is language invariant, demonstrates convergent and discriminant validity with consumer, motivational, and interpersonal constructs, and predicts evaluations of products described in agentic and communal terms, respectively, in both languages. The general conclusion of this research is that agency and communion provide a useful framework for understanding and studying consumer buying motivations. Discussion focuses on the relevance of motivational factors for studying human behavior and the applied utility of the ACCMI.

The Development of a Bi-Lingual Assessment Instrument to Measure Agentic and Communal Consumer Motives in English and French

PubMed Central

Friedman, Mike; Bartier, Anne-Laure; Lown, Josh; Hopwood, Christopher J.

2016-01-01

Consumer behavior is driven, in part, by the degree to which goods and services appeal to underlying motives for agency and communion. The purpose of this research was to develop a brief individual differences measure of these motivations for use in behavioral research and theoretical and applied consumer psychology and marketing studies. We employed a bi-lingual scale development procedure to create the 10-item Agentic and Communal Consumer Motivation Inventory (ACCMI) in English and French. Two studies show that the ACCMI is language invariant, demonstrates convergent and discriminant validity with consumer, motivational, and interpersonal constructs, and predicts evaluations of products described in agentic and communal terms, respectively, in both languages. The general conclusion of this research is that agency and communion provide a useful framework for understanding and studying consumer buying motivations. Discussion focuses on the relevance of motivational factors for studying human behavior and the applied utility of the ACCMI. PMID:27563295

Making sense of "consumer engagement" initiatives to improve health and health care: a conceptual framework to guide policy and practice.

PubMed

Mittler, Jessica N; Martsolf, Grant R; Telenko, Shannon J; Scanlon, Dennis P

2013-03-01

Policymakers and practitioners continue to pursue initiatives designed to engage individuals in their health and health care despite discordant views and mixed evidence regarding the ability to cultivate greater individual engagement that improves Americans' health and well-being and helps manage health care costs. There is limited and mixed evidence regarding the value of different interventions. Based on our involvement in evaluating various community-based consumer engagement initiatives and a targeted literature review of models of behavior change, we identified the need for a framework to classify the universe of consumer engagement initiatives toward advancing policymakers' and practitioners' knowledge of their value and fit in various contexts. We developed a framework that expanded our conceptualization of consumer engagement, building on elements of two common models, the individually focused transtheoretical model of behavior and the broader, multilevel social ecological model. Finally, we applied this framework to one community's existing consumer engagement program. Consumer engagement in health and health care refers to the performance of specific behaviors ("engaged behaviors") and/or an individual's capacity and motivation to perform these behaviors ("activation"). These two dimensions are related but distinct and thus should be differentiated. The framework creates four classification schemas, by (1) targeted behavior types (self-management, health care encounter, shopping, and health behaviors) and by (2) individual, (3) group, and (4) community dimensions. Our example illustrates that the framework can systematically classify a variety of consumer engagement programs, and that this exercise and resulting characterization can provide a structured way to consider the program and how its components fit program goals both individually and collectively. Applying the framework could help advance the field by making policymakers and practitioners aware of the wide range of approaches, providing a structured way to organize and characterize interventions retrospectively, and helping them consider how they can meet the program's goals both individually and collectively. © 2013 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Beef quality labels: A combination of sensory acceptance test, stated willingness to pay, and choice-based conjoint analysis.

PubMed

Meyerding, Stephan G H; Gentz, Maria; Altmann, Brianne; Meier-Dinkel, Lisa

2018-08-01

Consumer perspectives of beef quality are complex, leading to a market that is increasingly differentiating. Thus, ongoing monitoring and assessment of changes in consumer perspectives is essential to identify changing market conditions. Often only credence and search characteristics are evaluated in consumer studies; therefore the object of the present study is to examine consumer preferences and perceptions towards beef steaks, also including experience characteristics, using a mixed methods approach. For this reason, 55 consumers participated in an experiment in Germany, including a sensory acceptance test, stated willingness to pay, and choice-based conjoint analysis (CBCA). Different quality characteristics were included, but a focus on the quality labels of 'dry aged beef', 'Block House beef', and 'Angus beef' was predominant throughout the experiment with the results showing that quality labels significantly increased overall liking as well as the stated willingness to pay. Quality labels were also the one of the most important characteristics in the conjoint analysis, after origin and price. The results of all applied methods are comparable for the characteristic quality label. The combination of sensory acceptance test and CBCA were additionally able to evaluate all three kinds of beef quality characteristics, which could not be evaluated together only using a single method. This suggests that a mixture of methods should be used to gain better knowledge on the true behavior of beef consumers. Experience and credence characteristics, including beef quality labels, present opportunities for future research as well as the potential for determining product and market differentiation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 32161 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Consumer Focus...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-07

... staff relies on its expert judgment about consumer behavior, perceptions, and similar information... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2010-0046] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Consumer Focus Groups AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety...

Reliability and validity of a scale to measure consumer attitudes regarding the private food safety certification of restaurants.

PubMed

Uggioni, Paula Lazzarin; Salay, Elisabete

2012-04-01

Validated and reliable instruments for measuring consumer attitudes regarding food quality certifications are lacking, but the measurement of consumer attitude could be an important tool for understanding consumer behavior. Thus the objective of this study was to develop an instrument for measuring consumer attitudes regarding private food safety certifications for commercial restaurants. To this end, the following steps were carried out: development of the interview items; complete pilot testing; item analyses (influence of social desirability and total-item correlation); reliability test (internal consistency and test-retest); and validity assessment (content and discriminative validity and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis). The subjects, all over the age of 18 and drawn from six non-probabilistic samples (n=7-350) in the city of Campinas, Brazil, were all subjected to an interview. The final scale included 24 items and had a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.79 and a content validation coefficient of 0.99, both within acceptable limits. The confirmatory factor analysis validated a model with five factors and the final instrument discriminated reasonably well between the groups and showed satisfactory reproducibility (r=0.955). Furthermore, the scale validity and reliability were satisfactory, suggesting it could also be applied to future studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relation between consumers' perceptions of color and texture of dairy desserts and instrumental measurements using a generalized procrustes analysis.

PubMed

González-Tomás, L; Costell, E

2006-12-01

Consumers' perceptions of the color and texture of 8 commercial vanilla dairy desserts were studied and related to color and rheological measurements. First, the 8 desserts were evaluated by a group of consumers by means of the Free Choice Profile. For both color and texture, a 2-dimensional solution was chosen, with dimension 1 highly related to yellow color intensity in the case of color and to thickness in the case of texture. Second, mechanical spectra, flow behavior, and instrumental color were determined. All the samples showed a time-dependent and shear-thinning flow and a mechanical spectrum typical of a weak gel. Differences were found in the flow index, in the apparent viscosity at 10 s(-1), and in the values of the storage modulus, the loss modulus, the loss angle tangent, and the complex viscosity at 1 Hz, as well as in the color parameters. Finally, sensory and instrumental relationships were investigated by a generalized Procrustes analysis. For both color and texture, a 3-dimensional solution explained a high percentage of the total variance (>80%). In these particular samples, the instrumental color parameters provided more accurate information on consumers' color perceptions than was provided by the rheological parameters of consumers' perceptions of texture.

Obesity: can behavioral economics help?

PubMed

Just, David R; Payne, Collin R

2009-12-01

Consumers regularly and predictably behave in ways that contradict standard assumptions of economic analysis such that they make decisions that prevent them from reaching rationally intended goals. These contradictions play a significant role with respect to consumers' food decisions and the effect these decisions have on their health. Food decisions that are rationally derived include those that trade short-term gains of sensory pleasure (hedonic) for longer term gains of health and wellness (utilitarian). However, extra-rational food decisions are much more common. They can occur because of the contexts in which they are made--such as being distracted or pressed for time. In these contexts, heuristics (or rules of thumb) are used. Because food decisions are made with little cognitive involvement, food policies designed to appeal to highly cognitive thought (e.g., fat taxes, detailed information labels) are likely to have little impact. Furthermore, food marketing environments influence not only what foods consumers buy but also how much. As a general principle, when individuals do not behave in their own interest, markets will feed perverse and sub-optimal behaviors. Given the limited ability of individuals to retain and use accurate health information coupled with varying levels of self control, profit motivations of marketers can become predatory--though not necessarily malicious. Alternative policy options that do not restrict choice are outlined, which enable consumers to make better decisions. These options allow for profit motivations of marketers to align with the long-term well being of the consumer.

The influence of lifestyle on health behavior and preference for functional foods.

PubMed

Szakály, Zoltán; Szente, Viktória; Kövér, György; Polereczki, Zsolt; Szigeti, Orsolya

2012-02-01

The main objective of this survey is to reveal the relationship between lifestyle, health behavior, and the consumption of functional foods on the basis of Grunert's food-related lifestyle model. In order to achieve this objective, a nationwide representative questionnaire-based survey was launched with 1000 participants in Hungary. The results indicate that a Hungarian consumer makes rational decisions, he or she seeks bargains, and he wants to know whether or not he gets good value for his money. Further on, various lifestyle segments are defined by the authors: the rational, uninvolved, conservative, careless, and adventurous consumer segments. Among these, consumers with a rational approach provide the primary target group for the functional food market, where health consciousness and moderate price sensitivity can be observed together. Adventurous food consumers stand out because they search for novelty; this makes them an equally important target group. Conservative consumers are another, one characterized by positive health behavior. According to the findings of the research, there is a significant relationship between lifestyle, health behavior, and the preference for functional food products. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wanted--doctors who care.

PubMed

Lovdal, L T; Pearson, R

1989-03-01

A study was conducted to determine what consumers value in doctors' behavior. Results indicate that consumers in the sample population studied prefer doctors who are friendly and caring as well as those who are technically competent. However, these respondents reported less favorable opinions about doctors' friendliness (i.e., affective behavior) than they did about doctors' competence (i.e., instrumental behavior).

The Consumer Behavior Challenge: Designing an Assignment to Motivate Student Reflection and Self-Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gravois, Renée; Lopez, Tará Burnthorne; Budden, Michael C.

2017-01-01

The tension caused by change pushes students to reflect on their new situation, examine preconceived ideas, and synthesize new with existing knowledge. In the Consumer Behavior Challenge, students are challenged to step outside of their comfort zone by changing a behavior or trying something new for a period of time. Through guided reflection…

Personal involvement is related to increased search motivation and associated with activity in left BA44-a pilot study.

PubMed

Schaefer, Michael; Rumpel, Franziska; Sadrieh, Abdolkarim; Reimann, Martin; Denke, Claudia

2015-01-01

Numerous studies explore consumer perception of brands in a more or less passive way. This may still be representative for many situations or decisions we make each day. Nevertheless, sometimes we often actively search for and use information to make informed and reasoned choices, thus implying a rational and thinking consumer. Researchers suggested describing this distinction as low relative to high involvement consumer behavior. Although the involvement concept has been widely used to explain consumer behavior, behavioral and neural correlates of this concept are poorly understood. The current study aims to describe a behavioral measure that is associated with high involvement, the length of search behavior. A second aim of this study was to explore brain activations associated with involvement by employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We presented participants information cues for different products and told them that they had to answer questions with respect to these products at the end of the experiment. Participants were free to stop the information search if they think they gathered enough information or to continue with collecting information. Behavioral results confirmed our hypothesis of a relationship between searching behavior and personal involvement by demonstrating that the length of search correlated significantly with the degree of personal involvement of the participants. fMRI data revealed that personal involvement was associated with activation in BA44. Since this brain region is known to be involved in semantic memory, the results of this pilot study suggest that high involvement consumer behavior may be linked to cognitive load and attention towards a product.

75 FR 37438 - Minnesota Rural Health Cooperative; Analysis of the Agreement Containing Consent Order to Aid...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-29

... benefit consumers; and (2) the price agreements are reasonably necessary to realize those efficiencies... behavior, none of the programs creates enforceable obligations for physicians to improve their clinical... engage in them on its own without any involvement from the other clinics. Finally, the challenged conduct...

Do Financial Education Programs Work? Working Paper 08-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hathaway, Ian; Khatiwada, Sameer

2008-01-01

In this paper we provide a comprehensive critical analysis of research that has investigated the impact of financial education programs on consumer financial behavior. In light of the evidence, we recommend that future programs be highly targeted towards a specific audience and area of financial activity (e.g. home-ownership or credit card…

Working Bibliography on Scaling Methods Appropriate for Analysis of Space Preferences. Exchange Bibliography No. 514.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewing, Gordon O.; And Others

This bibliography draws together from a number of disciplines literature dealing with problems of scaling and measuring stimuli. Substantive areas of application are behavioral geography, marketing, mathematical psychology, urban planning, consumer research, and subjective appraisals of objects. Citations are organized into four separate sections.…

Quantifying and Disaggregating Consumer Purchasing Behavior for Energy Systems Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Consumer behaviors such as energy conservation, adoption of more efficient technologies, and fuel switching represent significant potential for greenhouse gas mitigation. Current efforts to model future energy outcomes have tended to use simplified economic assumptions ...

Fish consumption in a sample of people in Bandar Abbas, Iran: application of the theory of planned behavior.

PubMed

Aghamolaei, Teamur; Sadat Tavafian, Sedigheh; Madani, Abdoulhossain

2012-09-01

This study aimed to apply the conceptual framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explain fish consumption in a sample of people who lived in Bandar Abbass, Iran. We investigated the role of three traditional constructs of TPB that included attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioral control in an effort to characterize the intention to consume fish as well as the behavioral trends that characterize fish consumption. Data were derived from a cross-sectional sample of 321 subjects. Alpha coefficient correlation and linear regression analysis were applied to test the relationships between constructs. The predictors of fish consumption frequency were also evaluated. Multiple regression analysis revealed that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly predicted intention to eat fish (R2 = 0.54, F = 128.4, P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis for the intention to eat fish and perceived behavioral control revealed that both factors significantly predicted fish consumption frequency (R2 = 0.58, F = 223.1, P < 0.001). The results indicated that the models fit well with the data. Attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control all had significant positive impacts on behavioral intention. Moreover, both intention and perceived behavioral control could be used to predict the frequency of fish consumption.

Message Brokering Evaluation for Live Spacecraft Telemetry Monitoring, Recorded Playback, and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Daren; Pomerantz, Marc

2015-01-01

Live monitoring and post-flight analysis of telemetry data play a vital role in the development, diagnosis, and deployment of components of a space flight mission. Requirements for such a system include low end-to-end latency between data producers and visualizers, preserved ordering of messages, data stream archiving with random access playback, and real-time creation of derived data streams. We evaluate the RabbitMQ and Kafka message brokering systems, on how well they can enable a real-time, scalable, and robust telemetry framework that delivers telemetry data to multiple clients across heterogeneous platforms and flight projects. In our experiments using an actively developed robotic arm testbed, Kafka yielded a much higher message throughput rate and a consistent publishing rate across the number of topics and consumers. Consumer message rates were consistent across the number of topics but can exhibit bursty behavior with an increase in the contention for a single topic partition with increasing number of consumers.

Rheological and sensory behaviors of parboiled pasta cooked using a microwave pasteurization process.

PubMed

Joyner, Helen S; Jones, Kari E; Rasco, Barbara A

2017-10-01

Pasta hydration and cooking requirements make in-package microwave pasteurization of pasta a processing challenge. The objective of this study was to assess instrumental and sensory attributes of microwave-treated pasta in comparison to conventionally cooked pasta. Fettuccine pasta was parboiled for 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 min, pasteurized by microwaves at 915 MHz, then stored under refrigeration for 1 week. Pastas were evaluated by a trained sensory panel and with rheometry. Total pasta heat treatment affected both rheological and sensory behaviors; these differences were attributed to ultrastructure differences. Significant nonlinear behavior and dominant fluid-like behavior was observed in all pastas at strains >1%. Sensory results suggested microwave pasteurization may intensify the attributes associated with the aging of pasta such as retrogradation. A clear trend between magnitude of heat treatment and attribute intensity was not observed for all sensory attributes tested. The microwave pasta with the longest parboil time showed rheological behavior most similar to conventionally cooked pasta. Principal component analysis revealed that no microwave-treated pasta was similar to the control pasta. However, pasta parboiled for 9 min before microwave treatment had the greatest number of similar sensory attributes, followed by pasta parboiled for 6 or 12 min. Further study is needed to determine overall consumer acceptance of microwave-treated pasta and whether the differences in sensory and rheological behavior would impact consumer liking. The results of this study may be applied to optimize microwave pasteurization processes for cooked pasta and similar products, such as rice. The measurement and analysis procedures can be used to evaluate processing effects on a variety of different foods to determine overall palatability. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Latent Profile Analysis to Determine the Typology of Disinhibited Eating Behaviors in Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Vannucci, Anna; Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian; Crosby, Ross D.; Ranzenhofer, Lisa M.; Shomaker, Lauren B.; Field, Sara E.; Mooreville, Mira; Reina, Samantha A.; Kozlosky, Merel; Yanovski, Susan Z.; Yanovski, Jack A.

2012-01-01

Objective We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to classify children and adolescents into subtypes based on the overlap of disinhibited eating behaviors—eating in the absence of hunger, emotional eating, and subjective and objective binge eating. Method Participants were 411 youth (8–18y) from the community who reported on their disinhibited eating patterns. A subset (n=223) ate ad libitum from two test meals. Results LPA produced five subtypes that were most prominently distinguished by objective binge eating (OBE; n=53), subjective binge eating (SBE; n=59), emotional eating (EE; n=62), a mix of emotional eating and eating in the absence of hunger (EE-EAH; n=172), and no disinhibited eating (No-DE; n=64). Accounting for age, sex, race, BMI-z, the four disinhibited eating groups had more problem behaviors than no disinhibited eating (p=.001). OBE and SBE subtypes had greater BMI-z, percent fat mass, disordered eating attitudes, and trait anxiety than EE, EAH-EE, and No-DE subtypes (ps<.01). However, the OBE subtype reported the highest eating concern (p<.001) and the OBE, SBE, and EE subtypes reported higher depressive symptoms than EE-EAH and No-DE subtypes. Across both test meals, OBE and SBE consumed less percent protein and higher percent carbohydrate than the other subtypes (ps<.02), adjusting for age, sex, race, height, lean mass, percent fat mass, and total intake. EE also consumed greater percent carbohydrate and lower percent fat compared than EE-EAH and No-DE (ps<.03). The SBE subtype consumed the least total calories (p=.01). Discussion We conclude that behavioral subtypes of disinhibited eating may be distinguished by psychological characteristics and objective eating behavior. Prospective data are required to determine whether subtypes predict the onset of eating disorders and obesity. PMID:23276121

Attitudes vs. Purchase Behaviors as Experienced Dissonance: The Roles of Knowledge and Consumer Orientations in Organic Market.

PubMed

Hidalgo-Baz, María; Martos-Partal, Mercedes; González-Benito, Óscar

2017-01-01

This research focuses on the incongruity between positive attitudinal responses but a lack of purchase behavior in organic markets. According to cognitive dissonance theory, consumer orientations toward the benefits attributed to organic products (environmental protection, health, hedonic) relieve the dissonance that results from this attitude-behavior incongruity. Knowledge also functions as a transmitter, from positive attitudes to purchase behaviors, thereby reducing the incongruity. Using quota sampling in a survey study, this paper tests the hypotheses from linear regression models. The results show that orientations and knowledge improve the congruity between attitudes and purchase behaviors toward organic products. Moreover, interaction effects arise between the environmental protection orientation and knowledge and between the hedonic orientation and knowledge. Increasing knowledge mitigates the difference between attitudes and purchase behaviors, especially for consumers with environmental protection or hedonic orientations. These findings have several important implications for research and practice.

Attitudes vs. Purchase Behaviors as Experienced Dissonance: The Roles of Knowledge and Consumer Orientations in Organic Market

PubMed Central

Hidalgo-Baz, María; Martos-Partal, Mercedes; González-Benito, Óscar

2017-01-01

This research focuses on the incongruity between positive attitudinal responses but a lack of purchase behavior in organic markets. According to cognitive dissonance theory, consumer orientations toward the benefits attributed to organic products (environmental protection, health, hedonic) relieve the dissonance that results from this attitude–behavior incongruity. Knowledge also functions as a transmitter, from positive attitudes to purchase behaviors, thereby reducing the incongruity. Using quota sampling in a survey study, this paper tests the hypotheses from linear regression models. The results show that orientations and knowledge improve the congruity between attitudes and purchase behaviors toward organic products. Moreover, interaction effects arise between the environmental protection orientation and knowledge and between the hedonic orientation and knowledge. Increasing knowledge mitigates the difference between attitudes and purchase behaviors, especially for consumers with environmental protection or hedonic orientations. These findings have several important implications for research and practice. PMID:28286489

Health Insurance as a Two-Part Pricing Contract *

PubMed Central

Lakdawalla, Darius; Sood, Neeraj

2013-01-01

Monopolies appear throughout health care. We show that health insurance operates like a conventional two-part pricing contract that allows monopolists to extract profits without inefficiently constraining quantity. When insurers are free to offer a range of insurance contracts to different consumer types, health insurance markets perfectly eliminate deadweight losses from upstream health care monopolies. Frictions limiting the sorting of different consumer types into different insurance contracts restore some of these upstream monopoly losses, which manifest as higher rates of uninsurance, rather than as restrictions in quantity utilized by insured consumers. Empirical analysis of pharmaceutical patent expiration supports the prediction that heavily insured markets experience little or no efficiency loss under monopoly, while less insured markets exhibit behavior more consistent with the standard theory of monopoly. PMID:23997354

The Coordinated Care Management Skill Complex

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-01

knowledge of healthcare provider and consumer behavior have played in your CAM demonstration project? Unimportant Somewhat Neither Somewhat Important...Unimportant Important nor Important Unimportant B. How important a role has your knowledge of healthcare provider and consumer behavior played in your CAM

Effects of mood induction on consumers with vs. without compulsive buying propensity: an experimental study.

PubMed

Vogt, Sinje; Hunger, Antje; Türpe, Tina; Pietrowsky, Reinhard; Gerlach, Alexander L

2014-12-15

Compulsive buying (CB) is excessive and leads to impairment and distress. Several studies aimed to explore the phenomenology and antecedents of CB, especially affective states. However, these studies mostly used retrospective self-report and mostly focused on compulsive buyers only. Therefore, this study aims to directly compare consumers with CB propensity and controls on experimental proxies of buying behavior and to investigate 1) effects of neutral vs. negative mood inductions and 2) whether mood effects on buying behavior are specific to CB. Forty female consumers with CB propensity and 40 female controls were randomly assigned to a neutral or negative mood induction. Buying related behavior (likelihood to expose oneself to a shopping situation, urge and probability to buy, willingness to pay) was assessed. Consumers with CB propensity differed from controls in all buying behavior aspects except for willingness to pay. Neither main effects of mood nor group×mood interaction effects on buying behavior were found. However, consumers with CB propensity were emotionally more strongly affected by a negative mood induction. Although negative affect has previously been reported to precede buying episodes in CB, our findings do not indicate specific negative mood effects on buying, neither in CB nor in controls. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Final Report on Customer Acceptance, Retention, and Response to Time-Based Rates from Consumer Behavior Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cappers, Peter; Scheer, Rich

Time-based rate programs, enabled by utility investments in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), are increasingly being considered by utilities as tools to reduce peak demand and enable customers to better manage consumption and costs. Under the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program (SGIG), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) partnered with several electric utilities to conduct consumer behavior studies (CBS). The goals involved applying randomized and controlled experimental designs for estimating customer responses more precisely and credibly to advance understanding of time-based rates and customer systems, and provide new information for improving program designs, implementation strategies, and evaluations. The intent was tomore » produce more robust and credible analysis of impacts, costs, benefits, and lessons learned and assist utility and regulatory decision makers in evaluating investment opportunities involving time-based rates.« less

A cross-sectional study of US rural adults’ consumption of fruits and vegetables: do they consume at least five servings daily?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Rural residents are increasingly identified as being at greater risk for health disparities. These inequities may be related to health behaviors such as adequate fruits and vegetable consumption. There is little national-level population-based research about the prevalence of fruit and vegetable consumption by US rural population adults. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence differences between US rural and non-rural adults in consuming at least five daily servings of combined fruits and vegetables. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of weighted 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) data using bivariate and multivariate techniques. 52,259,789 US adults were identified as consuming at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables of which 8,983,840 were identified as living in rural locales. Results Bivariate analysis revealed that in comparison to non-rural US adults, rural adults were less likely to consume five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables (OR = 1.161, 95% CI 1.160-1.162). Logistic regression analysis revealed that US rural adults consuming at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables were more likely to be female, non-Caucasian, married or living with a partner, living in a household without children, living in a household whose annual income was > $35,000, and getting at least moderate physical activity. They were also more likely to have a BMI of <30, have a personal physician, have had a routine medical exam in the past 12 months, self-defined their health as good to excellent and to have deferred medical care because of cost. When comparing the prevalence differences between rural and non-rural US adults within a state, 37 States had a lower prevalence of rural adults consuming at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables and 11 States a higher prevalence of the same. Conclusions This enhanced understanding of fruit and vegetable consumption should prove useful to those seeking to lessen the disparity or inequity between rural and non-rural adults. Additionally, those responsible for health-related planning could benefit from the knowledge of how their state ranks in comparison to others vis-à-vis the consumption of fruits and vegetables by rural adults---a population increasingly being identified as one at risk for health disparities. PMID:22490063

Adolescent Consumption of Sports and Energy Drinks: Linkages to Higher Physical Activity, Unhealthy Beverage Patterns, Cigarette Smoking, and Screen Media Use

PubMed Central

Larson, Nicole; DeWolfe, Jessica; Story, Mary; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-01-01

Objective To examine patterns of adolescent sports and energy drink (SED) consumption and identify behavioral correlates. Design Data were drawn from EAT 2010 (Eating and Activity in Teens), a population-based study. Setting Adolescents from 20 middle and high schools in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota completed classroom-administered surveys. Participants 2,793 adolescents (53.2% girls) in grades 6–12. Variables Measured Beverage patterns; breakfast frequency; moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); media use; sleep; and cigarette smoking. Analysis Linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between health behaviors and SED consumption, adjusting for demographics. Results Over a third of adolescents consumed sports drinks and 14.7% consumed energy drinks at least once a week. Among boys and girls, both sports and energy drink consumption were related to higher video game use; sugar-sweetened beverage and fruit juice intake; and smoking (P<0.05). Sports drink consumption was also significantly related to higher MVPA and organized sport participation for both genders (P<0.01). Conclusions and Implications Although sports drink consumption was associated with higher MVPA, adolescents should be reminded of recommendations to consume these beverages only following vigorous, prolonged activity. There is also a need for future interventions designed to reduce SED consumption to address the clustering of unhealthy behaviors. PMID:24809865

Attitudes towards Social Networking and Sharing Behaviors among Consumers of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genomics

PubMed Central

Lee, Sandra Soo-Jin; Vernez, Simone L.; Ormond, K.E.; Granovetter, Mark

2013-01-01

Little is known about how consumers of direct-to-consumer personal genetic services share personal genetic risk information. In an age of ubiquitous online networking and rapid development of social networking tools, understanding how consumers share personal genetic risk assessments is critical in the development of appropriate and effective policies. This exploratory study investigates how consumers share personal genetic information and attitudes towards social networking behaviors. Methods: Adult participants aged 23 to 72 years old who purchased direct-to-consumer genetic testing from a personal genomics company were administered a web-based survey regarding their sharing activities and social networking behaviors related to their personal genetic test results. Results: 80 participants completed the survey; of those, 45% shared results on Facebook and 50.9% reported meeting or reconnecting with more than 10 other individuals through the sharing of their personal genetic information. For help interpreting test results, 70.4% turned to Internet websites and online sources, compared to 22.7% who consulted their healthcare providers. Amongst participants, 51.8% reported that they believe the privacy of their personal genetic information would be breached in the future. Conclusion: Consumers actively utilize online social networking tools to help them share and interpret their personal genetic information. These findings suggest a need for careful consideration of policy recommendations in light of the current ambiguity of regulation and oversight of consumer initiated sharing activities. PMID:25562728

Attitudes towards Social Networking and Sharing Behaviors among Consumers of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genomics.

PubMed

Lee, Sandra Soo-Jin; Vernez, Simone L; Ormond, K E; Granovetter, Mark

2013-10-14

Little is known about how consumers of direct-to-consumer personal genetic services share personal genetic risk information. In an age of ubiquitous online networking and rapid development of social networking tools, understanding how consumers share personal genetic risk assessments is critical in the development of appropriate and effective policies. This exploratory study investigates how consumers share personal genetic information and attitudes towards social networking behaviors. Adult participants aged 23 to 72 years old who purchased direct-to-consumer genetic testing from a personal genomics company were administered a web-based survey regarding their sharing activities and social networking behaviors related to their personal genetic test results. 80 participants completed the survey; of those, 45% shared results on Facebook and 50.9% reported meeting or reconnecting with more than 10 other individuals through the sharing of their personal genetic information. For help interpreting test results, 70.4% turned to Internet websites and online sources, compared to 22.7% who consulted their healthcare providers. Amongst participants, 51.8% reported that they believe the privacy of their personal genetic information would be breached in the future. Consumers actively utilize online social networking tools to help them share and interpret their personal genetic information. These findings suggest a need for careful consideration of policy recommendations in light of the current ambiguity of regulation and oversight of consumer initiated sharing activities.

Consumers' behavior in quantitative microbial risk assessment for pathogens in raw milk: Incorporation of the likelihood of consumption as a function of storage time and temperature.

PubMed

Crotta, Matteo; Paterlini, Franco; Rizzi, Rita; Guitian, Javier

2016-02-01

Foodborne disease as a result of raw milk consumption is an increasing concern in Western countries. Quantitative microbial risk assessment models have been used to estimate the risk of illness due to different pathogens in raw milk. In these models, the duration and temperature of storage before consumption have a critical influence in the final outcome of the simulations and are usually described and modeled as independent distributions in the consumer phase module. We hypothesize that this assumption can result in the computation, during simulations, of extreme scenarios that ultimately lead to an overestimation of the risk. In this study, a sensorial analysis was conducted to replicate consumers' behavior. The results of the analysis were used to establish, by means of a logistic model, the relationship between time-temperature combinations and the probability that a serving of raw milk is actually consumed. To assess our hypothesis, 2 recently published quantitative microbial risk assessment models quantifying the risks of listeriosis and salmonellosis related to the consumption of raw milk were implemented. First, the default settings described in the publications were kept; second, the likelihood of consumption as a function of the length and temperature of storage was included. When results were compared, the density of computed extreme scenarios decreased significantly in the modified model; consequently, the probability of illness and the expected number of cases per year also decreased. Reductions of 11.6 and 12.7% in the proportion of computed scenarios in which a contaminated milk serving was consumed were observed for the first and the second study, respectively. Our results confirm that overlooking the time-temperature dependency may yield to an important overestimation of the risk. Furthermore, we provide estimates of this dependency that could easily be implemented in future quantitative microbial risk assessment models of raw milk pathogens. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lifestyle segmentation of US food shoppers to examine organic and local food consumption.

PubMed

Nie, Cong; Zepeda, Lydia

2011-08-01

The food related lifestyle (FRL) model, widely used on European data, is applied to US data using a modified survey instrument to examine organic and local food consumption. Since empirical studies indicate these shoppers are motivated by environmental and health concerns and limited by access, the conceptual framework employs an environmental behavior model, Attitude Behavior Context (ABC), which is consistent with means-end chain theory, the Health Belief (HB) model, and the FRL model. ABC theory incorporates contextual factors that may limit consumers' ability to act on their intentions. US food shopper data was collected in 2003 (n=956) utilizing an instrument with variables adapted from the FRL, ABC, and HB models. Cluster analysis segmented food shoppers into four FRL groups: rational, adventurous, careless, and a fourth segment that had some characteristics of both conservative and uninvolved consumers. The segments exhibited significant differences in organic and local food consumption. These were correlated with consumers' environmental concerns, knowledge and practices, health concerns and practices, as well as some demographic characteristics (race, gender, age, education), income, and variables that measured access to these foods. Implications for marketing and public policy strategies to promote organic and local foods include: emphasizing taste, nutrition, value, children, and enjoyment of cooking for rational consumers; and emphasizing health, fitness, and freshness, and providing ethnic foods for adventurous consumers. While both careless and conservative/uninvolved consumers valued convenience, the former tended to be in the highest income group, while the latter were in the lowest, were more likely to be either in the youngest or oldest age groups, and were very concerned about food safety and health. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) cultural competence (CC) item set.

PubMed

Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Carle, Adam; Weidmer, Beverly; Hurtado, Margarita; Ngo-Metzger, Quyen; Hays, Ron D

2012-09-01

There is a need for reliable and valid measures of cultural competence (CC) from the patient's perspective. This paper evaluates the reliability and validity of the Consumer Assessments of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) CC item set. Using 2008 survey data, we assessed the internal consistency of the CAHPS CC scales using the Cronbach α's and examined the validity of the measures using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, multitrait scaling analysis, and regression analysis. A random stratified sample (based on race/ethnicity and language) of 991 enrollees, younger than 65 years, from 2 Medicaid managed care plans in California and New York. CAHPS CC item set after excluding screener items and ratings. Confirmatory factor analysis (Comparative Fit Index=0.98, Tucker Lewis Index=0.98, and Root Mean Square Error or Approximation=0.06) provided support for a 7-factor structure: Doctor Communication--Positive Behaviors, Doctor Communication--Negative Behaviors, Doctor Communication--Health Promotion, Doctor Communication--Alternative Medicine, Shared Decision-Making, Equitable Treatment, and Trust. Item-total correlations (corrected for item overlap) for the 7 scales exceeded 0.40. Exploratory factor analysis showed support for 1 additional factor: Access to Interpreter Services. Internal consistency reliability estimates ranged from 0.58 (Alternative Medicine) to 0.92 (Positive Behaviors) and was 0.70 or higher for 4 of the 8 composites. All composites were positively and significantly associated with the overall doctor rating. The CAHPS CC 26-item set demonstrates adequate measurement properties and can be used as a supplemental item set to the CAHPS Clinician and Group Surveys in assessing culturally competent care from the patient's perspective.

Sleep Problems

MedlinePlus

... Blood & Biologics Animal & Veterinary Cosmetics Tobacco Products For Consumers Home For Consumers Consumer Information by Audience For ... effects like: Severe allergic reactions Severe face swelling Behaviors like making phone calls, eating, having sex or ...

Development of the Consumer Refrigerator Safety Questionnaire: A Measure of Consumer Perceptions and Practices.

PubMed

Cairnduff, Victoria; Dean, Moira; Koidis, Anastasios

2016-09-01

Food preparation and storage behaviors in the home deviating from the "best practice" food safety recommendations may result in foodborne illnesses. Currently, there are limited tools available to fully evaluate the consumer knowledge, perceptions, and behavior in the area of refrigerator safety. The current study aimed to develop a valid and reliable tool in the form of a questionnaire, the Consumer Refrigerator Safety Questionnaire (CRSQ), for assessing systematically all these aspects. Items relating to refrigerator safety knowledge (n =17), perceptions (n =46), and reported behavior (n =30) were developed and pilot tested by an expert reference group and various consumer groups to assess face and content validity (n =20), item difficulty and consistency (n =55), and construct validity (n =23). The findings showed that the CRSQ has acceptable face and content validity with acceptable levels of item difficulty. Item consistency was observed for 12 of 15 in refrigerator safety knowledge. Further, all 5 of the subscales of consumer perceptions of refrigerator safety practices relating to risk of developing foodborne disease showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α value > 0.8). Construct validity of the CRSQ was shown to be very good (P = 0.022). The CRSQ exhibited acceptable test-retest reliability at 14 days with the majority of knowledge items (93.3%) and reported behavior items (96.4%) having correlation coefficients of greater than 0.70. Overall, the CRSQ was deemed valid and reliable in assessing refrigerator safety knowledge and behavior; therefore, it has the potential for future use in identifying groups of individuals at increased risk of deviating from recommended refrigerator safety practices, as well as the assessment of refrigerator safety knowledge and behavior for use before and after an intervention.

Making Sense of “Consumer Engagement” Initiatives to Improve Health and Health Care: A Conceptual Framework to Guide Policy and Practice

PubMed Central

Mittler, Jessica N; Martsolf, Grant R; Telenko, Shannon J; Scanlon, Dennis P

2013-01-01

Context Policymakers and practitioners continue to pursue initiatives designed to engage individuals in their health and health care despite discordant views and mixed evidence regarding the ability to cultivate greater individual engagement that improves Americans’ health and well-being and helps manage health care costs. There is limited and mixed evidence regarding the value of different interventions. Methods Based on our involvement in evaluating various community-based consumer engagement initiatives and a targeted literature review of models of behavior change, we identified the need for a framework to classify the universe of consumer engagement initiatives toward advancing policymakers' and practitioners' knowledge of their value and fit in various contexts. We developed a framework that expanded our conceptualization of consumer engagement, building on elements of two common models, the individually focused transtheoretical model of behavior and the broader, multilevel social ecological model. Finally, we applied this framework to one community's existing consumer engagement program. Findings Consumer engagement in health and health care refers to the performance of specific behaviors (“engaged behaviors”) and/or an individual's capacity and motivation to perform these behaviors (“activation”). These two dimensions are related but distinct and thus should be differentiated. The framework creates four classification schemas, by (1) targeted behavior types (self-management, health care encounter, shopping, and health behaviors) and by (2) individual, (3) group, and (4) community dimensions. Our example illustrates that the framework can systematically classify a variety of consumer engagement programs, and that this exercise and resulting characterization can provide a structured way to consider the program and how its components fit program goals both individually and collectively. Conclusions Applying the framework could help advance the field by making policymakers and practitioners aware of the wide range of approaches, providing a structured way to organize and characterize interventions retrospectively, and helping them consider how they can meet the program's goals both individually and collectively. PMID:23488711

Personal involvement is related to increased search motivation and associated with activity in left BA44—a pilot study

PubMed Central

Schaefer, Michael; Rumpel, Franziska; Sadrieh, Abdolkarim; Reimann, Martin; Denke, Claudia

2015-01-01

Numerous studies explore consumer perception of brands in a more or less passive way. This may still be representative for many situations or decisions we make each day. Nevertheless, sometimes we often actively search for and use information to make informed and reasoned choices, thus implying a rational and thinking consumer. Researchers suggested describing this distinction as low relative to high involvement consumer behavior. Although the involvement concept has been widely used to explain consumer behavior, behavioral and neural correlates of this concept are poorly understood. The current study aims to describe a behavioral measure that is associated with high involvement, the length of search behavior. A second aim of this study was to explore brain activations associated with involvement by employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We presented participants information cues for different products and told them that they had to answer questions with respect to these products at the end of the experiment. Participants were free to stop the information search if they think they gathered enough information or to continue with collecting information. Behavioral results confirmed our hypothesis of a relationship between searching behavior and personal involvement by demonstrating that the length of search correlated significantly with the degree of personal involvement of the participants. fMRI data revealed that personal involvement was associated with activation in BA44. Since this brain region is known to be involved in semantic memory, the results of this pilot study suggest that high involvement consumer behavior may be linked to cognitive load and attention towards a product. PMID:25859200

Measuring Patient Satisfaction as a Basis for Medical Marketing and Strategic Planning

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

34 MdicalCare, 147: 86-90 (January 1979).4 Mowen, John C. Consumer Behavior . New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1987. Oliver, Richard L. and...34 Evaluation and Program Plannlng. 6: 247-263 (1983). Winston, William J. Health Marketing and Consumer Behavior . New York: Hawthorn Press, 1985. 95 Woodruff...indicator of the structure, process, and outcomes of care. Second, satisfaction data have been used as independent variables to predict consumer

Consumer attitudes and preferences for fresh market tomatoes.

PubMed

Oltman, A E; Jervis, S M; Drake, M A

2014-10-01

This study established attractive attributes and consumer desires for fresh tomatoes. Three focus groups (n = 28 participants) were conducted to explore how consumers perceived tomatoes, including how they purchased and consumed them. Subsequently, an Adaptive Choice Based Conjoint (ACBC) survey was conducted to understand consumer preferences toward traditional tomatoes. The ACBC survey with Kano questions (n = 1037 consumers in Raleigh, NC) explored the importance of color, firmness, size, skin, texture, interior, seed presence, flavor, and health benefits. The most important tomato attribute was color, then juice when sliced, followed by size, followed by seed presence, which was at parity with firmness. An attractive tomato was red, firm, medium/small sized, crisp, meaty, juicy, flavorful, and with few seeds. Deviations from these features resulted in a tomato that was rejected by consumers. Segmentations of consumers were determined by patterns in utility scores. External attributes were the main drivers of tomato liking, but different groups of tomato consumers exist with distinct preferences for juiciness, firmness, flavor, and health benefits. Conjoint analysis is a research technique that collects a large amount of data from consumers in a format designed to be reflective of a real life market setting and can be combined with qualitative insight from focus groups to gain information on consumer consumption and purchase behaviors. This study established that the most important fresh tomato attributes were color, amount of juice when sliced, and size. Distinct consumer clusters were differentiated by preference for color/appearance, juiciness and firm texture. Tomato growers can utilize the results to target attributes that drive consumer choice for fresh tomatoes. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Consumers' perceptions of vape shops in Southern California: an analysis of online Yelp reviews.

PubMed

Sussman, Steve; Garcia, Robert; Cruz, Tess Boley; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes; Pentz, Mary Ann; Unger, Jennifer B

2014-01-01

E-cigarettes are sold at many different types of retail establishments. A new type of shop has emerged, the vape shop, which specializes in sales of varied types of e-cigarettes. Vape shops allow users to sample several types. There are no empirical research articles on vape shops. Information is needed on consumers' beliefs and behaviors about these shops, the range of products sold, marketing practices, and variation in shop characteristics by ethnic community and potential counter-marketing messages. This study is the first to investigate marketing characteristics of vape shops located in different ethnic neighborhoods in Los Angeles, by conducting a Yelp electronic search and content analysis of consumer reports on vape shops they have visited. The primary measure was Yelp reviews (N = 103 vape shops in the Los Angeles, California area), which were retrieved and content coded. We compared the attributes of vape shops representing four ethnic communities: African American, Hispanic/Latino, Korean, and White. Vape shop attributes listed as most important were the selection of flavors or hardware (95%), fair prices (92%), and unique flavors or hardware (89%). Important staff marketing attributes included being friendly (99%), helpful/patient/respectful (97%), and knowledgeable/professional (95%). Over one-half of the shops were rated as clean (52%) and relaxed (61%). Relatively few of the reviews mentioned quitting smoking (32%) or safety of e-cigarettes (15%). The selection of flavors and hardware appeared relatively important in Korean ethnic location vape shops. Yelp reviews may influence potential consumers. As such, the present study's focus on Yelp reviews addressed at least eight of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products' priorities pertaining to marketing influences on consumer beliefs and behaviors. The findings suggest that there were several vape shop and product attributes that consumers considered important to disseminate to others through postings on Yelp. Lack of health warnings about these products may misrepresent their potential risk. The main influence variables were product variety and price. There was only a little evidence of influence of ethnic neighborhood; for example, regarding importance of flavors and hardware. Shop observational studies are recommended to discern safety factors across different ethnic neighborhoods.

Impact of a smoke-free hospital campus policy on employee and consumer behavior.

PubMed

Wheeler, J Gary; Pulley, LeaVonne; Felix, Holly C; Bursac, Zoran; Siddiqui, Nadia J; Stewart, M Kathryn; Mays, Glen P; Gauss, C Heath

2007-01-01

Although smoke-free hospital campuses can provide a strong health message and protect patients, they are few in number due to employee retention and public relations concerns. We evaluated the effects of implementing a clean air policy on employee attitudes, recruitment, and retention; hospital utilization; and consumer satisfaction in 2003 through 2005. We conducted research at a university hospital campus with supplemental data from an affiliated hospital campus. Our evaluation included (1) measurement of employee attitudes during the year before and year after policy implementation using a cross-sectional, anonymous survey; (2) focus group discussions held with supervisors and security personnel; and (3) key informant interviews conducted with administrators. Secondary analysis included review of employment records and exit interviews, and monitoring of hospital utilization and patient satisfaction data. Employee attitudes toward the policy were supportive (83.3%) at both institutions and increased significantly (89.8%) at post-test at the university hospital campus. Qualitatively, administrator and supervisor attitudes were similarly favorable. There was no evidence on either campus of an increase in employee separations or a decrease in new hiring after the policy was implemented. On neither campus was there a change in bed occupancy or mean daily census. Standard measures of consumer satisfaction were also unchanged at both sites. A campus-wide smoke-free policy had no detrimental effect on measures of employee or consumer attitudes or behaviors.

Comparison of physical chewing measures to consumer typed Mouth Behavior.

PubMed

Wilson, Arran; Jeltema, Melissa; Morgenstern, Marco P; Motoi, Lidia; Kim, Esther; Hedderley, Duncan

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypotheses that when presented with foods that could be chewed in different ways, (1) are participants jaw movements and chewing sequence measures correlated with Mouth Behavior (MB) group, as measured by the JBMB typing tool? (2) can MB group membership can be predicted from jaw movement and chewing sequence measures? One hundred subjects (69 female and 31 male, mean age 27 ± 7.7 years) were given four different foods (Mentos, Walkers, Cheetos Puffs, Twix) and video recordings of their jaw movements made. Twenty-nine parameters were calculated on each chewing sequence with 27 also calculated for the first half and second half of chewing sequence. Subjects were assigned to a MB group using the JBMB typing tool which gives four MB groups ("Chewers," "Crunchers," "Smooshers," and "Suckers"). The differences between individual chewing parameters and MB group were assessed with analysis of variance which showed only small differences in average chewing parameters between the MB groups. By using discriminant analysis, it was possible to partially discriminate between MB groups based on changes in their chewing parameters between foods with different material properties and stages of the chewing. A 19-variable model correctly predicted 68% of the subjects' membership of a MB group. This partially confirms our first hypothesis that when presented with foods that could be chewed in different ways participants will use a chewing sequence and jaw movements that correlate with their MB as measured by the JBMB typing tool. The way consumers chew their food has an impact on their texture perception of that food. While there is a wide range of chewing behaviors between consumers, they can be grouped into broad categories to better target both product design and product testing by sensory panel. In this study, consumers who were grouped on their texture preference (MB group) had jaw movements, when chewing a range of foods, which partially reflected group membership. Therefore, while MB group membership could not be predicted from jaw movement measurements, there were similarities in jaw movements within the members of the groups. A better understanding of how jaw movement during chewing relates to consumer sensory perception would aid in new solid product design with controlled textural attributes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Systematic behavior research for understanding consumer decision making.

PubMed

Lin, Chin-Feng

2009-05-01

This study incorporates means-end chain (MEC) theory and dynamic programming for understanding the implications of consumer decision making. The conceptual framework of this study can help programmers design information systems for analyzing consumption behaviors. Such analyses will provide marketers with meaningful information for formulating marketing strategies. The main contributions of this article are as follows: (1) to enable researchers to obtain information for consumer cognitive hierarchies utilizing an information system, (2) to enhance the functions of traditional MEC methodology and provide an integrated method for analyzing consumption information, and (3) to construct an information system for analyzing consumer decision-making processes.

The effects of blueberries on cognition and neuroplasticity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It has been demonstrated that consuming blueberries can prevent and even reverse the occurrence of neurochemical and behavioral changes associated with aging. Recent research suggests that consuming a high-fat diet (HFD) may result in behavioral deficits similar to those observed in aging animals. T...

A Longitudinal Study of Consumer Socialization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moschis, George P.; Moore, Roy L.

A study examined the effects of factors (including television, family, peers, age, and socioeconomic status) on consumer socialization, the process by which individuals develop consumption-related cognitions and behaviors. The specific criterion variables studied included consumer affairs knowledge, puffery filtering, consumer finance management,…

76 FR 22019 - Safety Standard for Toddler Beds

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-20

... warnings should increase consumers' understanding of the connection between the relevant behaviors and... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 1217 RIN 3041-AC79 Safety Standard for Toddler Beds AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety...

Understanding consumer decisions using behavioral economics.

PubMed

Zandstra, Elizabeth H; Miyapuram, Krishna P; Tobler, Philippe N

2013-01-01

Consumers make many decisions in everyday life involving finances, food, and health. It is known from behavioral economics research that people are often driven by short-term gratification, that is, people tend to choose the immediate, albeit smaller reward. But choosing the delayed reward, that is, delaying the gratification, can actually be beneficial. How can we motivate consumers to resist the "now" and invest in their future, leading to sustainable or healthy habits? We review recent developments from behavioral and neuroimaging studies that are relevant for understanding consumer decisions. Further, we present results from our field research that examined whether we can increase the perceived value of a (delayed) environmental benefit using tailored communication, that is, change the way it is framed. More specifically, we investigated whether we can boost the value of an abstract, long-term "green" claim of a product by expressing it as a concrete, short-term benefit. This is a new application area for behavioral economics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Virtual Reference in Library Web Site Design: A Qualitative Source for Usage Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Amanda Clay; Shedd, Julie; Hill, Clay

2011-01-01

Gathering qualitative information about usage behavior of library Web sites is a time-consuming process requiring the active participation of patron communities. Libraries that collect virtual reference transcripts, however, hold valuable data regarding how the library Web site is used that could benefit Web designers. An analysis of virtual…

Observations of northern flying squirrel feeding behavior: use of non-truffle food items.

Treesearch

D.R. Thysell; L.J. Villa; A.B. Carey

1997-01-01

In the Pacific Northwest, the northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus, sumes sporocarps of a wide variety of hypogeous mycorrhizal fungi(truffles). Numerous other foods are also consumed but are not well characterized by fecal pellet analysis either because they are more fully digested (seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetation) or because of the...

Associations between Parental Limits, School Vending Machine Purchases, and Soft Drink Consumption among Kentucky Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickelson, Jen; Roseman, Mary G.; Forthofer, Melinda S.

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine associations between parental limits on soft drinks and purchasing soft drinks from school vending machines and consuming soft drinks among middle school students. Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the middle school Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Setting: Eight public middle schools in central Kentucky.…

Neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience: contributions to neurology.

PubMed

Javor, Andrija; Koller, Monika; Lee, Nick; Chamberlain, Laura; Ransmayr, Gerhard

2013-02-06

'Neuromarketing' is a term that has often been used in the media in recent years. These public discussions have generally centered around potential ethical aspects and the public fear of negative consequences for society in general, and consumers in particular. However, positive contributions to the scientific discourse from developing a biological model that tries to explain context-situated human behavior such as consumption have often been neglected. We argue for a differentiated terminology, naming commercial applications of neuroscientific methods 'neuromarketing' and scientific ones 'consumer neuroscience'. While marketing scholars have eagerly integrated neuroscientific evidence into their theoretical framework, neurology has only recently started to draw its attention to the results of consumer neuroscience. In this paper we address key research topics of consumer neuroscience that we think are of interest for neurologists; namely the reward system, trust and ethical issues. We argue that there are overlapping research topics in neurology and consumer neuroscience where both sides can profit from collaboration. Further, neurologists joining the public discussion of ethical issues surrounding neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience could contribute standards and experience gained in clinical research. We identify the following areas where consumer neuroscience could contribute to the field of neurology:First, studies using game paradigms could help to gain further insights into the underlying pathophysiology of pathological gambling in Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, epilepsy, and Huntington's disease.Second, we identify compulsive buying as a common interest in neurology and consumer neuroscience. Paradigms commonly used in consumer neuroscience could be applied to patients suffering from Parkinson's disease and frontotemporal dementia to advance knowledge of this important behavioral symptom.Third, trust research in the medical context lacks empirical behavioral and neuroscientific evidence. Neurologists entering this field of research could profit from the extensive knowledge of the biological foundation of trust that scientists in economically-orientated neurosciences have gained.Fourth, neurologists could contribute significantly to the ethical debate about invasive methods in neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience. Further, neurologists should investigate biological and behavioral reactions of neurological patients to marketing and advertising measures, as they could show special consumer vulnerability and be subject to target marketing.

Neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience: contributions to neurology

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background ‘Neuromarketing’ is a term that has often been used in the media in recent years. These public discussions have generally centered around potential ethical aspects and the public fear of negative consequences for society in general, and consumers in particular. However, positive contributions to the scientific discourse from developing a biological model that tries to explain context-situated human behavior such as consumption have often been neglected. We argue for a differentiated terminology, naming commercial applications of neuroscientific methods ‘neuromarketing’ and scientific ones ‘consumer neuroscience’. While marketing scholars have eagerly integrated neuroscientific evidence into their theoretical framework, neurology has only recently started to draw its attention to the results of consumer neuroscience. Discussion In this paper we address key research topics of consumer neuroscience that we think are of interest for neurologists; namely the reward system, trust and ethical issues. We argue that there are overlapping research topics in neurology and consumer neuroscience where both sides can profit from collaboration. Further, neurologists joining the public discussion of ethical issues surrounding neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience could contribute standards and experience gained in clinical research. Summary We identify the following areas where consumer neuroscience could contribute to the field of neurology: First, studies using game paradigms could help to gain further insights into the underlying pathophysiology of pathological gambling in Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, epilepsy, and Huntington’s disease. Second, we identify compulsive buying as a common interest in neurology and consumer neuroscience. Paradigms commonly used in consumer neuroscience could be applied to patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia to advance knowledge of this important behavioral symptom. Third, trust research in the medical context lacks empirical behavioral and neuroscientific evidence. Neurologists entering this field of research could profit from the extensive knowledge of the biological foundation of trust that scientists in economically-orientated neurosciences have gained. Fourth, neurologists could contribute significantly to the ethical debate about invasive methods in neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience. Further, neurologists should investigate biological and behavioral reactions of neurological patients to marketing and advertising measures, as they could show special consumer vulnerability and be subject to target marketing. PMID:23383650

Computational Models of Consumer Confidence from Large-Scale Online Attention Data: Crowd-Sourcing Econometrics

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Economies are instances of complex socio-technical systems that are shaped by the interactions of large numbers of individuals. The individual behavior and decision-making of consumer agents is determined by complex psychological dynamics that include their own assessment of present and future economic conditions as well as those of others, potentially leading to feedback loops that affect the macroscopic state of the economic system. We propose that the large-scale interactions of a nation's citizens with its online resources can reveal the complex dynamics of their collective psychology, including their assessment of future system states. Here we introduce a behavioral index of Chinese Consumer Confidence (C3I) that computationally relates large-scale online search behavior recorded by Google Trends data to the macroscopic variable of consumer confidence. Our results indicate that such computational indices may reveal the components and complex dynamics of consumer psychology as a collective socio-economic phenomenon, potentially leading to improved and more refined economic forecasting. PMID:25826692

Computational models of consumer confidence from large-scale online attention data: crowd-sourcing econometrics.

PubMed

Dong, Xianlei; Bollen, Johan

2015-01-01

Economies are instances of complex socio-technical systems that are shaped by the interactions of large numbers of individuals. The individual behavior and decision-making of consumer agents is determined by complex psychological dynamics that include their own assessment of present and future economic conditions as well as those of others, potentially leading to feedback loops that affect the macroscopic state of the economic system. We propose that the large-scale interactions of a nation's citizens with its online resources can reveal the complex dynamics of their collective psychology, including their assessment of future system states. Here we introduce a behavioral index of Chinese Consumer Confidence (C3I) that computationally relates large-scale online search behavior recorded by Google Trends data to the macroscopic variable of consumer confidence. Our results indicate that such computational indices may reveal the components and complex dynamics of consumer psychology as a collective socio-economic phenomenon, potentially leading to improved and more refined economic forecasting.

Requirements analysis for a hardware, discrete-event, simulation engine accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Paul J., Jr.

1991-12-01

An analysis of a general Discrete Event Simulation (DES), executing on the distributed architecture of an eight mode Intel PSC/2 hypercube, was performed. The most time consuming portions of the general DES algorithm were determined to be the functions associated with message passing of required simulation data between processing nodes of the hypercube architecture. A behavioral description, using the IEEE standard VHSIC Hardware Description and Design Language (VHDL), for a general DES hardware accelerator is presented. The behavioral description specifies the operational requirements for a DES coprocessor to augment the hypercube's execution of DES simulations. The DES coprocessor design implements the functions necessary to perform distributed discrete event simulations using a conservative time synchronization protocol.

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior.

PubMed

Ploydanai, Kunalai; van den Puttelaar, Jos; van Herpen, Erica; van Trijp, Hans

2017-07-24

People's responses to products and/or choice environments are crucial to understanding in-store consumer behaviors. Currently, there are various approaches (e.g., surveys or laboratory settings) to study in-store behaviors, but the external validity of these is limited by their poor capability to resemble realistic choice environments. In addition, building a real store to meet experimental conditions while controlling for undesirable effects is costly and highly difficult. A virtual store developed by virtual reality techniques potentially transcends these limitations by offering the simulation of a 3D virtual store environment in a realistic, flexible, and cost-efficient way. In particular, a virtual store interactively allows consumers (participants) to experience and interact with objects in a tightly controlled yet realistic setting. This paper presents the key elements of using a desktop virtual store to study in-store consumer behavior. Descriptions of the protocol steps to: 1) build the experimental store, 2) prepare the data management program, 3) run the virtual store experiment, and 4) organize and export data from the data management program are presented. The virtual store enables participants to navigate through the store, choose a product from alternatives, and select or return products. Moreover, consumer-related shopping behaviors (e.g., shopping time, walking speed, and number and type of products examined and bought) can also be collected. The protocol is illustrated with an example of a store layout experiment showing that shelf length and shelf orientation influence shopping- and movement-related behaviors. This demonstrates that the use of a virtual store facilitates the study of consumer responses. The virtual store can be especially helpful when examining factors that are costly or difficult to change in real life (e.g., overall store layout), products that are not presently available in the market, and routinized behaviors in familiar environments.

78 FR 12141 - Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-21

... Bureau to monitor consumers' behavior--specifically, consumer use of deposit accounts as transactional... of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau), and state supervisors of banks and savings associations... consumer customers compared to business customers, and [cir] For those institutions with $1 billion or more...

Consumer preference, behavior and perception about meat and meat products: an overview.

PubMed

Font-I-Furnols, Maria; Guerrero, Luis

2014-11-01

Meat and meat products currently represent an important source of protein in the human diet, and their quality varies according to intrinsic and extrinsic parameters that can sometimes be shaped to make a product more desirable. Because consumers are the final step in the production chain, it is useful to identify which factors affect their behavioral patterns. This would allow the meat sector to better satisfy consumer expectations, demands and needs. This paper focuses on features that might influence consumer behavior, preferences and their perception of meat and meat products with respect to psychological, sensory and marketing aspects. This multidisciplinary approach includes evaluating psychological issues such as attitudes, beliefs, and expectations; sensory properties such as appearance, texture, flavor and odor; and marketing-related aspects such as price and brand. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organizational Performance and Customer Value

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tosti, Donald; Herbst, Scott A.

2009-01-01

While behavior systems analysts have recognized the importance of the consumer of organizational products (i.e., receiving system) in developing models of organizational change, few have offered a systematic assessment of the relationship between consumer and organizational practices. In this article we will discuss how a behavior systems approach…

Management without a ’Bottom Line’,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

decisions, but rather o that it, and the other aspects of P&L that result from consumer behavior , provide a rich and invaluable source of information to...proxies or surrogates, e.g., sales, profit margins, revenues, etc. 2. Lacking informational feedback from consumer behavior , the management of non

An Alternative Approach to the Variable Housing Allowance Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

ACOL values. 1T CBO, p. 31. tm Angus Deaton and John Muellbauer, Economics and Consumer Behavior (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1980), p...London: Chapman and Hall, 1975. Deaton A. S. and J. Muellbauer. Economics and Consumer Behavior . New York« Cambridge University Press, 1980

The Paradoxical Value of Privacy

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-14

on occurrence of identity theft correlated with consumer behavior so that probabilities of at least such clear privacy problems could be assigned to...now. And, the market typically needs to learn from experience, so consumer behavior is likely to lag behind any current reality. So one answer is that

Gazing behavior reactions of Vietnamese and Austrian consumers to Austrian wafers and their relations to wanting, expected and tasted liking.

PubMed

Vu, Thi Minh Hang; Tu, Viet Phu; Duerrschmid, Klaus

2018-05-01

Predictability of consumers' food choice based on their gazing behavior using eye-tracking has been shown and discussed in recent research. By applying this observational technique and conventional methods on a specific food product, this study aims at investigating consumers' reactions associated with gazing behavior, wanting, building up expectations, and the experience of tasting. The tested food products were wafers from Austria with hazelnut, whole wheat, lemon and vanilla flavors, which are very well known in Austria and not known in Vietnam. 114 Vietnamese and 128 Austrian participants took part in three sections: The results indicate that: i) the gazing behavior parameters are highly correlated in a positive way with the wanting-to-try choice; ii) wanting to try is in compliance with the expected liking for the Austrian consumer panel only, which is very familiar with the products; iii) the expected and tasted liking of the products are highly country and product dependent. The expected liking is strongly correlated with the tasted liking for the Austrian panel only. Differences between the reactions of the Vietnamese and Austrian consumers are discussed in detail. The results, which reflect the complex process from gazing for "wanting to try" to the expected and tasted liking, are discussed in the context of the cognitive theory and food choice habits of the consumers. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Burger preparation: what consumers say and do in the home.

PubMed

Phang, Ho S; Bruhn, Christine M

2011-10-01

Ground beef has been linked to outbreaks of pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. Consumers may be exposed to foodborne illness through unsafe preparation of ground beef. Video footage of 199 volunteers in Northern California preparing hamburgers and salad was analyzed for compliance with U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendations and for violations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Code 2009. A questionnaire about consumer attitudes and knowledge about food safety was administered after each filming session. The majority of volunteers, 78%, cooked their ground beef patties to the Food Code 2009 recommended internal temperature of 155°F (ca. 68°C) or above, and 70% cooked to the U.S. Department of Agriculture consumer end-point guideline of 160°F (ca. 71°C), with 22% declaring the burger done when the temperature was below 155°F. Volunteers checked burger doneness with a meat thermometer in 4% of households. Only 13% knew the recommended internal temperature for ground beef. The average hand washing time observed was 8 s; only 7% of the hand washing events met the recommended guideline of 20 s. Potential cross-contamination was common, with an average of 43 events noted per household. Hands were the most commonly observed vehicle of potential cross-contamination. Analysis of food handling behaviors indicates that consumers with and without food safety training exposed themselves to potential foodborne illness even while under video observation. Behaviors that should be targeted by food safety educators are identified.

Using social cognitive theory to explain consumers' behavioral intentions in response to direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising.

PubMed

Young, Henry N; Lipowski, Earlene E; Cline, Rebecca J W

2005-06-01

Previous research describing consumers' communication behaviors in response to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) suggests a social cognitive rationale to explain DTCA-related communication behavior. Guided by social cognitive theory, the objective of this study was to explore outcome expectancy and self-efficacy beliefs as predictors of individuals' intentions to communicate with their physicians about an advertised drug. One hundred and seven female college students completed a questionnaire, read an advertisement for an oral contraceptive drug, and completed a second questionnaire. The questionnaires assessed participants' self-efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs, intended communication behavior, and demographic information. Pearson product-moment correlation analyses showed that outcome expectancy (r=0.75, P<.01) and self-efficacy (r=0.21, P<.05) beliefs were associated positively with intentions to communicate with physicians in response to DTCA. However, ordinary least squares regression analyses revealed that only outcome expectancy beliefs predicted intended communication behavior (B=1.56, P<.01). Results also showed that participants had a relatively greater likelihood of requesting information about, than requesting a prescription for, the advertised drug [t(106)=14.75, P<.01]. The results identify cognitive factors that guide consumers' plans for interacting with physicians in response to DTCA. Health care providers can use these results to guide communication with patients regarding DTCA and meet patients' drug-related informational expectations.

An examination of the social, behavioral, and cognitive influences of infamous individuals on media consumers.

PubMed

Matusitz, Jonathan; Breen, Gerald-Mark

2011-01-01

This article presents a substantial extant and predictive statement on social cognitive theory (SCT), a well-known interpersonal communication theory coined by Bandura (1986) and researched by prominent scholars in the social sciences. An important rationale behind conducting this analysis is that it provides several groundbreaking and unique applications of SCT through the exploration of infamous celebrities (i.e., Michael Jackson, Keith Richards, Robert Downey, Jr., and sexually perverted religious leaders) published in global media outlets. The objective is to demonstrate the socially influential effects that these notorious individuals pose on media consumers and interested parties, in line with theoretical assumptions posited by SCT.

The Child: Consumer or Consumed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G.

1973-01-01

Discussed disadvantages of efficiency approach to education. Distinguishes between the concepts of consuming and generating ideas, between a child's behavior and his experiences and between temporary excitement and sustained interest in regard to learning. (ST)

Consumer Skills Items. A Collection of Consumer Skills Items for State and Local Education Agencies to Draw upon in Custom-Building Their Own Consumer Skills Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.

This is a collection of consumer skills items for state and local education agencies to draw upon in composing consumer skills instruments. It provides items to assess seventeen-year-olds' consumer skills. The booklet contains items classified under eight major topics: behavior, contracts, economics, energy, finances, mathematics, projection, and…

Economic hardship and suicide mortality in Finland, 1875-2010.

PubMed

Korhonen, Marko; Puhakka, Mikko; Viren, Matti

2016-03-01

We investigate the determinants of suicide in Finland using annual data for consumption and suicides from 1860 to 2010. Instead of using some ad hoc measures of cyclical movements of the economy, we build our analysis on a more solid economic theory. A key feature is the habit persistence in preferences, which provides a way to measure individual well-being and predict suicide. We estimate time series of habit levels and develop an indicator (the hardship index) to describe the economic hardship of consumers. The higher the level of the index, the worse off consumers are. As a rational response to such a bad situation, some consumers might commit suicide. We employ the autoregressive distributed lags cointegration method and find that our index works well in explaining the long-term behavior of people committing suicide in Finland.

75 FR 56998 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-17

... its expert judgment about consumer behavior, perceptions, and similar information related to consumer... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2010-0046] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Consumer Focus Groups...

78 FR 49480 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

... behavior among a broad range of consumers with differing needs. Reaching all target audiences requires... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2013-0020] Agency Information Collection... Survey AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety...

Explaining Counterfeit Alcohol Purchases in Russia.

PubMed

Kotelnikova, Zoya

2017-04-01

Alcohol is a common target of counterfeiting in Russia. Counterfeit alcohol is defined here as the manufacture, distribution, unauthorized placement (forgery) of protected commodity trademarks, and infringement of the exclusive rights of the registered trademark holders of alcoholic beverages. It is often argued that the expansion of the counterfeit product market is due to the steady demand of economically disadvantaged people for low-priced goods. The situation becomes more complicated once deceptive and nondeceptive forms of counterfeiting are taken into account. This study aimed to identify markers of risky behavior associated with the purchase of counterfeit alcohol in Russia. The analysis relied on consumer self-reports of alcohol use and purchase collected nationwide by the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS-HSE) in 2012 to 2014. I used a generalized linear mixed-model logistic regression to identify predictors of risky behavior by consumers who purchased counterfeit alcohol, either knowingly or unknowingly, during the 30 days preceding the survey. Purchases of counterfeit alcohol declined slightly from 2012 to 2014, mainly due to a decrease in consumers mistakenly purchasing counterfeit products. Predictors of counterfeit alcohol purchases differed between consumers who knowingly and unknowingly purchased counterfeit products. Nondeceptive purchase of counterfeit alcohol was related primarily to an indifference to alcohol brands. Consumers with social networks that include drinkers of nonbeverage alcohol and producers of homemade alcohol were highly likely to consume counterfeit alcohol deliberately. Problem drinking was significantly associated with a higher risk of both deceptive and nondeceptive purchases of counterfeit alcohol. Poverty largely contributed to nondeceptive counterfeiting. The literature has overestimated the impact of low prices on counterfeit alcohol consumption. Problem drinking and membership in social networks of consumers of surrogate alcohol (i.e., nonbeverage) are more influential in explaining why people purchase counterfeit alcohol. Further research on these 2 factors is needed to more fully understand the purchase and consumption of counterfeit alcoholic beverages. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Consumer Behavior Classroom Exercises that Really Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmel, Allan J.

1999-01-01

Describes five in-class exercises for use in consumer behavior classes that encourage student involvement in group and class discussions, promote student interest in course material, and stimulate critical thinking. Explains that the exercises can be adapted for other related courses and are equally successful with students of varying abilities.…

Evaluation of the Service Review Model with Performance Scorecards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szabo, Thomas G.; Williams, W. Larry; Rafacz, Sharlet D.; Newsome, William; Lydon, Christina A.

2012-01-01

The current study combined a management technique termed "Service Review" with performance scorecards to enhance staff and consumer behavior in a human service setting consisting of 11 supervisors and 56 front-line staff working with 9 adult consumers with challenging behaviors. Results of our intervention showed that service review and…

Three Essays Identifying Consumer Behavior by Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmgren, Mark Andrew

2010-01-01

This dissertation examines consumer behavior in different markets. Six different types of Utah snow skiers, namely, half day, local, multiday, college and K-12 students, and season ticket holders, are analyzed in the first paper to determine their demand response to changes in prices, income, weather, transportation costs, and particular days. A…

Culture and Consumer Behavior: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Cultural Factors

PubMed Central

Shavitt, Sharon; Cho, Hyewon

2016-01-01

We examine the influence of culture on consumer behavior with a particular focus on horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism. Cultures vary in their propensity to emphasize hierarchy, a distinction captured by examining horizontal/vertical cultural orientations or contexts. These cultural factors pattern personal values and goals, power concepts, and normative expectations applied to the exercise of power. We review implications for how consumers respond to brands in the marketplace, service providers, and each others' needs. PMID:28083559

Culture and Consumer Behavior: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Cultural Factors.

PubMed

Shavitt, Sharon; Cho, Hyewon

2016-04-01

We examine the influence of culture on consumer behavior with a particular focus on horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism. Cultures vary in their propensity to emphasize hierarchy, a distinction captured by examining horizontal/vertical cultural orientations or contexts. These cultural factors pattern personal values and goals, power concepts, and normative expectations applied to the exercise of power. We review implications for how consumers respond to brands in the marketplace, service providers, and each others' needs.

Beverage Intake, Smoking Behavior, and Alcohol Consumption in Contemporary China-A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey.

PubMed

Lee, Yen-Han; Wang, Zhi; Chiang, Timothy C; Liu, Ching-Ti

2017-05-07

Chinese residents enjoy various types of beverages in their daily life. With the rapid Westernization of contemporary China, several adverse health concerns-such as diabetes linked to sweetened beverages-have emerged. Until now, no research that examines associations between beverage consumption and smoking/drinking behaviors has been made available, despite the large Chinese populations partaking in such activities. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the association between beverage intake frequencies and smoking/drinking behaviors in 12,634 adult respondents who participated in the latest wave (2011) of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Further, we applied Tukey's Honest Significance test for pairwise comparisons. We defined the consumption categories as daily (at least one serving per day), weekly (less than one serving per day, at least one serving per week), monthly (less than one serving per week, at least one serving per month), and less than monthly or none-for sweetened beverage, water, tea, and coffee consumptions. The data showed that both tea and sweetened beverages are associated with smoking/drinking behaviors. Compared to respondents who consume tea and sweetened beverages daily, the odds of smoking behaviors are lower for those who consume such beverages less frequently. Further policy implications are discussed, including higher taxes on sweetened beverages and lessons from other countries.

Beverage Intake, Smoking Behavior, and Alcohol Consumption in Contemporary China—A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey

PubMed Central

Lee, Yen-Han; Wang, Zhi; Chiang, Timothy C.; Liu, Ching-Ti

2017-01-01

Chinese residents enjoy various types of beverages in their daily life. With the rapid Westernization of contemporary China, several adverse health concerns—such as diabetes linked to sweetened beverages—have emerged. Until now, no research that examines associations between beverage consumption and smoking/drinking behaviors has been made available, despite the large Chinese populations partaking in such activities. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the association between beverage intake frequencies and smoking/drinking behaviors in 12,634 adult respondents who participated in the latest wave (2011) of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Further, we applied Tukey’s Honest Significance test for pairwise comparisons. We defined the consumption categories as daily (at least one serving per day), weekly (less than one serving per day, at least one serving per week), monthly (less than one serving per week, at least one serving per month), and less than monthly or none—for sweetened beverage, water, tea, and coffee consumptions. The data showed that both tea and sweetened beverages are associated with smoking/drinking behaviors. Compared to respondents who consume tea and sweetened beverages daily, the odds of smoking behaviors are lower for those who consume such beverages less frequently. Further policy implications are discussed, including higher taxes on sweetened beverages and lessons from other countries. PMID:28481283

Characterization of Exercise and Alcohol Self-Management Behaviors of Type 1 Diabetes Patients on Insulin Pump Therapy.

PubMed

Grando, Maria Adela; Groat, Danielle; Soni, Hiral; Boyle, Mary; Bailey, Marilyn; Thompson, Bithika; Cook, Curtiss B

2017-03-01

There is a lack of systematic ways to analyze how diabetes patients use their insulin pumps to self-manage blood glucose to compensate for alcohol ingestion and exercise. The objective was to analyze "real-life" insulin dosing decisions occurring in conjunction with alcohol intake and exercise among patients using insulin pumps. We recruited adult type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients on insulin pump therapy. Participants were asked to maintain their daily routines, including those related to exercising and consuming alcohol, and keep a 30-day journal on exercise performed and alcohol consumed. Thirty days of insulin pump data were downloaded. Participants' actual insulin dosing behaviors were compared against their self-reported behaviors in the setting of exercise and alcohol. Nineteen T1D patients were recruited and over 4000 interactions with the insulin pump were analyzed. The analysis exposed variability in how subjects perceived the effects of exercise/alcohol on their blood glucose, inconsistencies between self-reported and observed behaviors, and higher rates of blood glucose control behaviors for exercise versus alcohol. Compensation techniques and perceptions on how exercise and alcohol affect their blood glucose levels vary between patients. Improved individualized educational techniques that take into consideration a patient's unique life style are needed to help patients effectively apply alcohol and exercise compensation techniques.

Three essays on the incentive structure of energy conservation programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okwelum, Edson Ogochukwu

This dissertation is comprised of three related essays examining the potential effectiveness of government energy efficiency programs from both the producer and consumer perspectives. The first chapter is based on a paper I coauthored with Corey Lang. In this manuscript, I address the question of whether strategic behavior by consumers could result in the erosion of energy savings in a demand response program. Understanding how the strategic behavior of consumers affects the net benefits from a demand response program has policy implications because of the increasing importance that demand response has come to play in utility load and reliability management during peak times. Using data from a large field experiment in California in 2007, we test the hypothesis that under a technology program, consumers' strategic behavior results in outcomes that are opposite what is obtainable under a program with price incentive or based of behavior. Chapter II is also an empirical study which explores how the preferences of consumers for large and heavy vehicles imposes costs on society in the form of external costs of accident. This chapter looks at how fleet changes in weight distribution due to corporate average fuel economy and consumer demand for heavier vehicles results in fatalities. It is important to understand how consumer behavior affects the accident rates so that one can obtain unbiased estimates of accident costs that go into benefit-cost analysis of the impact of regulations in automobiles. Chapter three addresses how unobserved heterogeneity and sorting affect the estimates of the consumer willingness to pay for reduction in future gasoline costs. This tradeoff is important to policy makers and manufactures because it could help explain why manufacturers fail to adopt technologies for which the fuel savings far outweigh the costs. The remainder of the abstract provides a more detailed outlines of the three essays. Chapter 1 explores strategic behavior by consumers in demand response programs. The chapter looks at how the confluences of consumer strategic behavior, technology and price incentives in demand response lead to conflicting outcomes. Demand response has become an important tool for utilities to manage load during peak periods. While the effects of demand response programs on peak load reductions are well studied and intuitive, assessments typically fail to recognize the potential for off-peak behavioral responses that may mitigate the total benefits of the program. Using smart meter consumption data on residential air conditioning units enrolled in a direct load control program, this paper examines changes in consumption prior to and after curtailment events. The manuscript rigorously estimates both peak and off peak changes in consumption to better understand net benefits of DR programs. We examine Pacific Gas and Electric's (PG&E) SmartAC program, which is designed to reduce peak cooling load by directly controlling air conditioning units of participants. Usually, program evaluation uses the availability of a control group to obtain unbiased estimates of program impacts. However, we do not have the luxury of a control group in our data. Instead we estimate unit-specific non-linear consumption models and then compare load on event days to predicted load. Importantly, we use data from the summer 2007 training period from a stratified random sample of 294 participating AC units. In contrast to subsequent summers and normal DR designs, during the training period curtailment days were called for many different temperature levels, not just the hottest days. This aspect means we are not predicting out of sample, and we can have greater confidence in our econometric evidence. Our methodology is validated by a falsification test in which we find no changes in consumption during peak or off-peak times on non-curtailment days that match the temperature and timing profile of actual curtailment days. Several key results emerge from this analysis. First, we confirm that the SmartAC program, like other DR and DLC programs, reduces peak load during event days. In this case, peak consumption was reduced 19% on average. However, we also find substantial increases in consumption in the hours preceding and the hours following an event by 8% and 7% respectively. Essentially, load is being displaced from peak to off-peak times. These behavioral changes mitigate the monetary benefits of the program by 41%. Chapter II addresses the question of how much accident risks would change if consumers who purchase larger, heavier vehicles of the existing fleet where to behave strategically given regulatory constraints imposed by corporate average fuel economy. The paper estimates both the risk of dying given a crash and the crash frequencies of different vehicles in the fleet. We use a unique data set that combines data from fatality analysis reporting system (FARS) and NASS General Estimates Systems. The estimation strategy used corrects for selection bias due to moral hazard problems. The two equations are estimated simultaneously using simulated maximum likelihood without the need for exclusion restrictions (Green 2003, 2007). This approach allows us to obtain estimates that are causal. One of the main issues that have been left unanswered in earlier works is the existence of Peltzman-type moral hazard problems and endogeneity of vehicle choice. In the presence of Peltzman-type moral hazard problems, drivers in heavier vehicles will find it advantageous to change their behavior in ways that have opposite effect to regulations. From a public policy perspective if increasing the weight of a vehicle increases the probability of its being involved in collisions, then we might be interested in more than the impact of heavier vehicles conditional on a crash occurring. We find that increasing the weight of any vehicle increases the probability of it being the heavier vehicle in a collision and the probability of it being involved in a fatal accident. The external costs translate to about 38 cents/gallon of gasoline. Chapter III explores how individual unobserved heterogeneity in tastes could lead to different customers sorting into different classes of fuel efficient vehicles and therefore affect estimates of consumer's ability to tradeoff vehicle costs and discounted future gasoline costs. The research question is important for several reasons. First, it is interesting from a theoretical basis if consumers make this trade off optimally. Many theoretical models in economics make the fundamental assumption that consumers equally weigh current and future events when making decisions today. However, plenty empirical and laboratory evidence conclude the contrary. Second, Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIA) of regulations on energy efficiency standards usually find that the benefits of these programs are in many times larger than the costs, with the fuel savings over the life of the vehicle accounting for the majority of the benefits. However, if fuel savings are large relative to costs, then the question is why are manufacturers not incorporating these technologies in their product offerings? Therefore understanding energy paradox is critical for evaluating the standards and regulations so that policy makers can identify baseline for assessment in cost-benefit analyses. In this paper, we contribute to the literature on Energy Paradox in Fuel Economy by providing empirical evidence that unobserved consumer heterogeneity could result in different consumers sorting into different classes of fuel efficient cars which results in consumers undervaluing fuel economy. Unlike existing literature in this topic, this paper accounts for sorting bias due unobserved heterogeneity by using a random coefficient logit with error components (Train and Winston 2007). We pair the random coefficient discrete choice model with a supply side model in which firms compete in Bertrand Nash fashion where price depends on elasticity of demand and marginal costs. With the random utility model, we can allow taste to vary across consumers. We treat the discounted operating costs and vehicle costs as random variables. We find that a substantial portion of upper the 95% of households in our sample correctly value fuel economy (61%) as they are willing to pay 0.99 to reduce obtain a 1.00 discounted future gasoline costs over the lifetime of the vehicle. And 29% of the upper 95% overvalue fuel economy as they are willing to pay $1.57. These results are in contrast to those reported elsewhere by Alcott and Wozny (2009) but support results from the simulation study by Bento et al 2012 who find that not accounting for sorting bias and consumer heterogeneity could lead to a conclusion that consumers undervalue fuel economy.

Association of sugary foods and drinks consumption with behavioral risk and oral health status of 12- and 15-year-old Indian school children.

PubMed

Asawa, Kailash; Sen, Nandini; Bhat, Nagesh; Tak, Mridula; Sultane, Pratibha; Patil, Vishal

2018-01-01

This study aims to assess the association of sugary foods and drinks consumption with behavioral risk and oral health status of 12- and 15-year-old government school children in Udaipur. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among of 12- and 15-year-old government schoolchildren of Udaipur. A survey pro forma designed based on HBSC (Health behaviour in School-aged Children) study protocol and WHO Oral Health Assessment Form for Children (2013) was used. Chi-Square test, Independent Sample t -test, and Multinomial Logistic Regression analysis were used with 95% confidence interval and 5% significance level. Out of 710 participants, 455 (64.1%) were males and 255 females (35.9%). Majority of 15 years age (57.3%) consumed more soft drinks than 12-year-old. Males showed a comparatively greater tendency to have sugar sweetened products than females. The decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) and DMFT scores were relatively higher for subjects who consumed sugary substances more than once/day than who had less than once/day. Gingivitis was associated with high sugar diet. Sugary foods and drinks consumption is significantly associated with behavioral habits of children and is a clear behavioral risk for oral health.

Knowledge, attitudes and behavioral intentions of agricultural professionals toward genetically modified (GM) foods: a case study in Southwest Iran.

PubMed

Ghasemi, Sedigheh; Karami, Ezatollah; Azadi, Hossein

2013-09-01

While there has been a number of consumers' studies looking at factors that influence individuals' attitudes and behavior toward GM foods, few studies have considered agricultural professionals' intentions in this regard. This study illuminates agricultural professionals' insights toward GM foods in Southwest Iran. A random sample of 262 respondents was studied. The results indicated that the majority of the respondents had little knowledge about GM foods. They perceived few benefits or risks of GM foods. Their perceived benefits and trust in individuals and institutions had positive impacts on the behavioral intentions of the agricultural professionals. The results also revealed that the low knowledge level of the respondents had a negative impact on the behavioral intentions toward GM foods. This state of affairs is problematic, either GM foods have serious problems or the knowledge conveyed to the Iranian agricultural experts is inappropriate. We recommend a well defined communication strategy to provide information in such a way that allows individuals to feel adequately informed about GM foods. Furthermore, the development of trust and knowledge regarding GM foods can be greater when risk analysis frameworks are transparent, risk assessment methodologies are objective, all stakeholders are engaged in the risk management process, and risk communication focuses on consumers.

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Attitudes: An Exploration of a Landscape of Choices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClaren, Mersiha Spahic

This study explored energy-related attitudes and energy-saving behaviors that are no- or low-cost and relatively simple to perform. This study relied on two data sources: a longitudinal but cross-sectional survey of 4,102 U.S. residents (five biennial waves of this survey were conducted from 2002 to 2010) and a 2010 cross-sectional survey of 2,000 California residents. These two surveys contained data on two no- and low-cost behaviors: changing thermostat setting to save energy (no-cost behavior) and CFL installation behavior (low-cost behavior). In terms of attitudes, two attitudinal measures emerged from these data following a Cronbach's alpha and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): the pro-environmental attitude and concern for the energy use in the U.S. society. These two attitudes, along with other socio-demographic and external factors (home ownership, weather, price of energy, etc.), were examined to assess whether attitude-behavior relationships persisted over time, were more prominent across certain groups, or were constrained by income or other socio-demographic factors. Three theoretical viewpoints of how attitudes may relate to behavior guided the analysis on how attitudes and contextual factors may inter-relate either directly or through a moderator variable to affect thermostat-setting and CFL installation behavior. Results from these analyses revealed four important patterns. First, a relationship between the pro-environmental attitude and the two behaviors (thermostat-setting and CFL installation behavior) was weak but persistent across time. Second, financial factors such as income moderated the pro-environmental attitude and CFL installation relationship, indicating that the pro-environmental attitude could influence the behavior in those situations where financial resources are sufficient to comfortably allow the consumer to participate. Third, this study documented that most people reported changing thermostat settings to save energy or having one or more CFLs in their homes. This finding suggests that organizations, policy makers, or energy efficiency program administrators may want to assess whether they should pursue these two behaviors further, since they appear to be very common in the U.S. population. Last, this study showed that thermostat-setting and CFL installation behavior have multi-factorial influences; many factors in addition to attitudes were significantly associated with these behaviors, and all these factors together explained no more than 16% of behavioral variance. This suggested that if energy-saving behaviors are a function of many different variables, of which none appear to be the "silver bullet" in explaining the behaviors (as noted in this study), then policy analysis should explore a broader number of causal pathways and entertain a wider range of interventions to influence consumers to save energy.

Determinants of consumer behavior related to organic foods.

PubMed

Shepherd, Richard; Magnusson, Maria; Sjödén, Per-Olow

2005-06-01

There have been many studies of what influences consumers in their decisions to purchase or consume organic foods, mainly concerned with fresh organic foods. These show a discrepancy between attitudes and behavior with people being positive about organic foods but often not purchasing them. This discrepancy seems to be explained by the fact that consumers do not consider "organically produced" to be an important purchase criterion, that organic foods are not perceived to surpass conventional foods regarding taste and shelf life (two qualities rated to be of great importance), and because of the perceived premium prices of organic foods. In two Swedish studies, health benefits were demonstrated to be more strongly related to attitudes and behavior toward organic foods than were perceived environmental benefits. A new European Union (EU) project will investigate the influences on both fresh and processed organic foods and investigate the role of moral, ethical, and affective influences on choice across eight EU countries.

Enhancing Links between Research and Practice to Improve Consumer Financial Education and Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensley, Billy J.

2015-01-01

A recent meta-analysis of the effect of financial literacy and financial education on downstream financial behaviors has shown a weak collective impact of the work of financial education. While the findings are not stellar, they do not support a dismantling of financial education programs and funding. This paper examines the findings of the…

The study of direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs.

PubMed

Schommer, Jon C; Hansen, Richard A

2005-06-01

The objectives of this article are to (1) identify key methodological issues related to investigating the effects of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) for prescription drugs, (2) highlight opportunities and challenges that these issues pose, and (3) provide suggestions to address these challenges and opportunities from a social and administrative pharmacy perspective. Through a review of existing literature and consultation with research colleagues, we identified 3 broad issues regarding the study of DTCA for prescription drugs: (1) the importance of problem formulation, (2) the role of health behavior and decision-making perspectives, and (3) data collection and data analysis challenges and opportunities. Based upon our findings, we developed recommendations for future research in this area. Clear problem formulation will be instructive for prioritizing research needs and for determining the role that health behavior and decision-making perspectives can serve in DTCA research. In addition, it appears that cluster bias, nonlinear relationships, mediating/moderating effects, time effects, acquiescent response, and case mix are particularly salient challenges for the DTCA research domain. We suggest that problem formulation, selection of sound theories upon which to base research, and data collection and data analysis challenges are key methodological issues related to investigating the effects of DTCA for prescription drugs.

Innovation diffusion on time-varying activity driven networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, Alessandro; Porfiri, Maurizio

2016-01-01

Since its introduction in the 1960s, the theory of innovation diffusion has contributed to the advancement of several research fields, such as marketing management and consumer behavior. The 1969 seminal paper by Bass [F.M. Bass, Manag. Sci. 15, 215 (1969)] introduced a model of product growth for consumer durables, which has been extensively used to predict innovation diffusion across a range of applications. Here, we propose a novel approach to study innovation diffusion, where interactions among individuals are mediated by the dynamics of a time-varying network. Our approach is based on the Bass' model, and overcomes key limitations of previous studies, which assumed timescale separation between the individual dynamics and the evolution of the connectivity patterns. Thus, we do not hypothesize homogeneous mixing among individuals or the existence of a fixed interaction network. We formulate our approach in the framework of activity driven networks to enable the analysis of the concurrent evolution of the interaction and individual dynamics. Numerical simulations offer a systematic analysis of the model behavior and highlight the role of individual activity on market penetration when targeted advertisement campaigns are designed, or a competition between two different products takes place.

The Development of a Distributive Interactive Computing Model in Consumer Economics, Utilizing Jerome S. Bruner's Theory of Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, James L.

A computerized delivery system in consumer economics developed at the University of Delaware uses the PLATO system to provide a basis for analyzing consumer behavior in the marketplace. The 16 sequential lessons, part of the Consumer in the Marketplace Series (CMS), demonstrate consumer economic theory in layman's terms and are structured to focus…

Consumer motivations toward buying local rice: The case of northern Iranian consumers.

PubMed

Rahnama, Hassan

2017-07-01

This research had two purposes. The first aim was to identify Iranian and Non-Iranian rice consumers based on demographic characteristics and examine difference of these features with buying behaviors. The second purpose of study was to investigate consumer's motivation to buy local rice in Iran. The sample were 1500 people (men and women). The data was collected by using questionnaire based on a face-to-face survey. Chi-square, confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple linear regression were applied to assess collected data by a questionnaire survey. Regarding Iranian local rice buyers, 884 people buy local rice. Chi-square test showed that there is a significant difference between gender, having children, and marital status in buying local rice. Habitual Iranian local rice buyers include: female (51%), people who are more than 45 years old (51%), people with children (63%), people who are living urban (61%), married people (48%) and individuals that their monthly income is between 321.5 and 625 Dollars (53%). Regarding non-Iranian rice buyers, 616 people buy it. Also there is a significant difference between gender, location, marital status, and income in buying local rice. For considering consumers motivation toward buying local rice the econometrical model is used. Model had three aspects including; quality aspects (taste, good appearance), economic aspects (price, convenience, consumer's ethnocentrism), and safety aspects (health, not using pesticides and environment protection) and seven subset. The results of analysis indicated that quality aspects, economic aspects and safety aspects have positive effects on buying Iranian local rice. Also, indicative variables including; taste, good appearance, price, convenience, consumer's ethnocentrism, health, not using pesticides and environment have significant effects on buying it. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eating green. Consumers' willingness to adopt ecological food consumption behaviors.

PubMed

Tobler, Christina; Visschers, Vivianne H M; Siegrist, Michael

2011-12-01

Food consumption is associated with various environmental impacts, and consumers' food choices therefore represent important environmental decisions. In a large-scale survey, we examined consumers' beliefs about ecological food consumption and their willingness to adopt such behaviors. Additionally, we investigated in more detail how different motives and food-related attitudes influenced consumers' willingness to reduce meat consumption and to buy seasonal fruits and vegetables. We found consumers believed avoiding excessive packaging had the strongest impact on the environment, whereas they rated purchasing organic food and reducing meat consumption as least environmentally beneficial. Similarly, respondents appeared to be most unwilling to reduce meat consumption and purchase organic food. Taste and environmental motives influenced consumers' willingness to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, whereas preparedness to reduce meat consumption was influenced by health and ethical motives. Women and respondents who preferred natural foods were more willing to adopt ecological food consumption patterns. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of consumer motives on search behavior using internet advertising.

PubMed

Yang, Kenneth C C

2004-08-01

Past studies on uses and gratifications theory suggested that consumer motives affect how they will use media and media contents. Recent advertising research has extended the theory to study the use of Internet advertising. The current study explores the effects of consumer motives on their search behavior using Internet advertising. The study employed a 2 by 2 between-subjects factorial experiment design. A total of 120 subjects were assigned to an experiment condition that contains an Internet advertisement varying by advertising appeals (i.e., rational vs. emotional) and product involvement levels (high vs. low). Consumer search behavior (measured by the depth, breadth, total amount of search), demographics, and motives were collected by post-experiment questionnaires. Because all three dependent variables measuring search behavior were conceptually related to each other, MANCOVA procedures were employed to examine the moderating effects of consumer motives on the dependent variables in four product involvement-advertising appeal conditions. Results indicated that main effects for product involvements and advertising appeals were statistically significant. Univariate ANOVA also showed that advertising appeals and product involvement levels influenced the total amount of search. Three-way interactions among advertising appeals, product involvement levels, and information motive were also statistically significant. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Understanding Consumer Interaction on Instagram: The Role of Satisfaction, Hedonism, and Content Characteristics.

PubMed

Casaló, Luis V; Flavián, Carlos; Ibáñez-Sánchez, Sergio

2017-06-01

The increasing relevance of Instagram and its growing adoption among top brands suggest an effort to better understand consumers' behaviors within this context. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of perceived hedonism and satisfaction in determining consumers' intentions to interact and their actual interaction behaviors (the number of likes, by tapping a heart icon, and comments) in a brand's official Instagram account. Also, we investigate the effect of consumer perceptions about the characteristics of the content generated in the account (perceived originality, quantity, and quality) on their perceived hedonism and satisfaction. Data were collected in two stages from 808 members of a fashion brand's official Instagram account. First, participants answered an online questionnaire to evaluate their perceptions, satisfaction, and interaction intentions. Second, 1 month later, we measure the number of likes and comments done by each participant in the brand's official Instagram account during that month. Using partial least squares to analyze the data, perceived hedonism is found to affect both satisfaction and the intention to interact in Instagram, which in turn influences actual behavior. Besides, perceived originality is the most relevant content characteristic to develop perceived hedonism. These findings offer managers a general vision of consumers' behaviors on Instagram, highlighting the importance of hedonism to create a satisfactory experience.

The Impact of Smoking Bans on Smoking and Consumer Behavior: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Switzerland.

PubMed

Boes, Stefan; Marti, Joachim; Maclean, Johanna Catherine

2015-11-01

In this paper, we exploit the progressive implementation of smoking bans in public venues at the state level in Switzerland to evaluate both the direct effects on smoking and the potential unintended consequences of these legislations on consumer behaviors as measured by visiting restaurants/bars and discos ('going out'). Our results indicate that public venue smoking bans in Switzerland reduce smoking rates, but the findings do not emerge until 1 year following the ban. This pattern of results is consistent with delays in ban enforcement on the part of business owners, difficulties in changing addictive behaviors such as smoking, and/or learning on the part of smokers. We find evidence that smoking bans influence going-out behavior and there is substantial heterogeneity across venue and consumer characteristics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Consumer responses to advertising on the Internet: the effect of individual difference on ambivalence and avoidance.

PubMed

Jin, Chang Hyun; Villegas, Jorge

2007-04-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the effect that individual characteristics have on consumer advertising processing under high- and low-interactivity circumstances on the Web. Tests on the relationship between individual differences and advertising responses form the basis of this empirical study on the Web. The results indicated that consumers have a higher tendency to avoid or experience ambivalence about Internet advertisements under low-interactivity circumstances, and attitudinal ambivalence lead to avoidance when responding to advertisements on the Internet. Personality variables are the main factors in consumer decision-making behaviors and Internet characteristics, such as levels of interactivity, can greatly influence the effectiveness of advertising in online environments. Advertising credibility could influence people's consumer attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors over time on the Web.

Strategies to Increase Behavior-Specific Teacher Praise in an Inclusive Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musti-Rao, Shobana; Haydon, Todd

2011-01-01

Managing students' disruptive behavior in the classroom can be a time-consuming task and greatly reduces the amount of time teachers spend on instruction. Although there are several research-validated classroom management strategies, teachers are more likely to adopt strategies that are less time-consuming than strategies that take more time or…

Consumer Health Information Behavior in Public Libraries: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yi, Yong Jeong

2012-01-01

Previous studies indicated inadequate health literacy of American adults as one of the biggest challenges for consumer health information services provided in public libraries. Little attention, however, has been paid to public users' health literacy and health information behaviors. In order to bridge the research gap, the study aims to…

Blueberry supplementation attenuates microglia activation and increases neuroplasticity in mice consuming a high fat diet

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objectives: Consuming a high-fat diet (HFD) may result in behavioral deficits similar to those observed in aging animals. Blueberries may prevent and even reverse age-related alterations in neurochemistry and behavior. It was previously demonstrated that middle-aged mice fed HFD had impaired memory;...

Learning Why We Buy: An Experiential Project for the Consumer Behavior Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Felicia N.; McCabe, Deborah Brown

2012-01-01

Marketing educators have long recognized the value of engendering students' deep learning of course content via experiential pedagogies. In this article, the authors describe a semester-long, team-based retail audit project that is structured to elicit active student engagement with consumer behavior course material via concrete, hands-on,…

Consumer choice: Linking consumer intentions to actual purchase of GM labeled food products.

PubMed

Sleenhoff, Susanne; Osseweijer, Patricia

2013-01-01

With a mandatory labeling scheme for GM food in Europe since 2004 measuring actual consumer choice in practice has become possible. Anticipating Europeans negative attitude toward GM food, the labeling was enforced to allow consumers to make an informed choice. We studied consumers actual purchase behavior of GM food products and compared this with their attitude and behavioral intention for buying GM food. We found that despite a majority of consumers voicing a negative attitude toward GM food over 50% of our European respondents stated that they did not actively avoid the purchase of GM food and 6% actually purchased one of the few available GM labeled food products in the period between September 2006 and October 2007. Our results imply that a voiced negative attitude of consumers in responses to questionnaires about their intentions is not a reliable guide for what they actually do in supermarkets. We conclude that the assumption of a negative attitude with regard to GM food is at least in part construed.

Identifying the Intersection of Alcohol, Adherence and Sex in HIV Positive Men on ART Treatment in India Using an Adapted Timeline Followback Procedure.

PubMed

Schensul, Jean J; Ha, Toan; Schensul, Stephen; Sarna, Avina; Bryant, Kendall

2017-11-01

People living with HIV (PLHIV) on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) who drink are less adherent and more likely to engage in unprotected sex but the connections among these events are correlational. Using an adapted Timeline Follow-Back (A-TLFB) procedure, this paper examines the day by day interface of alcohol, medication adherence and sex to provide a fine grained understanding of how multiple behavioral risks coincide in time and space, explores concordance/discordance of measures with survey data and identifies potential recall bias. Data are drawn from a survey of behavior, knowledge and attitudes, and a 30 day TLFB assessment of multiple risk behaviors adapted for the Indian PLHIV context, administered to 940 alcohol-consuming, HIV positive men on ART at the baseline evaluation stage of a multilevel, multi-centric intervention study. On days participants drank they were significantly more likely to be medication non-adherent and to have unprotected sex. In the first day after their alcohol consuming day, the pattern of nonadherence persisted. Binge and regular drinking days were associated with nonadherence but only binge drinking co-occurred with unprotected sex. Asking about specific "drinking days" improved recall for drinking days and number of drinks consumed. Recall declined for both drinking days and nonadherence from the first week to subsequent weeks but varied randomly for sex risk. There was high concordance and low discordance between A-TLFB drinking and nonadherence but these results were reversed for unprotected sex. Moving beyond simple drinking-adherence correlational analysis, the A-TLFB offers improved recall probes and provides researchers and interventionists with the opportunity to identify types of risky days and tailor behavioral modification to reduce alcohol consumption, nonadherence and risky sex on those days.

The Relationship Between Caffeine, Sleep, and Behavior in Children.

PubMed

Watson, Emily J; Banks, Siobhan; Coates, Alison M; Kohler, Mark J

2017-04-15

To examine caffeine consumption from various dietary sources in a cohort of Australian children and the relationship between caffeine consumption, sleep, and daytime behavior. Children aged 8 to 12 years and their parents/guardians completed a battery of questionnaires. Children completed a caffeine questionnaire while parents completed questionnaires regarding demographics, sleep, and behavior. The final sample consisted of 309 children (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 10.6 ± 1.3 years, male = 48%) and corresponding parent reports. On average a mean ± SD 10.2 ± 17.4 mg/day of caffeine was consumed with a range of zero to 151 mg/day. Of the children who consumed caffeine (87% of the sample), the largest contributor was coffee and tea; making up 41% of total caffeine intake, and sodas (soft drinks) contributed to 40% of caffeine intake. Total caffeine consumption was significantly associated with sleep routine ( r = 0.152); morning tiredness ( r = 0.129); restless sleep ( r = 0.113); and internalizing behavioral problems ( r = 0.128). Using path analysis, caffeine consumption was positively associated with morning tiredness (β = 0.111, P = .050) which was positively associated with internalizing behaviors (β = 0.432, P < .001). The addition of sleep routine and restless sleep to the model led to a complete mediation of caffeine consumption on morning tiredness, as well as a partial mediation of the association between morning tiredness and internal behaviors. In 8- to 12-year-olds the primary sources of caffeine are coffee/tea and sodas. Overall mean caffeine consumption is small by adult standards but has an effect on behavior and sleep in children. The effect on behavior is mediated by disrupted sleep, indicating that caffeine is a contributor to sleep problems and related behavior in children. © 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Analysis of consumer behavior in decision making of purchasing ornamental freshwater fish (case of study at ornamental freshwater fish market at Peta Street, Bandung)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumilar, I.; Rizal, A.; Sriati; Setiawan Putra, R.

2018-04-01

This research aim was to analyzed process of decision making of purchasing ornamental freshwater fish at Peta Street, Bandung City and Analyzed what factors are driving consumers to buy freshwater fish Peta Street. The method used in this research is case study with rating scale and rank spearman analysis. The sampling technique is the accidental random sampling method consist of 30 respondents. The consumer’s decision making process consist of five stages, namely the recognition of needs, information searching, alternative evaluation, process of purchasing, and the evaluation of results. The results showed that at the stage of recognition of needs the motivation of purchasing freshwater fish because respondents are very fond of ornamental freshwater fish, at the stage of information search, the information sources are from the print media and friends or neighborhood. At the stage of alternative evaluation, the reason consumers buy ornamental freshwater fish because the quality of good products. The stage of purchasing decision process consumers bought 1-5 fish with frequency of purchase 1 time per month. The evaluation of results of post-purchasing consumers feel very satisfied with the fish products and the price is very affordable. To observe the factors that influence purchasing motivation of consumers, spearman rank test is the method. The results showed that the quality and price of the product are the factors that most influence the purchase decision of ornamental freshwater fish with the range of student-t value 3,968 and 2,107.

Demographic Predictors of Event-Level Associations between Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Behavior.

PubMed

Wells, Brooke E; Rendina, H Jonathon; Kelly, Brian C; Golub, Sarit A; Parsons, Jeffrey T

2016-02-01

Alcohol consumption is associated with sexual behavior and outcomes, though research indicates a variety of moderating factors, including demographic characteristics. To better target interventions aimed at alcohol-related sexual risk behavior, our analyses simultaneously examine demographic predictors of both day- and event-level associations between alcohol consumption and sexual behavior in a sample of young adults (N = 301) who are sexually active and consume alcohol. Young adults (aged 18-29) recruited using time-space sampling and incentivized snowball sampling completed a survey and a timeline follow-back calendar reporting alcohol consumption and sexual behavior in the past 30 days. On a given day, a greater number of drinks consumed was associated with higher likelihood of sex occurring, particularly for women and single participants. During a given sexual event, number of drinks consumed was not associated with condom use, nor did any demographic predictors predict that association. Findings highlight associations between alcohol and sexual behavior, though not between alcohol and sexual risk behavior, highlighting the need for additional research exploring the complex role of alcohol in sexual risk behavior and the need to develop prevention efforts to minimize the role of alcohol in the initiation of sexual encounters.

Analyzing consumers' reactions to news coverage of the 2011 Escherichia coli O104:H4 outbreak, using the Extended Parallel Processing Model.

PubMed

De Vocht, Melanie; Cauberghe, Verolien; Sas, Benedikt; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2013-03-01

This article describes and analyzes Flemish consumers' real-life reactions after reading online newspaper articles related to the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O104:H4 outbreak associated with fresh produce in May and June 2011 in Germany. Using the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) as the theoretical framework, the present study explored the impact of Flemish (Belgian) online news coverage on consumers' perception of the risk induced by the EHEC outbreak and their behavioral intentions as consumers of fresh produce. After the consumers read a newspaper article related to the outbreak, EPPM concepts were measured, namely, perceived severity, susceptibility, self-efficacy, and affective response, combined with behavioral intentions to eat less fresh produce, to rinse fresh produce better, and to alert loved ones concerning the risk. The consumers' reactions were measured by inserting a link to an online survey below every online newspaper article on the EHEC outbreak that appeared in two substantial Flemish newspapers. The reactions of 6,312 respondents were collected within 9 days for 17 different online newspaper articles. Looking at the perceived values of the EPPM concepts, the perceived severity and the perceived susceptibility of the risk were, as expected, high. However, the consumers thought they could prevent the risk from happening, which stresses the importance of increasing consumers' knowledge of emerging food safety risks. Furthermore, analyses showed the moderating role of government trust and its influence on the way consumers perceived the risk, how worried they were, and their behavioral intentions.

Public reporting in health care: how do consumers use quality-of-care information? A systematic review.

PubMed

Faber, Marjan; Bosch, Marije; Wollersheim, Hub; Leatherman, Sheila; Grol, Richard

2009-01-01

One of the underlying goals of public reporting is to encourage the consumer to select health care providers or health plans that offer comparatively better quality-of-care. To review the weight consumers give to quality-of-care information in the process of choice, to summarize the effect of presentation formats, and to examine the impact of quality information on consumers' choice behavior. The evidence is organized in a theoretical consumer choice model. English language literature was searched in PubMed, the Cochrane Clinical Trial, and the EPOC Databases (January 1990-January 2008). Study selection was limited to randomized controlled trails, controlled before-after trials or interrupted time series. Included interventions focused on choice behavior of consumers in health care settings. Outcome measures referred to one of the steps in a consumer choice model. The quality of the study design was rated, and studies with low quality ratings were excluded. All 14 included studies examine quality information, usually CAHPS, with respect to its impact on the consumer's choice of health plans. Easy-to-read presentation formats and explanatory messages improve knowledge about and attitude towards the use of quality information; however, the weight given to quality information depends on other features, including free provider choice and costs. In real-world settings, having seen quality information is a strong determinant for choosing higher quality-rated health plans. This review contributes to an understanding of consumer choice behavior in health care settings. The small number of included studies limits the strength of our conclusions.

The influence of religiosity on violent behavior of adolescents: a comparison of Christian and Muslim religiosity.

PubMed

Baier, Dirk

2014-01-01

Different criminological theories assume that religiosity protects against violent behavior. Up to now, this assumption is tested empirically almost exclusively for the Christian religiosity. The study presented here questions whether such a relationship between religiosity and violent behavior could be found for Muslims, likewise. Using a German-wide representative school survey of 16,545 male students in the ninth grade, who belong either to a Christian or an Islamic denomination, it can be revealed that only for Christians a higher religiosity correlates with a lower rate of violent behavior. This influence of Christian religiosity can be explained by mainly control theory variables. For Muslims, there is no significant correlation between religiosity and violent behavior in a bivariate analysis. A multivariate analysis, however, reveals a suppression effect: Controlling for alcohol consumption, Muslim religiosity increases violent behavior. In addition, high religious Muslims agree more often to norms of masculinity and consume more often media violence, which are risk factors of violent behavior. Accordingly, it can be concluded that religiosity is not a violence-protecting factor in general; instead, a more differentiated view for separate religious groups is necessary.

Smoking cessation and the Internet: a qualitative method examining online consumer behavior.

PubMed

Frisby, Genevieve; Bessell, Tracey L; Borland, Ron; Anderson, Jeremy N

2002-01-01

Smoking is a major preventable cause of disease and disability around the world. Smoking cessation support-including information, discussion groups, cognitive behavioral treatment, and self-help materials-can be delivered via the Internet. There is limited information about the reasons and methods consumers access smoking cessation information on the Internet. This study aims to determine the feasibility of a method to examine the online behavior of consumers seeking smoking cessation resources. In particular, we sought to identify the reasons and methods consumers use to access and assess the quality of these resources. Thirteen participants were recruited via the state-based Quit smoking cessation campaign, operated by the Victorian Cancer Council, in December 2001. Online behavior was evaluated using semi-structured interviews and Internet simulations where participants sought smoking cessation information and addressed set-case scenarios. Online interaction was tracked through pervasive logging with specialist software. Thirteen semi-structured interviews and 4 Internet simulations were conducted in January 2002. Participants sought online smoking cessation resources for reasons of convenience, timeliness, and anonymity-and because their current information needs were unmet. They employed simple search strategies and could not always find information in an efficient manner. Participants employed several different strategies to assess the quality of online health resources. Consumer online behavior can be studied using a combination of survey, observation, and online surveillance. However, further qualitative and observational research is required to harness the full potential of the Internet to deliver public health resources.

Consumer Poultry Handling Behavior in the Grocery Store and In-Home Storage.

PubMed

Donelan, Amy K; Chambers, Delores H; Chambers, Edgar; Godwin, Sandria L; Cates, Sheryl C

2016-04-01

Considerable work on consumers' food safety habits has highlighted issues associated with home food preparation. However, consumer handling of foods, such as poultry, during shopping and storage has not been noted. The objective of this study was to determine consumer behaviors during purchasing and initial storage of raw poultry to determine potential cross-contamination issues. A shop-along observational study was conducted to determine actual shopping, transportation, and storage behavior of consumers who purchase raw poultry products. Neither hand sanitizer nor wipes were observed in 71% of grocery store meat sections of stores visited. Plastic bags could be found in the meat section 85% of the time, but only 25% of shoppers used the bag for their raw poultry purchases. During checkout, the poultry was bagged separately from other products 71% of the time. A majority of shoppers stored raw poultry in the original package without an additional container or overwrap. Overall, there needs to be an increase in food safety education on the handling of poultry during purchasing, transportation, and storage.

Identification of unique food handling practices that could represent food safety risks for minority consumers.

PubMed

Henley, Shauna C; Stein, Susan E; Quinlan, Jennifer J

2012-11-01

Foodborne illness caused by Salmonella and Campylobacter is a concern for consumers, and there is evidence that minority racial-ethnic populations experience greater rates of illness because of these pathogens. The limited body of research concerning food safety knowledge and practices among minority consumers has focused more on general food safety knowledge than on culturally specific food handling practices. The purpose of the research reported here was to explore food handling behaviors of minority racial-ethnic consumers through in-depth discussions in focus group settings. In this way, we hoped to identify potential unique, previously unidentified food handling practices among these consumers. Nine focus groups were held in Philadelphia, PA. Three focus groups were conducted with African American consumers, three with Hispanic consumers, and three with Asian consumers. In all, 56 consumers participated. Data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for unique and potentially unsafe food handling behaviors. Potentially unsafe food handling practices identified among all three groups included extended time to transport food from retail to home and washing of raw poultry. Culturally unique behaviors within groups included (i) using hot water (Asian, Hispanic) or acidic solutions (African American, Hispanic) to clean raw poultry, (ii) purchasing live poultry (Asian, Hispanic), (iii) cooking poultry overnight (African American), and (iv) preparing bite-size pieces of meat prior to cooking (Asian, Hispanic). To have focus groups include a limited number of participants and nonrandom sampling means that these themes and trends cannot be extrapolated to represent food mishandling among these populations in general. Results presented here allow modification of an existing food safety survey to identify the prevalence of these food handling practices among consumers of different demographics.

Consumer and family experiences in the emergency department following a suicide attempt.

PubMed

Cerel, Julie; Currier, Glenn W; Conwell, Yeates

2006-11-01

To understand the separate experiences of consumers (patients) and family members in the Emergency Department (ED) following a suicide attempt. Separate anonymous surveys were created for two groups: 1) consumers (n = 465) who had made a suicide attempt and been to the ED, and 2) others (referred to here as family members; n = 254) who had a close friend or relative treated in an ED due to suicidal behavior. Surveys were available on the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website (www.nami.org) for 2 months. Almost half of consumers were accompanied by a family member to the ED following their suicide attempt. Over half of consumers and family members felt that staff treated them with respect and addressed ethnic and cultural issues appropriately. However, fewer than 40% of consumers felt that staff listened to them, described the nature of treatments to them, or took their injury seriously. Family members were more likely than consumers to feel heard or to receive information about treatment. More than half of consumers and almost a third of family members felt directly punished or stigmatized by staff. Consumers and family members also reported negative experiences involving a perception of unprofessional staff behavior, feeling the suicide attempt was not taken seriously, and long wait times. Individuals who visited the NAMI website reported a range of negative experiences in EDs following visits for suicide attempts. The effects of these experiences on retention in care and subsequent self-injurious behavior are largely unexplored. A greater understanding of these effects may inform development of interventions to increase the satisfaction of consumers and their families and friends and improve outcomes that result from emergency care of suicidal patients and their families.

Alcohol operant self-administration: Investigating how alcohol-seeking behaviors predict drinking in mice using two operant approaches

PubMed Central

Blegen, Mariah B.; Silva, Daniel da Silva E; Bock, Roland; Morisot, Nadege; Ron, Dorit; Alvarez, Veronica A.

2018-01-01

Alcohol operant self-administration paradigms are critical tools for studying the neural circuits implicated in both alcohol-seeking and consummatory behaviors and for understanding the neural basis underlying alcohol-use disorders. In this study, we investigate the predictive value of two operant models of oral alcohol self-administration in mice, one in which alcohol is delivered into a cup following nose-poke responses with no accurate measurement of consumed alcohol solution, and another paradigm that provides access to alcohol via a sipper tube following lever presses and where lick rate and consumed alcohol volume can be measured. The goal was to identify a paradigm where operant behaviors such as lever presses and nose pokes, as well as other tracked behavior such as licks and head entries, can be used to reliably predict blood alcohol concentration (BAC). All mice were first exposed to alcohol in the home cage using the “drinking in the dark” (DID) procedure for 3 weeks and then were trained in alcohol self-administration using either of the operant paradigms for several weeks. Even without sucrose fading or food pre-training, mice acquired alcohol self-administration with both paradigms. However, neither lever press nor nose-poke rates were good predictors of alcohol intake or BAC. Only the lick rate and consumed alcohol were consistently and significantly correlated with BAC. Using this paradigm that accurately measures alcohol intake, unsupervised cluster analysis revealed three groups of mice: high-drinking (43%), low-drinking (37%), and non-drinking mice (20%). High-drinking mice showed faster acquisition of operant responding and achieved higher BACs than low-drinking mice. Lick rate and volume consumed varied with the alcohol concentration made available only for high- and low-drinking mice, but not for non-drinking mice. In addition, high- and low-drinking mice showed similar patterns during extinction and significant cue-induced reinstatement of seeking. Only high-drinking mice showed insensitivity to quinine adulteration, indicating a willingness to drink alcohol despite pairing with aversive stimuli. Thus, this study shows that relying on active presses is not an accurate determination of drinking behavior in mice. Only paradigms that allow for accurate measurements of consumed alcohol and/or lick rate are valid models of operant alcohol self-administration, where compulsive-like drinking could be accurately determined based on changes in alcohol intake when paired with bitter-tasting stimuli. PMID:29310048

Shopping [for] Power: How Adult Literacy Learners Negotiate the Marketplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozanne, Julie L.; Adkins, Natalie Ross; Sandlin, Jennifer A.

2005-01-01

Little empirical evidence exists on how adult literacy learners act as consumers. Yet, adult literacy programs often employ a "functional" approach to consumer education and assume that adult learners are deficient in consumer skills. Data from a qualitative study of the consumer behaviors of adult literacy learners are used to explore how adult…

Consumer Education for Today's Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickols, Sharon Y.; Powell, Claire L.

1979-01-01

A random survey of Oklahoma Four H Club members was made by Oklahoma State University to better understand the factors influencing adolescent consumer behavior. Based on this study, suggestions for improving extension consumer education through the Four H Clubs are made. (MF)

How Amount of Brand Advertising is Related to Consumer Buying Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haefner, James E.; And Others

1983-01-01

Finds that total brand advertising in 63 consumer product categories is positively and significantly related to the total number of brands in the category and to the average number of brands consumers usually buy. (FL)

High-risk cocktails and high-risk sex: examining the relation between alcohol mixed with energy drink consumption, sexual behavior, and drug use in college students.

PubMed

Snipes, Daniel J; Benotsch, Eric G

2013-01-01

Alcohol mixed with energy drink (AmED) consumption has garnered considerable attention in the literature in recent years. Drinking AmED beverages has been associated with a host of negative outcomes. The present study sought to examine associations between AmED consumption and high-risk sexual behaviors in a sample of young adults. Participants (N=704; 59.9% female) completed an online survey assessing AmED consumption, other drug use, and sexual behavior. A total of 19.4% of the entire sample (and 28.8% of those who reported using alcohol) reported consuming AmED. Participants who reported consuming AmED were significantly more likely to report marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy use. Those who reported consuming AmED also had increased odds of engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex, sex while under the influence of drugs, and sex after having too much to drink. Relationships between AmED consumption and sexual behavior remained significant after accounting for the influence of demographic factors and other substance use. Results add to the literature documenting negative consequences for AmED consumers, which may include alcohol dependence, binge drinking, and the potential for sexually transmitted infections via high-risk sexual behavior. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How consumers respond to the behavior of missing a free gift promotion: inaction inertia effect on products offered as free gifts.

PubMed

Liu, Tsung-Chi; Cheng, Ti; Ni, Feng-Yu

2011-01-01

Inaction inertia describes the phenomenon that an individual is unlikely to act on an attractive opportunity after having bypassed an even more attractive one. The results of two experiments indicate that after missing an initial opportunity to obtain a product as a free gift during a promotional period, the inaction inertia effect reduces the likelihood of consumers buying the product at a discounted price (second, inferior opportunity), particularly if the free gift has a high regular price. Additionally, according to the results of Experiment 2, those consumers are less likely to buy a product that has been offered previously as a free gift when a greater total quantity of the free gift is offered during a promotional period. Moreover, the mediation analysis results indicate that anticipated regret and valuation significantly impact the mediating role of inaction inertia.

The power of putting a label on it: green labels weigh heavier than contradicting product information for consumers' purchase decisions and post-purchase behavior.

PubMed

Hahnel, Ulf J J; Arnold, Oliver; Waschto, Michael; Korcaj, Liridon; Hillmann, Karen; Roser, Damaris; Spada, Hans

2015-01-01

Green products are appealing. Thus, labeling products as environmentally friendly is an effective strategy to increase sales. However, the labels often promise more than the products can actually deliver. In the present research, we examined the expectation that consumers with high ecological motivation have strong preferences for green-labeled products - even when presented product information contradicts the label's image. This unsettling hypothesis is grounded in the labels' potential to create a cognitive match between the labeled product and consumers' motives. For labels indicating environmental friendliness (green product labels), this link should be strongest when consumers' ecological motivation is high. Findings in a series of three experiments support our assumption, showing that consumers with high ecological motivation had strong preferences (i.e., product evaluations, purchase intentions, and simulated purchase decisions) for green-labeled products as compared to consumers with low ecological motivation (Studies 1-3). Crucially, these preferences were robust, despite contradicting environmental product information (Studies 1 and 2). We extended our findings by additionally examining the impact of product labels and motivation on moral self-regulation processes. This was established by assessing participants' pro-social behavior after the purchase task: participants with high ecological motivation acted, consistent with their motives, more pro-socially in post-decision occasions. In accordance with moral cleansing effects, pro-social behavior was intensified after purchasing conventional products (Studies 2 and 3). Green labels protected participants with high ecological motivation from moral threats due to the purchase, thus making pro-social behavior less likely. Findings suggest that highly ecologically motivated consumers are most susceptible to green labels, which may override detailed product information.

Effects of risk disclosure prominence in direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs: An integrative cognitive process model.

PubMed

Ju, Ilwoo; Park, Jin Seong

2018-01-01

The literature shows that the prominence of risk disclosure influences consumer responses to direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs. However, little is known about the psychological process whereby disclosure prominence exerts its influences on health beliefs and behavior. Based on a review of the literature on health cognition and behavior, the current study proposed and tested a model to show that risk disclosure prominence affects consumers' drug choice intention through the mediating roles of awareness of drug adverse reactions (ARs), perceived control over ARs, and perceived risk of ARs. The findings were discussed in terms of their theoretical and managerial implications.

Consumer Behavior and the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Purchase Decision Process: A Research Synthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, Margaret; Fujita, K. Sydney

This report synthesizes consumer behavior research as it pertains to the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) purchase decision process. The purpose is to clarify what is known about the vital role consumers play in the U.S. PEV market as it matures to become less policy-reliant and more representative of the U.S., both spatially and demographically. A more representative PEV market will: help OEMs recoup more of their R&D investments in PEVs; help American consumers access the economic and performance benefits of PEVs; and help the U.S. become more energy independent while improving air quality-related public health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Structuring Formal Control Systems Specifications for Reuse: Surviving Hardware Changes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Jeffrey M.; Heimdahl, Mats P. E.; Erickson, Debra M.

2000-01-01

Formal capture and analysis of the required behavior of control systems have many advantages. For instance, it encourages rigorous requirements analysis, the required behavior is unambiguously defined, and we can assure that various safety properties are satisfied. Formal modeling is, however, a costly and time consuming process and if one could reuse the formal models over a family of products, significant cost savings would be realized. In an ongoing project we are investigating how to structure state-based models to achieve a high level of reusability within product families. In this paper we discuss a high-level structure of requirements models that achieves reusability of the desired control behavior across varying hardware platforms in a product family. The structuring approach is demonstrated through a case study in the mobile robotics domain where the desired robot behavior is reused on two diverse platforms-one commercial mobile platform and one build in-house. We use our language RSML (-e) to capture the control behavior for reuse and our tool NIMBUS to demonstrate how the formal specification can be validated and used as a prototype on the two platforms.

Consumers’ various and surprising responses to direct-to-consumer advertisements in magazine print

PubMed Central

Arney, Jennifer; Street, Richard L; Naik, Aanand D

2013-01-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is ubiquitous in media outlets, but little is known about the ways in which consumers’ values, needs, beliefs, and biases influence the perceived meaning and value of DTCA. This article aims to identify the taxonomy of readership categories that reflect the complexity of how health care consumers interact with DTCA, with particular focus on individuals’ perceptions of print DTCA in popular magazines. Respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit 18 male and female magazine readers and 18 male and female prescription medication users aged 18–71 years. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with consumers about their attentiveness, motivations, perceived value, and behavioral responses to DTCA were conducted. The analyses were guided by principles of grounded theory analysis; four categories that vary in consumers’ attentiveness, motivations, perceived value, and behavioral responses to DTCA were identified. Two categories – the lay physician and the informed shopper – see value in information from DTCA and are likely to seek medical care based on the information. One category – the voyeur – reads DTCA, but is not likely to approach a clinician regarding advertised information. The fourth category – the evader – ignores DTCA and is not likely to approach a clinician with DTCA information. Responses to DTCA vary considerably among consumers, and physicians should view patients’ understanding and response to DTCA within the context of their health-related needs. Patients’ comments related to DTCA may be used as an opportunity to engage and understand patients’ perspectives about illness and medication use. Clinicians may use information about these categories to facilitate shared understanding and improve communication within the doctor–patient relationship. PMID:23378746

Thinking about thinking and feeling about feeling

PubMed Central

Moore, J.

2000-01-01

Traditional clinical psychology generally posits “mental” events that differ from “behavioral” events. Mental events are not publicly observable, take place in a different dimension from overt behavior, and are the topic of primary concern. For example, mental events are often taken to be causes of troublesome overt behavior. In addition, the mental events themselves may be regarded as troublesome, independent of their relation to any specific overt behavior. Therapy is usually aimed at fixing these troublesome mental events, under an assumption that improvement in the client's status will follow in due course. Behavior analysis has its own position on the relations among clinical matters, overt behavior, and such private events as thinking and feeling. In a behavior-analytic view, private events are behavioral phenomena rather than mental phenomena. They are not initiating causes of behavior; rather, they are themselves caused by antecedent conditions, but they may contribute to discriminative control over subsequent behavior, both verbal and nonverbal. Verbal processes are viewed as vitally important in understanding troublesome behavior. However, the circumstances that cause both the troublesome private events and the troublesome behavior in the first place still need to be addressed. Finally, clinical behavior analysis will need to market its insights into diagnosis and treatment very adroitly, because it rejects the mentalism upon which most traditional forms of therapy are predicated and the mentalism that most consumers expect to encounter. PMID:22478337

Future Challenges and Opportunities in Online Prescription Drug Promotion Research Comment on "Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters".

PubMed

Southwell, Brian G; Rupert, Douglas J

2016-01-16

Despite increased availability of online promotional tools for prescription drug marketers, evidence on online prescription drug promotion is far from settled or conclusive. We highlight ways in which online prescription drug promotion is similar to conventional broadcast and print advertising and ways in which it differs. We also highlight five key areas for future research: branded drug website influence on consumer knowledge and behavior, interactive features on branded drug websites, mobile viewing of branded websites and mobile advertisements, online promotion and non-US audiences, and social media and medication decisions. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Personality correlates of caffeine dependence: the role of sensation seeking, impulsivity, and risk taking.

PubMed

Jones, Heather A; Lejuez, C W

2005-08-01

The consumption of caffeine has become a growing concern, partially because of the withdrawal properties of the drug. The current study examined personality correlates of caffeine consumption and dependence in 60 university students. Self-report and behavioral measures of sensation seeking, impulsivity, and risk taking were administered to 2 groups, identified as caffeine dependent-high consuming or caffeine nondependent-low consuming. Scores on self-report measures of sensation seeking and impulsivity were related to group status, and only sensation seeking evidenced a significant relationship with group status when both variables were considered in a regression analysis. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).

Talking with consumers about energy reductions: recommendations from a motivational interviewing perspective

PubMed Central

Klonek, Florian E.; Kauffeld, Simone

2015-01-01

Reduction of energy costs has become a concern for many organizations. First, we review energy-saving studies in organizations in which consumers showed resistance to change their behavior. Second, we relate resistance to change to the psycholinguistic construct “sustain talk” that describes verbal arguments against behavior change (e.g., “Work processes have priority here”). Third, we argue how Motivational Interviewing (MI)—an interaction-approach to facilitate behavior change—might be helpful in dealing with this behavior. We transfer MI to interactions about energy-savings in organizations and demonstrate how qualification in MI for energy managers may affect these interactions. Therefore, we present three short case scenarios (i.e., video vignettes) that demonstrate socio-interactional mechanisms underlying energy-relevant decisions and behaviors. Consumer' verbal responses are graphed as one single time-variant index of readiness versus resistance (R-index) in order to illustrate interactional dynamics. In sum, we combine theoretical and empirical perspectives from multiple disciplines and discuss an innovative socio-interaction approach that may facilitate energy-efficient behavior in organizations. PMID:25821440

What Price Privacy? (and why identity theft is about neither identity nor theft)

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

justify. It might be pos- sible to collect data on occurrence of identity theft correlated with consumer behavior so that probabilities of at least...needs to learn from experience, so consumer behavior is likely to lag behind any current reality. So one answer is that the expected cost 6 of privacy

Studies in Environment--Volume IV: Consumption Differentials and the Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Mary Beth; And Others

In this study, a mathematical model is used to tie both direct and indirect industrial pollution generated by fluctuations of the entire economy to behavioral patterns of the consuming public. The model studies consumer behavior patterns from three viewpoints: income of family, age of head of family, and regional location of family within the…

The Affordability of MyPlate: An Analysis of SNAP Benefits and the Actual Cost of Eating According to the Dietary Guidelines.

PubMed

Mulik, Kranti; Haynes-Maslow, Lindsey

2017-09-01

To estimate the funds required to support a MyPlate diet and to estimate the additional costs needed for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to adhere to the MyPlate diet. Using the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) MyPlate dietary guidelines that specify recommendations for individuals based on age and gender and retail price data from the USDA, the cost of following USDA's MyPlate guidelines for consuming 3 meals daily was estimated for the following individuals: children, adolescents, female adults, male adults, female seniors, male seniors, and a 4-person family. Cost of consuming a MyPlate diet, including canned, frozen, and fresh produce as part of the diet. Descriptive analysis of the cost of consuming a MyPlate diet. Consuming a MyPlate diet consisting of only fresh fruits and vegetables is the most expensive diet. The monthly additional costs on an individual basis is the largest for boys aged 12-17 years ($75/mo) because they have the largest quantity of food consumed compared with all other gender and age groups. The monthly cost for a family of 4 ranged from $1,109 to $1,249/mo. The monetary amount of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits may be insufficient to support a healthy diet recommended by federal nutrition guidelines. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What Are the Main Drivers of Young Consumers Purchasing Traditional Food Products? European Field Research.

PubMed

Vlontzos, George; Kyrgiakos, Leonidas; Duquenne, Marie Noelle

2018-02-12

In this research, the attitude of European young adults (age 18 to 30 years) regarding their consumption of local and traditional products was examined. The survey was conducted on a sample of 836 consumers from seven European countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark and France). Data collection was made by distributing a developed questionnaire through social media and university mail services. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify consumer perception comparing the overall sample with two subsets (consumers from Eastern and Western European countries). Six major factors were revealed: consumer behavior, uncertainty about health issues, cost, influence of media and friends and availability in store. Young adults had a positive attitude to local and traditional food products, but they expressed insecurity about health issues. Cost factor had less of an influence on interviewees from Eastern European countries than those from the overall sample (3rd and 5th factor accordingly). Influence of close environment was a different factor in Eastern countries compared to Western ones, for which it was common to see an influence from media. Females and older people (25-30 years old) have fewer doubts about Traditional Food Products, while media have a high influence on consumers' decisions. The aim of this survey was to identify the consumer profiles of young adults and create different promotion strategies of local and traditional products among the two groups of countries.

[The Second Health Care Market: Market Mapping Based upon Consumer Perception].

PubMed

Teichert, T; Mühlbach, C

2018-03-01

The aim of the study was to present a picture of consumers' views on the specific market of health and health products, the second German health market. Market analysis of the product categories was carried out. A large-scale representative survey (N=1 033) determined with an innovative adaptation of the repertory grid method the consumer's perspective on the specific market. Basic questions concerning attitudes to health as well as healthy behaviors completed the telephone survey. In the saturated markets, market for health is growing, especially in the context of aging societies, and this is not limited to primary medical products. In this study, product categories such as "dental care", "fruit and vegetables" or "nuts" were classified as healthy products. The relevance of health also in the macroeconomic context has been long underestimated. Health has still a high priority for consumers. A disclosure of individual perceptions in the health context provides a significantly more relevant product design. The identification of healthy product dimensions from the consumer's perspective sheds light on the actually desired product properties and the available potential to meet these desires. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Organic food consumption in Taiwan: Motives, involvement, and purchase intention under the moderating role of uncertainty.

PubMed

Teng, Chih-Ching; Lu, Chi-Heng

2016-10-01

Despite the progressive development of the organic food sector in Taiwan, little is known about how consumers' consumption motives will influence organic food decision through various degrees of involvement and whether or not consumers with various degrees of uncertainty will vary in their intention to buy organic foods. The current study aims to examine the effect of consumption motives on behavioral intention related to organic food consumption under the mediating role of involvement as well as the moderating role of uncertainty. Research data were collected from organic food consumers in Taiwan via a questionnaire survey, eventually obtaining 457 valid questionnaires for analysis. This study tested the overall model fit and hypotheses through structural equation modeling method (SEM). The results show that consumer involvement significantly mediates the effects of health consciousness and ecological motives on organic food purchase intention, but not applied to food safety concern. Moreover, the moderating effect of uncertainty is statistical significance, indicating that the relationship between involvement and purchase intention becomes weaker in the condition of consumers with higher degree of uncertainty. Several implications and suggestions are also discussed for organic food providers and marketers. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Invasive plant species alters consumer behavior by providing refuge from predation.

PubMed

Dutra, Humberto P; Barnett, Kirk; Reinhardt, Jason R; Marquis, Robert J; Orrock, John L

2011-07-01

Understanding the effects of invasive plants on native consumers is important because consumer-mediated indirect effects have the potential to alter the dynamics of coexistence in native communities. Invasive plants may promote changes in consumer pressure due to changes in protective cover (i.e., the architectural complexity of the invaded habitat) and in food availability (i.e., subsidies of fruits and seeds). No experimental studies have evaluated the relative interplay of these two effects. In a factorial experiment, we manipulated cover and food provided by the invasive shrub Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) to evaluate whether this plant alters the foraging activity of native mammals. Using tracking plates to quantify mammalian foraging activity, we found that removal of honeysuckle cover, rather than changes in the fruit resources it provides, reduced the activity of important seed consumers, mice in the genus Peromyscus. Two mesopredators, Procyon lotor and Didelphis virginiana, were also affected. Moreover, we found rodents used L. maackii for cover only on cloudless nights, indicating that the effect of honeysuckle was weather-dependent. Our work provides experimental evidence that this invasive plant species changes habitat characteristics, and in so doing alters the behavior of small- and medium-sized mammals. Changes in seed predator behavior may lead to cascading effects on the seeds that mice consume.

Consumer and product-specific characteristics influencing the effect of nutrition, health and risk reduction claims on preferences and purchase behavior - A systematic review.

PubMed

Steinhauser, Johann; Hamm, Ulrich

2018-08-01

The research on nutrition, health, and risk reduction claims (NHR claims) shows a lack of consensus as to whether these claims have a positive or negative effect on consumer's preferences and purchase behavior. This issue has been highlighted by many authors. Therefore, a comprehensive literature review was performed to find reasons for contradictory results. First, a theoretical framework was developed which divided the determinants of the effects of NHR claims on consumers' preferences and purchase behavior into consumer and product-specific characteristics. Additionally, a categorization for the different NHR claim types was constructed to make the studies comparable. Afterwards, the scientific literature from the 1980s until May 2017 was scanned and 66 articles were found to be relevant. Consumer-specific characteristics such as nutrition knowledge, health motivation, familiarity, and socio-demographic characteristics were found to influence the NHR claim effect. Important product-specific characteristics were the perceived healthiness of the food product, the interaction between the product and the nutrient in the NHR claim, and the interaction between the claimed benefit and the NHR claim type. The consumer's nutrition knowledge and the product's perceived healthiness were deemed to be the most promising determinants for further investigation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Expectation Measure on the Sensory Acceptance of Petit Suisse Product.

PubMed

Teixeira Lopes, Maria Micheline; Passos Rodrigues, Maria do Carmo; Souza de Araújo, Ana Maria

2018-03-01

The consumer's expectation has an important role in the consumption of food products. It is one of the factors that influence the perception of sensory attributes and interact with the physiological, behavioral and cognitive factors influencing consumer decisions. The present study aimed to analyze the influence of consumer's expectations on the acceptance of Petit Suisse. Products of 4 different brands were used for the sensory analysis, 2 international brands and 2 regional ones. The 9-point regular hedonic scale was employed to carry out affective sensory and expectation measure tests (with and without product information). Concerning the present research, photos of the packaging of each product were printed in color and presented to the participants. These photos displayed the following pieces of information: the product brand, pictures, colors, product name, nutritional information and date of manufacture. International samples obtained higher grades when presented with their packaging, and obtained lower values both in the blind test and in the real expectation test evaluation. It can be concluded that the sensory analysis of the expectation measure showed that the brand influences the acceptance of the product, for the consumer's expectations for international brands had positively confirmed and disconfirmed acceptance. This study generated a significant contribution, especially for companies that aim for a wider market. The application of sensory analysis with a focus on expectation measure, it shows that the brand determines the purchase, based on the results of this study. Therefore, the product's visual identity must be invested in; it must arouse children and adults' attention. That is, it reinforces that the image of the product, the label and what it arouses in the consumers are extremely important for the final choice. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

An Investigation of Circumstances Affecting Consumer Behavioral Intentions to Use Telemedicine Technology: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutts, Haywood

2017-01-01

Concerns related to the protection of personal identification information, graphic user interface, patient privacy, and consumer acceptance, to name a few, have plagued the implementation of telemedicine. Advocates of telemedicine have gained the interests of consumers but failed to recognize the true nature of consumer attitudes towards the use…

78 FR 65629 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and Order Granting a Waiver to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-01

... representative of consumer behavior. For example, if the number of annual cycles results in greater than a 3-day... Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and Order Granting a Waiver to Whirlpool Corporation From... Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles, a program covering most major household...

Physicians' adoption of information technology: a consumer behavior approach.

PubMed

Eger, M S; Godkin, R L; Valentine, S R

2001-01-01

Studies report physician resistance to information technology in a time when the practice of medicine could benefit from technological support. Anecdotally, it is suspected that lack of training, discomfort with technological innovations, a perceived shift in the doctor/patient relationship, or medical/legal issues may account for this circumstance. Empirical studies attribute this lag to age, personality factors, behavioral issues, and occupational influences. This paper integrates the information technology and consumer behavior literatures to discuss physicians' acceptance, adoption, and application of IT.

Diet, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors as risk factors for childhood obesity: an urban and rural comparison.

PubMed

Liu, Ji-Hong; Jones, Sonya J; Sun, Han; Probst, Janice C; Merchant, Anwar T; Cavicchia, Philip

2012-10-01

The aim of this study was to examine the differences in diet, physical activity, and weight status among children living in rural and urban America and to study the roles of obesity-related behaviors in residence-based differences in childhood obesity. We performed cross-sectional analysis of the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, restricted to 14,332 children aged 2-19 years old (2771 rural, 13,766 urban). Residence was measured at the census tract level using Rural-Urban Commuting Areas. Age-specific questions were used to assess physical activity, and the 24-hour diet recall was used to measure dietary intake. Among 2- to 11-year-olds, rural children consumed 90 more kcal/day on average than urban children (p < 0.05) and were more likely to consume the recommended two to three cups of dairy per day (p < 0.05). More 2- to 11-year-old rural children also reported participating in exercise five or more times per week than urban children of the same age (79.7% vs. 73.8%). Among 12- to 19-year-olds, rural children were less likely to consume any fruit or meet the recommendation of two cups of fruit. Using measured height and weight data, proportionately more rural than urban children were overweight/obese (35.4% v. 29.3%) and obese (18.6% v. 15.1%). Rural children had 30% higher odds of being overweight and/or obese even after adjustment for sociodemographics, health, diet, and exercise behaviors. The persistently higher odds of overweight and obesity among rural children even after adjustment suggest that rural environments may be "obesogenic" in ways that a person-level analysis cannot discern. Future research should examine disparities in the accessibility and affordability of healthy food and beverage choices and safe physical activity locales in rural areas.

Analysis on factors affecting consumers decision on purchasing simple-type houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumintang, A.; Sholichin, I.

2018-01-01

In line with the increase of the population and the need of comfortable houses, as affected by modernization era, the house demand is getting higher. Hence, conducting a research on consumers need and want in buying a house should be seriously attempted to succeed marketing activity. Using an analysis consumers’ behavior, the researcher will know few affecting factors related to consumers’ satisfaction in buying a house. Among other, the factors in question include: house price, house condition, facilities, location and accessability. The sample of this research was drawn from the residents of Graha Asri Housing, Taman Bulang Permai, and Sukodono Permai. Based on the analysis and discussion, some conclusions are made as follow: the factors and variables affecting the consumers’ decision on each choice of house is different and also the same variables on three sources of data include housing atmosphere, cleaning service, ease of access to shopping center, health clinics or hospitals, tourism spot, schools, and the bus station.

Farmers behavior on using fertilizer in West Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdana, Tomy; Renaldy, Eddy; Utami, Hesty Nurul; Sadeli, Agriani Hermita; Mahra Arari, H.; Ginanjar, Tetep; Ajeng Sesy N., P.; Fernianda Rahayu, H.; Sanjaya, Sonny

2018-02-01

Fertilizer is one of the important materials in farming system to improve quality and quantity of harvest. Most of farmers in Indonesia using fertilizer, one of substantial fertilizer is NPK that contain of complex nutrient, there are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. There are tendency for farmers using NPK based on quality products and speed of decomposition. Nowadays, market size for NPK fertilizer has been dramatically increase and it will impact on intensify of fertilizer use. The potential requirement in marketing does not balanced with consumer behavior analysis. Meanwhile, agricultural sector (include horticulture, floriculture, bio-pharmacy and plantation) have been wieldly increase of the farming system annualy. This research is study case which is analyzed local NPK fertilizer competitive advantage compared to imported NPK fertilizer through consumer point of view towards product quality in four districts in West Java province, i.e., West Bandung, Garut, Bogor and Cianjur District with target respondents are farmers who use NPK fertilizer. NPK fertilizer qualities are based on product attributes, which are; availability, nutrient content, price, basic ingredients, form of fertilizer, speed of decomposition, label, color, type, design and size of packaging. It was analyzed using sematic differential attitude models and multi attribute attitude snake diagram model. The evaluation ranking of consumers interests towards fertilizer attribute characteristics showed that consumer intention before deciding to buy or use a NPK fertilizer will consider nutrient content, speed of decomposition, form of fertilizer and availability of products. Consumer's attitude towards all NPK fertilizer attribute quality illustrated that imported fertilizer is considered to be more positive than local fertilizer. Fertilizer companies or industries should be able to maintain their fertilizer production especially concerning nutrient content and availability of products through a better production which appropriate with consumer's needs. Nutrient contents, form and speed of decomposition of fertilizer should be adapted with current state of farming activities

Are we there yet? An examination of online tailored health communication.

PubMed

Suggs, L Suzanne; McIntyre, Chris

2009-04-01

Increasingly, the Internet is playing an important role in consumer health and patient-provider communication. Seventy-three percent of American adults are now online, and 79% have searched for health information on the Internet. This study provides a baseline understanding of the extent to which health consumers are able to find tailored communication online. It describes the current behavioral focus, the channels being used to deliver the tailored content, and the level of tailoring in online-tailored communication. A content analysis of 497 health Web sites found few examples of personalized, targeted, or tailored health sites freely available online. Tailored content was provided in 13 Web sites, although 15 collected individual data. More health risk assessment (HRA) sites included tailored feedback than other topics. The patterns that emerged from the analysis demonstrate that online health users can access a number of Web sites with communication tailored to their needs.

The influence of a consumer-wearable activity tracker on sedentary time and prolonged sedentary bouts: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sloan, Robert A; Kim, Youngdeok; Sahasranaman, Aarti; Müller-Riemenschneider, Falk; Biddle, Stuart J H; Finkelstein, Eric A

2018-03-22

A recent meta-analysis surmised pedometers were a useful panacea to independently reduce sedentary time (ST). To further test and expand on this deduction, we analyzed the ability of a consumer-wearable activity tracker to reduce ST and prolonged sedentary bouts (PSB). We originally conducted a 12-month randomized control trial where 800 employees from 13 organizations were assigned to control, activity tracker, or one of two activity tracker plus incentive groups designed to increase step count. The primary outcome was accelerometer measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. We conducted a secondary analysis on accelerometer measured daily ST and PSB bouts. A general linear mixed model was used to examine changes in ST and prolonged sedentary bouts, followed by between-group pairwise comparisons. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of changes in step counts with ST and PSB. The changes in ST and PSB were not statistically significant and not different between the groups (P < 0.05). Increases in step counts were concomitantly associated with decreases in ST and PSB, regardless of intervention (P < 0.05). Caution should be taken when considering consumer-wearable activity trackers as a means to reduce sedentary behavior. Trial registration NCT01855776 Registered: August 8, 2012.

Consumer satisfaction with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and its association with treatment outcome: a 3-4-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Solberg, Cathrine; Larsson, Bo; Jozefiak, Thomas

2015-04-01

Consumer satisfaction studies with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) have mainly assessed evaluations in a short-term follow-up perspective. Adolescent reports with CAMHS have not been included nationally. The purposes of this study were to explore adolescent and parental satisfaction with the CAMHS in a 3-4-year follow-up perspective, and to examine the relationships between reported consumer satisfaction and clinical parameters such as reason for adolescent referral, emotional/behavioral symptoms and treatment outcome. Of 190 adolescent-parent pairs in a sample of CAMHS outpatients, 120 completed a Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire. Parents assessed adolescent emotional/behavior problems both at baseline and at follow-up by completing the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Correlations were examined between adolescent and parental evaluations. The relationships between service satisfaction and symptom load at baseline and follow-up and treatment outcome at follow-up were explored. Overall, adolescents and parents were satisfied with the services received from the CAMHS. The correlations between adolescent and parent consumer satisfaction ratings were low to moderate. Consumer satisfaction was significantly and negatively correlated with symptom load on the CBCL Total Problems scores at baseline, but not at follow-up. There was no difference in satisfaction levels between those who improved after treatment and those who did not. Given the differences in informant ratings of consumer satisfaction, it is important to include both adolescent and parental perceptions in evaluations of CAMHS services and treatment outcomes. Consumer satisfaction should serve as a supplement to established standardized outcome measures.

The heritability and genetic correlates of mobile phone use: a twin study of consumer behavior.

PubMed

Miller, Geoffrey; Zhu, Gu; Wright, Margaret J; Hansell, Narelle K; Martin, Nicholas G

2012-02-01

There has been almost no overlap between behavior genetics and consumer behavior research, despite each field's importance in understanding society. In particular, both have neglected to study genetic influences on consumer adoption and usage of new technologies -- even technologies as important as the mobile phone, now used by 5.8 out of 7.0 billion people on earth. To start filling this gap, we analyzed self-reported mobile phone use, intelligence, and personality traits in two samples of Australian teenaged twins (mean ages 14.2 and 15.6 years), totaling 1,036 individuals. ACE modeling using Mx software showed substantial heritabilities for how often teens make voice calls (.60 and .34 in samples 1 and 2, respectively) and for how often they send text messages (.53 and. 50). Shared family environment - including neighborhood, social class, parental education, and parental income (i.e., the generosity of calling plans that parents can afford for their teens) -- had much weaker effects. Multivariate modeling based on cross-twin, cross-trait correlations showed negative genetic correlations between talking/texting frequency and intelligence (around -.17), and positive genetic correlations between talking/texting frequency and extraversion (about .20 to .40). Our results have implications for assessing the risks of mobile phone use such as radiofrequency field (RF) exposure and driving accidents, for studying adoption and use of other emerging technologies, for understanding the genetic architecture of the cognitive and personality traits that predict consumer behavior, and for challenging the common assumption that consumer behavior is shaped entirely by culture, media, and family environment.

Smoking Cessation and the Internet: A Qualitative Method Examining Online Consumer Behavior

PubMed Central

Frisby, Genevieve; Borland, Ron; Anderson, Jeremy N

2002-01-01

Background Smoking is a major preventable cause of disease and disability around the world. Smoking cessation support — including information, discussion groups, cognitive behavioral treatment, and self-help materials — can be delivered via the Internet. There is limited information about the reasons and methods consumers access smoking cessation information on the Internet. Objectives This study aims to determine the feasibility of a method to examine the online behavior of consumers seeking smoking cessation resources. In particular, we sought to identify the reasons and methods consumers use to access and assess the quality of these resources. Methods Thirteen participants were recruited via the state-based Quit® smoking cessation campaign, operated by the Victorian Cancer Council, in December 2001. Online behavior was evaluated using semi-structured interviews and Internet simulations where participants sought smoking cessation information and addressed set-case scenarios. Online interaction was tracked through pervasive logging with specialist software. Results Thirteen semi-structured interviews and 4 Internet simulations were conducted in January 2002. Participants sought online smoking cessation resources for reasons of convenience, timeliness, and anonymity — and because their current information needs were unmet. They employed simple search strategies and could not always find information in an efficient manner. Participants employed several different strategies to assess the quality of online health resources. Conclusions Consumer online behavior can be studied using a combination of survey, observation, and online surveillance. However, further qualitative and observational research is required to harness the full potential of the Internet to deliver public health resources. PMID:12554555

Self-Stigma and Consumer Participation in Shared Decision Making in Mental Health Services.

PubMed

Hamann, Johannes; Bühner, Markus; Rüsch, Nicolas

2017-08-01

People with mental illness struggle with symptoms and with public stigma. Some accept common prejudices and lose self-esteem, resulting in shame and self-stigma, which may affect their interactions with mental health professionals. This study explored whether self-stigma and shame are associated with consumers' preferences for participation in medical decision making and their behavior in psychiatric consultations. In a cross-sectional study conducted in Germany, 329 individuals with a diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder or an affective disorder and their psychiatrists provided sociodemographic and illness-related information. Self-stigma, shame, locus of control, and views about clinical decision making were assessed by self-report. Psychiatrists rated their impression of the decision-making behavior of consumers. Regression analyses and structural equation modeling were used to determine the association of self-stigma and shame with clinical decision making. Self-stigma was not related to consumers' participation preferences, but it was associated with some aspects of communicative behavior. Active and critical behavior (for example, expressing views, daring to challenge the doctor's opinion, and openly speaking out about disagreements with the doctor) was associated with less shame, less self-stigma, more self-responsibility, less attribution of external control to powerful others, and more years of education. Self-stigma and shame were associated with less participative and critical behavior, which probably leads to clinical encounters that involve less shared decision making and more paternalistic decision making. Paternalistic decision making may reinforce self-stigma and lead to poorer health outcomes. Therefore, interventions that reduce self-stigma and increase consumers' critical and participative communication may improve health outcomes.

Architectural innovation foresight of thermoelectric generator charger integrated portable power supply for portable consumer electronic device in metropolitan market: The case study of Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maolikul, S.; Kiatgamolchai, S.; Chavarnakul, T.

2012-06-01

In the context of information and communication technology (ICT) trend for worldwide individuals, social life becomes digital and portable consumer electronic devices (PCED) powered by conventional power supply from batteries have been evolving through miniaturization and various function integration. Thermoelectric generators (TEG) were hypothesized for its potential role of battery charger to serve the shining PCED market. Hence, this paper, mainly focusing at the metropolitan market in Thailand, aimed to conduct architectural innovation foresight and to develop scenarios on potential exploitation approach of PCED battery power supply with TEG charger converting power from ambient heat source adjacent to individual's daily life. After technical review and assessment for TEG potential and battery aspect, the business research was conducted to analyze PCED consumer behavior for their PCED utilization pattern, power supply lack problems, and encountering heat sources/sinks in 3 modes: daily life, work, and leisure hobbies. Based on the secondary data analysis from literature and National Statistical Office of Thailand, quantitative analysis was applied using the cluster probability sampling methodology, statistically, with the sample size of 400 at 0.05 level of significance. In addition, the qualitative analysis was conducted to emphasize the rationale of consumer's behavior using in-depth qualitative interview. Scenario planning technique was also used to generate technological and market trend foresight. Innovation field and potential scenario for matching technology with market was proposed in this paper. The ingredient for successful commercialization of battery power supply with TEG charger for PCED market consists of 5 factors as follows: (1) PCED characteristic, (2) potential ambient heat sources/sinks, (3) battery module, (4) power management module, and the final jigsaw (5) characteristic and adequate arrangement of TEG modules. The foresight outcome for the potential innovations represents a case study in the pilot commercialization of TEG technology for some interesting niche markets in metropolitan area of Thailand, and, thus, can be the clue for product development related to TEG for market-driven application in other similar requirement conditions and contexts as well.

Medical Drama Viewing and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors: Understanding the Role of Health Locus of Control Beliefs and Education Level.

PubMed

Kim, Sungsu; Baek, Young Min

2017-11-22

The present study advances the understanding of how medical drama viewing influences healthy lifestyle behaviors (e.g., smoking, exercising, and consuming vegetables) by examining the role of the health locus of control (HLOC) beliefs and education level. An analysis of nationally representative data reveals that watching medical dramas is positively associated with chance and powerful others' HLOC beliefs. In addition, healthy lifestyle behaviors are positively associated with the internal HLOC belief and are negatively associated with the chance and powerful others' HLOC beliefs. Research findings demonstrate that there are indirect effects of medical drama viewing on these behaviors via chance and powerful others' HLOC beliefs. The indirect effect through the powerful others' HLOC belief is also contingent on the education level. The implications for the role of HLOC beliefs and education level in terms of the effects of medical dramas on health-promoting behaviors are discussed.

Health Care and Family and Consumer Sciences Education: An Integrative Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Ruth; Rider, Mary Ellen

2001-01-01

Uses ecological systems theory as a foundation for integrating health care and its public policy issues into family and consumer sciences classrooms. Offers teachers alternative perspectives on consumer behavior changes and needs in heath care systems and policies. Contains 24 references. (JOW)

78 FR 20897 - Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-08

... developing an outreach and communications campaign designed to change consumer behavior. Since these systems... AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Office of Consumer Outreach...: Nisha Smalls, Office of Consumer Outreach, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, 1155 21st Street NW...

76 FR 41726 - Reporting Ancillary Airline Passenger Revenues

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-15

... mishandled bags per unit of checked bags. Fees for checked baggage have changed consumer behavior regarding... delivery services, et cetera. The Department wants to make airline pricing more transparent to consumers..., Commercial Aviation--Consumers Could Benefit from Better Information about Airline-Imposed Fees and...

Perceptions of Quality of Nursing Care: Patients and Registered Nurses in a Hospital Using 12-Hour Shifts.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

Kollat, D. T., & Blackwell, R. D. Consumer behavior . New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1968. Ganong, W. L., Ganong, J. M., & Harrison, E. T. The 12-hour...Administration, 1982, 12(1), 11-14. " . Walters, C. G., & Paul, G. W. Consumer behavior an integrated framework. Homewood, Ii.: Irwin, 1970. Wandelt, M. A

Drug use as consumer behavior.

PubMed

Foxall, Gordon Robert; Sigurdsson, Valdimar

2011-12-01

Seeking integration of drug consumption research by a theory of memory function and emphasizing drug consumption rather than addiction, Müller & Schumann (M&S) treat drug self-administration as part of a general pattern of consumption. This insight is located within a more comprehensive framework for understanding drug use as consumer behavior that explicates the reinforcement contingencies associated with modes of drug consumption.

How Fast Do Students Forget What They Learn in Consumer Behavior? A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bacon, Donald R.; Stewart, Kim A.

2006-01-01

The retention curve for knowledge acquired in a consumer behavior course is explored in a longitudinal study, tracking individual students from 8 to 101 weeks following course completion. Rasch measurement is used to link tests and to achieve intervally scaled measures of knowledge. The findings indicate that most of the knowledge gained in the…

Envisioning Agricultural Sustainability from Field to Plate: Comparing Producer and Consumer Attitudes and Practices toward "Environmentally Friendly" Food and Farming in Washington State, USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selfa, Theresa; Jussaume, Raymond A., Jr.; Winter, Michael

2008-01-01

A substantial body of sociological research has examined the relationship between farmers' environmental attitudes and their conservation behaviors, but little research has compared the attitudes of producers and consumers toward the environment with their behaviors or practices in support of sustainable agri-food systems. This paper addresses…

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Experiences from the Consumer Behavior Studies on Engaging Customers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cappers, Peter; Scheer, Richard

2014-09-01

One of the most important aspects for the successful implementation of customer-facing programs is to better understand how to engage and communicate with consumers. Customer-facing programs include time-based rates, information and feedback, load management, and energy efficiency. This report presents lessons learned by utilities through consumer behavior studies (CBS) conducted as part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) program. The SGIG CBS effort presents a unique opportunity to advance the understanding of consumer behaviors in terms of customer acceptance and retention, and electricity consumption and peak demand impacts. The effort includes eleven comprehensive studies withmore » the aim of evaluating the response of residential and small commercial customers to time-based rate programs implemented in conjunction with advanced metering infrastructure and customer systems such as in-home displays, programmable communicating thermostats, and web portals. DOE set guidelines and protocols that sought to help the utilities design studies that would rigorously test and more precisely estimate the impact of time-based rates on customers’ energy usage patterns, as well as identify the key drivers that motivate behavioral changes.« less

E-health: how to make the right choice.

PubMed

Perez, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

TOPIC. The online health promotion phenomenon is a pivotal movement toward consumer empowerment. The challenges for the 21st century are to create meaningful, accurate online health communication interventions that successfully change behavior and improve health. PURPOSE. The Internet is a valuable tool for health promotion, self-care tools, and decision aids components for a high-quality care. The nurse educator ensures e-health sites used meet the criteria for achieving optimal wellness for the consumer. SOURCES. Published literature. CONCLUSIONS. It is crucial for nurses to use reputable e-health sites for consumer engagement and education. Researchers and practitioners are exploring the phenomenon of e-health to gain a better understanding of how to engage these consumers in health behavioral change programs.

Policy-Relevant Behaviors Predict Heavier Drinking in Both On and Off Premises and Mediate the Relationship Between Heavier Alcohol Consumption and Age, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status-Analysis from the International Alcohol Control Study.

PubMed

Casswell, Sally; Huckle, Taisia; Wall, Martin; Parker, Karl

2016-02-01

Our goal was to investigate the role of behaviors amenable to policy change in mediating the relationship between alcohol consumption in off and on premises, age, and 2 measures of socioeconomic status (education and income). A cross-sectional general population survey was analyzed by using Bayesian path analysis to understand direct and mediating pathways. A total of 1,900 drinkers (past 6 months), aged 18 to 65 years, living in households with landline phones participated in the study. Measures were as follows: typical quantities of alcohol consumed per occasion, frequency of drinking, both off and on premise; gender, age groups; and years of education, personal income, prices paid, time of purchase, and liking for alcohol advertisements. Later times of purchase predicted larger quantities consumed (on and off premise) and more frequent drinking (on premise only). Younger people and males purchased later, and this mediated their heavier consumption. Lower prices paid predicted larger quantities consumed (on premise) and higher frequency of drinking (off premise). Younger and male respondents paid lower prices, and this mediated larger quantities consumed on premise and more frequent drinking off premise. Less well educated paid lower prices, and this mediated drinking more frequently off premise among this group. Liking for alcohol ads predicted drinking larger quantities and higher frequency both off and on premise. Younger and male respondents reported greater liking for ads, and this mediated their consumption of larger quantities and more frequent drinking both on and off premise. Those with higher income drank larger amounts on premise and more frequently on and off, but there were no mediating effects from the policy-relevant variables. Heavier drinking patterns by young people and those less well educated could be ameliorated by attention to alcohol policy. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Recording an Excel(®) Macro to Specify Date Ranges for Clinical Data.

PubMed

Deochand, Neil; Costello, Mack S; Fuqua, R Wayne

2016-09-01

The individuals served by behavior analysts are often funded by Medicaid, insurance companies, or private pay. The first two options usually require progress notes detailing graphically and quantitatively the behavioral outcomes. These progress notes usually come in the form of a written account of milestones achieved or barriers faced, graphical displays of behavioral data, and summary tables. The graphical displays are monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for the individuals that they serve. Microsoft Excel® is one of the most accessible tools by which to accomplish this task; however, presenting the required date ranges can be a time-consuming task. A task analysis is outlined to automate this process and reduce the time taken to accomplish indirect service hours to the clients served.

Consumer peach preferences and purchasing behavior: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Kelley, Kathleen M; Primrose, Rachel; Crassweller, Robert; Hayes, John E; Marini, Richard

2016-05-01

Peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Stokes) are grown in several regions throughout the USA, are eaten fresh, and used as ingredients in value-added processed products. An Internet survey was conducted to investigate Mid-Atlantic consumers' fresh and processed peach purchasing behaviors, and whether packaging certain numbers of peaches together, providing information about nutritional content, and other factors would increase purchases. Additionally, laboratory-based sensory testing was used to better understand peel color, texture, sweetness, sourness, and flavor preferences for cultivars commonly grown in the Mid-Atlantic region. Irrespective of fresh peach consumption frequency, certain value-added products were of interest. For some products, interest in purchasing was higher than reported purchasing behavior. Preference for certain fresh peach characteristics, such as peel color, differed between less frequent fresh peach consumers and those who consumed fresh peaches more often. Of the four peach cultivars included in the sensory test, most were liked; however, there were some cultivar differences pertaining to color, texture, sweetness, tartness, and flavor liking. Potential marketing strategies can be developed based on frequency of fresh peach consumption and household demographics. Data can be used to select peaches that best appeal to consumers. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Consumer Behavior Under Conflicting Information Provided by Interested Parties: Implications for Equilibrium in the Market for Credence Goods.

PubMed

Russo, Carlo; Tufi, Eleonora

2016-01-01

Incomplete information in food consumption is a relevant topic in agricultural economics. This paper proposes a theoretical model describing consumer behavior, market equilibrium and public intervention in an industry where consumers must rely on the information of interested parties such as producers or associations. We provide simple game theory model showing the link between price competition and the strategic use of information. If information are unverifiable (as in the case of credence attributes) firms may have no incentive to advertise true claims and consumer decisions may be biased. Our model incorporates the opportunistic behavior of self-interested information providers. The result is a model of competition in prices and information finding a potential for market failure and public intervention. In the paper we discuss the efficiency of three possible regulations: banning false claims, subsidizing advertising campaigns, and public statement if favor of true claims. In that context, some recent patents related to both the regulatory compliance in communication and to the reduction of asymmetric information between producers and consumers have been considered. Finally, we found that the efficiency of these policy tools is affected by the reputation of trustworthiness of the firms.

Stage of change of 6 health-related behaviors among patients with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Bawadi, Hiba Ahmad; Banks, Angela Denise; Ammari, Fawaz; Tayyem, Reema Fayez; Jebreen, Shatha

2012-12-01

Assessing patients' current stage of change toward 6 healthy behaviors related to diabetes control. Behaviors studied were smoking cessation (2) regular exercise; (3) consuming 5 servings or more of fruits and vegetables; (4) decreasing intake of refined sugar; (5) reducing saturated fat; and (6) self monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Stage of change (SOC) for several diabetes control-related behaviors was assessed for 737 patients with type 2 diabetes using a staging algorithm. Socio-demographic data were collected by a structured interview-based questionnaire. There was high degree of readiness toward consuming diets with less saturated fat and simple sugar. Very low degree of readiness was reported for self-monitoring of blood glucose on a regular bases and for practicing physical exercise. Half of the participants (50.9%) were in the precontemplation stage for consuming ≥5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Significant correlations were obtained between the degree of readiness for several behaviors (p<0.01). Age, gender, income and education were all related to the stage of change of the studied behaviors (p<0.01). Patients with diabetes in Jordan are still in the pre-action stages for practicing exercise, consuming 5 servings or more of fruit and vegetable, and self-monitoring of blood glucose. The current finding suggests a need for nutritional education and interventions to raise awareness of lifestyle factors influencing glycemic control among diabetics. Copyright © 2012 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A behavioral window on the mind of the market: an application of the response time paradigm.

PubMed

Mast, Fred W; Zaltman, Gerald

2005-11-15

This article focuses on the role of implicit knowledge consumers have about particular brands, products or names. The major findings of several studies, conducted at the Mind of the Market Laboratory at Harvard Business School, are presented with specific emphasis on studies in which response time measurements were the core method. The results revealed that implicit measures provide a rich understanding of the meaning conveyed by a product or brand. Moreover, there is also considerable evidence that implicit measures may be better than traditional explicit measures as predictors of consumer behavior. We discuss the implications for the study of consumer behavior and the importance of combining several methods including neuroimaging, which has received recent attention by marketers, economists and social scientists.

Consumers' health risk-benefit perception of seafood and attitude toward the marine environment: Insights from five European countries.

PubMed

Jacobs, Silke; Sioen, Isabelle; Pieniak, Zuzanna; De Henauw, Stefaan; Maulvault, Ana Luisa; Reuver, Marieke; Fait, Gabriella; Cano-Sancho, German; Verbeke, Wim

2015-11-01

This research classifies European consumers into segments based on their health risk-benefit perception related to seafood consumption. The profiling variables of these segments are seafood consumption frequency, general attitude toward consuming fish, confidence in control organizations, attitude toward the marine environment, environmental concern and socio-demographics. A web-based survey was performed in one western European country (Belgium), one northern European country (Ireland) and three southern European countries (Italy, Portugal and Spain), resulting in a total sample of 2824 participants. A cluster analysis was performed based on risk-benefit perception related to seafood and the profiles of the segments were determined by a robust 2-way ANOVA analysis accounting for country effects. Although this study confirms consumers' positive image of consuming seafood, gradients are found in health risk-benefit perception related to seafood consumption. Seafood consumption frequency is mainly determined by country-related traditions and habits related to seafood rather than by risk-benefit perceptions. Segments with a higher benefit perception, irrespective of their level of risk perception, show a more positive attitude toward consuming seafood and toward the marine environment; moreover, they report a higher concern about the marine environment and have a higher involvement with seafood and with the marine environment. Consequently, information campaigns concentrating on pro-environmental behavior are recommended to raise the involvement with seafood and the marine environment as this is associated with a higher environmental concern. This research underpins that in such information campaigns a nationally differentiated rather than a pan-European or international information strategy should be aimed for because of significant cultural differences between the identified segments. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Direct-to-consumer ads can influence behavior. Advertising increases consumer knowledge and prescription drug requests.

PubMed

Peyrot, M; Alperstein, N M; Van Doren, D; Poli, L G

1998-01-01

This study examines the impact of direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising on prescription drug knowledge and the requesting behavior of consumers. The authors developed and tested a conceptual model of prescription drug knowledge and requests. Consumers' belief that drug advertising can educate them was associated with a greater amount of drug knowledge, and the belief they would upset physicians by asking for specific drugs was associated with less knowledge. The belief that drug advertising reduces prices was associated with greater probability of drug requests, and the belief that physicians should be the sole source of drug information was associated with lesser probability of request. Preference for generic drugs was associated with a lesser likelihood of requesting a specific drug. Media exposure and drug advertising awareness were associated with higher drug knowledge and a greater probability of drug requesting.

Information search in health care decision-making: a study of word-of-mouth and internet information users.

PubMed

Snipes, Robin L; Ingram, Rhea; Jiang, Pingjun

2005-01-01

This paper investigates how individual consumers may differ in their information search behavior in health care decision-making. Results indicate that most consumers still use word-of-mouth as a primary information source for health care decisions. However, usage of the Internet is increasing. The results of this study indicate that consumers who are most likely to use the Internet for health care information are single, younger, and less educated, whereas consumers who are most likely to use word-of-mouth are middle-aged, married, with higher income and higher education. Surprisingly, no significant gender difference was found in information search behavior for health care decision-making. The results also suggest that consumers with the highest tendency to use word-of-mouth are also the lowest users of the Internet in health care decision-making. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Mere exposure and the endowment effect on consumer decision making.

PubMed

Tom, Gail; Nelson, Carolyn; Srzentic, Tamara; King, Ryan

2007-03-01

Previous researchers (e.g., J. A. Bargh, 1992, 2002) demonstrated the importance of nonconscious processes on consumer choice behavior. Using an advertisement, the authors determined the effect of two nonconscious processes--the mere exposure effect, which increases object preference by increasing consumer exposure to an object, and the endowment effect, which increases object valuation by providing consumer possession of an object--on consumer behavior. Although the mere exposure effect and endowment effect did not produce an interaction, they produced independent effects. The endowment effect increased object valuation but not object preference. The mere exposure effect increased object preference but not object valuation. Thus, at the unconscious level, an increase in object preference does not lead to an increase in object valuation, nor does an increase in object valuation lead to an increase in object preference. The authors discuss the importance of developing measures of unconscious process in advertising effectiveness.

Why do consumers respond to eco-labels? The case of Korea.

PubMed

Hwang, Jung-Ah; Park, Youkyoung; Kim, Yeonbae

2016-01-01

Although eco-labels were introduced with the intention of encouraging eco-friendly purchasing behavior by consumers, they have had little effect on consumers' purchasing decisions, and therefore a significant gap exists between eco-label awareness and actual purchasing behavior. The aim of this study was to analyze consumer preference, in terms of public and private values, for two types of Korean eco-label that have been administered by the Korean government since 1992. Analyses were based on a structural equation model, employing the theory of reasoned action. Data were collected by survey. The results indicate that although general consumers are highly aware of the publicly valuable information that eco-labels provide, privately valuable information exerts far greater power over their purchasing intentions. Therefore, a supplementary policy that converts public value to private value could promote the purchase of eco-labeled products.

Effects of price manipulations on consumer behavior in sheltered workshop token economy.

PubMed

Schroeder, S R; Barrera, F J

1976-09-01

The consumer behavior of institutionalized retarded clients in a sheltered workshop token economy were evaluated by changing prices in the workshop store. In the first experiment we found that clients displayed elasticity of demand in that raising the prices of frequently purchased goods reduced the frequency and amount spent on more expendable items. Results from the second experiment showed that this change in spending pattern was not due to the relative modal unit price of item classes. The regulation of demand for consumer goods is a potentially useful way to maintain economic balance and effectiveness of a token economy.

A Literature Review of Word of Mouth and Electronic Word of Mouth: Implications for Consumer Behavior.

PubMed

Huete-Alcocer, Nuria

2017-01-01

The rise and spread of the Internet has led to the emergence of a new form of word of mouth (WOM): electronic word of mouth (eWOM), considered one of the most influential informal media among consumers, businesses, and the population at large. Drawing on these ideas, this paper reviews the relevant literature, analyzing the impact of traditional WOM and eWOM in the field of consumer behavior and highlighting the main differences between the two types of recommendations, with a view to contributing to a better understanding of the potential of both.

A Literature Review of Word of Mouth and Electronic Word of Mouth: Implications for Consumer Behavior

PubMed Central

Huete-Alcocer, Nuria

2017-01-01

The rise and spread of the Internet has led to the emergence of a new form of word of mouth (WOM): electronic word of mouth (eWOM), considered one of the most influential informal media among consumers, businesses, and the population at large. Drawing on these ideas, this paper reviews the relevant literature, analyzing the impact of traditional WOM and eWOM in the field of consumer behavior and highlighting the main differences between the two types of recommendations, with a view to contributing to a better understanding of the potential of both. PMID:28790950

Electric Energy Management in the Smart Home: Perspectives on Enabling Technologies and Consumer Behavior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zipperer, Adam; Aloise-Young, Patricia A.; Suryanarayanan, Siddharth

2013-11-01

Smart homes hold the potential for increasing energy efficiency, decreasing costs of energy use, decreasing the carbon footprint by including renewable resources, and transforming the role of the occupant. At the crux of the smart home is an efficient electric energy management system that is enabled by emerging technologies in the electric grid and consumer electronics. This article presents a discussion of the state-of-the-art in electricity management in smart homes, the various enabling technologies that will accelerate this concept, and topics around consumer behavior with respect to energy usage.

Electric Energy Management in the Smart Home: Perspectives on Enabling Technologies and Consumer Behavior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zipperer, A.; Aloise-Young, P. A.; Suryanarayanan, S.

2013-08-01

Smart homes hold the potential for increasing energy efficiency, decreasing costs of energy use, decreasing the carbon footprint by including renewable resources, and trans-forming the role of the occupant. At the crux of the smart home is an efficient electric energy management system that is enabled by emerging technologies in the electricity grid and consumer electronics. This article presents a discussion of the state-of-the-art in electricity management in smart homes, the various enabling technologies that will accelerate this concept, and topics around consumer behavior with respect to energy usage.

Micro-foundations for macroeconomics: New set-up based on statistical physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Hiroshi

2016-12-01

Modern macroeconomics is built on "micro foundations." Namely, optimization of micro agent such as consumer and firm is explicitly analyzed in model. Toward this goal, standard model presumes "the representative" consumer/firm, and analyzes its behavior in detail. However, the macroeconomy consists of 107 consumers and 106 firms. For the purpose of analyzing such macro system, it is meaningless to pursue the micro behavior in detail. In this respect, there is no essential difference between economics and physics. The method of statistical physics can be usefully applied to the macroeconomy, and provides Keynesian economics with correct micro-foundations.

On the Concept of Culture Goods Sales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xiao-Rong

The article on the consumer psychology, consumer behavior, cultural concepts of the market so their products relating to the concept of corporate culture and business aspects of the image was further explained that the merchandise sold is a commercial act, a cultural transmission consumers to make consumption choices in the same time, he believed that the use of such products with their values and way of life is consistent, for the maintenance of their social status and self-recognition of the need for a sales role in the cultural concept of human group psychology, and affect people's consumption behavior.

A Methodology for Determining Consumer Attitudes and Behavior Air Force Appropriated Dinning

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

concerns and some 8 deal with consumer preferences . Though none of the information was used as such for the questionnaires developed for this study, they...D.C.: National Restaurant Association, Research and Information Service Department. National Restaurant Association. (1984). Consumer preferences for

Doctoral Education and Transformative Consumer Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mari, Carlo

2008-01-01

This article examines why and how transformative consumer research (TCR) can become a relevant perspective in doctoral programs. The article draws selectively from studies published in consumer behavior, marketing, and marketing education that theoretically or empirically address this topic. It discusses the meaning and background of TCR together…

78 FR 29731 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; CPSC National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-21

... communications efforts to achieve a greater impact on consumer behavior. The CPSC's activities aim to serve a... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2013-0020] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; CPSC National Awareness Survey AGENCY: Consumer Product...

Business district streetscapes, trees, and consumer response

Treesearch

Kathleen L. Wolf

2005-01-01

A multistudy research program has investigated how consumers respond to the urban forest in central business districts of cities of various sizes. Trees positively affect judgments of visual quality but, more significantly, may influence other consumer responses and behaviors. Survey respondents from all regions of the United States...

Sensory quality of fresh French and Dutch market tomatoes: a preference mapping study with Italian consumers.

PubMed

Sinesio, Fiorella; Cammareri, Maria; Moneta, Elisabetta; Navez, Brigitte; Peparaio, Marina; Causse, Mathilde; Grandillo, Silvana

2010-01-01

Sensory properties are important elements to evaluate the qualities of vegetable products and are also determinant factors in purchasing decision. Here we report the Italian results of a preference mapping study conducted within a larger European project with the aim of describing the preferences of European consumers in regard to the diversity of traditional and modern tomato varieties, available on the market. This study has allowed the assessment of fruit quality at 3 levels: objective description of sensory properties, consumer preference tests, and physicochemical measurements. A set of 16 tomato cultivars, with different fruit sizes and shapes, was described and classified according to 18 sensory attributes including flavor, appearance, and texture characteristics. The same cultivars were evaluated by 179 consumers in a "preference mapping" experiment with the goal of identifying the preferred varieties and the reasons for the choice. The consumer data are referred to hedonic ratings (aspect liking and overall liking), familiarity for the analyzed cultivars, and individual features collected by a questionnaire. A hierarchical analysis of the clusters allowed to distinguish, within the sampled Italian consumers, 4 segments with different preferences which represented 19%, 25%, 41%, and 15% of the population, respectively. A partial least square regression model allowed the identification of the sensory attributes that best described consumer cluster preferences for tomato cultivars. Both texture and flavor descriptors were important drivers of consumer preferences, but the relevance (predictive value) of individual descriptors to model tomato liking was different for each consumer segment. Information on demographic and behavioral characteristics, usage habits, and factors relevant for purchasing were also provided on the 4 groups of consumers.

Person-Organization Commitment: Bonds of Internal Consumer in the Context of Non-profit Organizations.

PubMed

Juaneda-Ayensa, Emma; Clavel San Emeterio, Mónica; González-Menorca, Carlos

2017-01-01

From an Organizational Behavior perspective, it is important to recognize the links generated between individuals and the organization that encourage a desire for permanence. After more than a half century of research, Organizational Commitment remains one of the open questions in the Psychology of Organizations. It is considered an essential factor for explaining individual behavior in the organization such as satisfaction, turnover intention, or loyalty. In this paper, we analyze different contributions regarding the nature of the bond between the individual and the organization. Taking into account the peculiarities of Non-profit Organizations, we present different interpretation for later validation, comparing results from the Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the four models obtained using exploratory factor analysis, both conducted on a sample of 235 members of Non-profit Organizations.

Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising and the public.

PubMed

Bell, R A; Kravitz, R L; Wilkes, M S

1999-11-01

Drug manufacturers are intensely promoting their products directly to consumers, but the impact has not been widely studied. Consumers' awareness and understanding of, attitudes toward, and susceptibility to direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising were examined. Random-digit dialing telephone survey with a random household member selection procedure (completion and response rates, 58% and 69%, respectively). Respondents were interviewed while they were at their residences. Complete data were obtained from 329 adults in Sacramento County, California. Outcome measures included awareness of advertisements for 10 selected drugs, misconceptions about DTC advertising, attitudes toward DTC ads, and behavioral responses to such promotions. The influence of demographic characteristics, health status, attitudes, beliefs, and media exposure on awareness and behaviors was examined. On average, respondents were aware of advertisements for 3.7 of the 10 drugs; awareness varied from 8% for Buspar (buspirone) to 72% for Claritin (loratadine). Awareness was associated with prescription drug use, media exposure, positive attitudes toward DTC advertising, poorer health, and insurance status. Substantial misconceptions were revealed; e.g., 43% thought that only "completely safe" drugs could be advertised. Direct-to-consumer advertisements had led one third of respondents to ask their physicians for drug information and one fifth to request a prescription. Direct-to-consumer advertisements are reaching the public, but selectively so, and affecting their behaviors. Implications for public policy are examined.

Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising and the Public

PubMed Central

Bell, Robert A; Kravitz, Richard L; Wilkes, Michael S

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE Drug manufacturers are intensely promoting their products directly to consumers, but the impact has not been widely studied. Consumers' awareness and understanding of, attitudes toward, and susceptibility to direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising were examined. DESIGN Random-digit dialing telephone survey with a random household member selection procedure (completion and response rates, 58% and 69%, respectively). SETTING Respondents were interviewed while they were at their residences. PARTICIPANTS Complete data were obtained from 329 adults in Sacramento County, California. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Outcome measures included awareness of advertisements for 10 selected drugs, misconceptions about DTC advertising, attitudes toward DTC ads, and behavioral responses to such promotions. The influence of demographic characteristics, health status, attitudes, beliefs, and media exposure on awareness and behaviors was examined. On average, respondents were aware of advertisements for 3.7 of the 10 drugs; awareness varied from 8% for Buspar (buspirone) to 72% for Claritin (loratadine). Awareness was associated with prescription drug use, media exposure, positive attitudes toward DTC advertising, poorer health, and insurance status. Substantial misconceptions were revealed; e.g., 43% thought that only “completely safe” drugs could be advertised. Direct-to-consumer advertisements had led one third of respondents to ask their physicians for drug information and one fifth to request a prescription. CONCLUSIONS Direct-to-consumer advertisements are reaching the public, but selectively so, and affecting their behaviors. Implications for public policy are examined. PMID:10571712

Need for Uniqueness Determines Reactions to Web-Based Personalized Advertising.

PubMed

Stiglbauer, Barbara; Kovacs, Carrie

2018-01-01

The presented empirical study among a sample of n = 256 participants addressed the relationship between consumers' need for uniqueness and their reactions to web-based personalized advertising. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, we argue that the consumers' need for uniqueness dimensions creative choice and similarity avoidance may relate to promotion and prevention regulatory orientations, respectively. Accordingly, we hypothesized that creative choice and similarity avoidance would differentially predict self-reported approach and avoidance behavior toward personalized advertising. These direct relationships were further expected to be mediated by subjective evaluations of personalized advertising (i.e., perceived value and irritation). In line with these hypotheses, we found that creative choice predicted approach behavior through increased web-based personalized advertising value, whereas similarity avoidance predicted avoidance behavior through increased irritation. Creative choice also predicted decreased irritation, which in turn was related to decreased approach behavior. In sum, the results suggest that the consumers' need for uniqueness dimensions should not be investigated as a composite, as they seem to reflect different regulatory orientations and are therefore likely to evoke different affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses.

Changing Patterns in Consumer Behavior Engendered by the Changing Status of Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Linda G.

A review of research suggests that female participation in the work force in the United States creates change in the socioeconomic status of women and thus in their consumer behavior. In 1950, 25 percent of married women were in the labor force; in 1975, 44 percent worked outside the home. The increasing number of married working women has led to…

Test of the Behavioral Perspective Model in the Context of an E-Mail Marketing Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sigurdsson, Valdimar; Menon, R. G. Vishnu; Sigurdarson, Johannes Pall; Kristjansson, Jon Skafti; Foxall, Gordon R.

2013-01-01

An e-mail marketing experiment based on the behavioral perspective model was conducted to investigate consumer choice. Conversion e-mails were sent to two groups from the same marketing database of registered consumers interested in children's books. The experiment was based on A-B-A-C-A and A-C-A-B-A withdrawal designs and consisted of sending B…

Incorporating social impact on new product adoption in choice modeing: A case study in green vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Lin; Wang, Mingxian; Chen, Wei

While discrete choice analysis is prevalent in capturing consumer preferences and describing their choice behaviors in product design, the traditional choice modeling approach assumes that each individual makes independent decisions, without considering the social impact. However, empirical studies show that choice is social - influenced by many factors beyond engineering performance of a product and consumer attributes. To alleviate this limitation, we propose a new choice modeling framework to capture the dynamic influence from social networks on consumer adoption of new products. By introducing social influence attributes into a choice utility function, social network simulation is integrated with the traditionalmore » discrete choice analysis in a three-stage process. Our study shows the need for considering social impact in forecasting new product adoption. Using hybrid electric vehicles as an example, our work illustrates the procedure of social network construction, social influence evaluation, and choice model estimation based on data from the National Household Travel Survey. Our study also demonstrates several interesting findings on the dynamic nature of new technology adoption and how social networks may influence hybrid electric vehicle adoption. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved« less

Accountability of FCS Education to a Sustainability Ethos: Focus on Sustainable Consumption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wuest, Beth; Hustvedt, Gwendolyn; Kang, Jiyun

2014-01-01

The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences' (AAFCS) brand, "creating healthy and sustainable families," implies accountability in promoting sustainable consumer behavior. This study compared students majoring in family and consumer sciences (FCS) and its specializations to those majoring in other fields on constructs of…

Consumer Understanding of Nutrition Marketing Terms: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haroldson, Amber; Yen, Chih-Lun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the validity of a questionnaire developed to assess adult consumer understanding of nutrition marketing terms and the resulting impact on consumer behavior. Participants (n = 40) completed an electronic questionnaire. Efforts to establish validity and reliability suggest that the questionnaire is a…

The Relationship Between Caffeine, Sleep, and Behavior in Children

PubMed Central

Watson, Emily J.; Banks, Siobhan; Coates, Alison M.; Kohler, Mark J.

2017-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine caffeine consumption from various dietary sources in a cohort of Australian children and the relationship between caffeine consumption, sleep, and daytime behavior. Methods: Children aged 8 to 12 years and their parents/guardians completed a battery of questionnaires. Children completed a caffeine questionnaire while parents completed questionnaires regarding demographics, sleep, and behavior. Results: The final sample consisted of 309 children (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 10.6 ± 1.3 years, male = 48%) and corresponding parent reports. On average a mean ± SD 10.2 ± 17.4 mg/day of caffeine was consumed with a range of zero to 151 mg/day. Of the children who consumed caffeine (87% of the sample), the largest contributor was coffee and tea; making up 41% of total caffeine intake, and sodas (soft drinks) contributed to 40% of caffeine intake. Total caffeine consumption was significantly associated with sleep routine (r = 0.152); morning tiredness (r = 0.129); restless sleep (r = 0.113); and internalizing behavioral problems (r = 0.128). Using path analysis, caffeine consumption was positively associated with morning tiredness (β = 0.111, P = .050) which was positively associated with internalizing behaviors (β = 0.432, P < .001). The addition of sleep routine and restless sleep to the model led to a complete mediation of caffeine consumption on morning tiredness, as well as a partial mediation of the association between morning tiredness and internal behaviors. Conclusions: In 8- to 12-year-olds the primary sources of caffeine are coffee/tea and sodas. Overall mean caffeine consumption is small by adult standards but has an effect on behavior and sleep in children. The effect on behavior is mediated by disrupted sleep, indicating that caffeine is a contributor to sleep problems and related behavior in children. Citation: Watson EJ, Banks S, Coates AM, Kohler MJ. The relationship between caffeine, sleep and behavior in children. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(4):533–543. PMID:28162144

[Consumer's psychological processes of hoarding and avoidant purchasing after the Tohoku earthquake].

PubMed

Ohtomo, Shoji; Hirose, Yukio

2014-02-01

This study examined psychological processes of consumers that had determined hoarding and avoidant purchasing behaviors after the Tohoku earthquake within a dual-process model. The model hypothesized that both intentional motivation based on reflective decision and reactive motivation based on non-reflective decision predicted the behaviors. This study assumed that attitude, subjective norm and descriptive norm in relation to hoarding and avoidant purchasing were determinants of motivations. Residents in the Tokyo metropolitan area (n = 667) completed internet longitudinal surveys at three times (April, June, and November, 2011). The results indicated that intentional and reactive motivation determined avoidant purchasing behaviors in June; only intentional motivation determined the behaviors in November. Attitude was a main determinant of the motivations each time. Moreover, previous behaviors predicted future behaviors. In conclusion, purchasing behaviors were intentional rather than reactive behaviors. Furthermore, attitude and previous behaviors were important determinants in the dual-process model. Attitude and behaviors formed in April continued to strengthen the subsequent decisions of purchasing behavior.

Reasoning or reacting to others? How consumers use the rationality of other consumers.

PubMed

Pelzmann, Linda; Hudnik, Urska; Miklautz, Michaela

2005-11-15

Consumers adapt their behavior to the structure of the information available in the environment where they form expectations. One factor in people's environments is other people. "Others" are a significant source of information and means of orientating oneself. In conditions such as uncertainty, insecurity, anxiety but also euphoria, it is "the others" who provide market participants with coordinates. The purpose of this paper is to pass forward an approach that relates to consumers' other-directedness and to demonstrate in what ways consumers use the rationality of other consumers.

Few differences in diet and health behaviors and perceptions were observed in adult urban Native American Indians by tribal association, gender, and age grouping.

PubMed

Carter, Tina L; Morse, Kristin L; Giraud, David W; Driskell, Judy A

2008-12-01

Diet and health behaviors and perceptions of adult urban Native American Indians in a large Midwestern city were evaluated for differences by tribal association, gender, and age grouping. The hypothesis was that human behavior is influenced by tribal association, gender, and age grouping in the subject population. The subjects included 33 men and 32 women, with 26 being Sioux; 22 Omaha; and 17 a combination of other tribes. The descriptive survey included two interviewer-administered 24-hour recalls. The majority of subjects were overweight or obese. Significant differences (P< .05) were observed in vitamin A and calcium intakes by tribal association. Men reported consuming significantly more (P< .05) kilocalories, vitamin C, and sodium. Over half the subjects consumed more than the recommended 20% to 35% kcal from fat, >or=10% kcal from saturated fat, and >or=300 mg cholesterol/d. Less than Estimated Average Requirements for vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron were consumed by 31%, 59%, and 6%, respectively; 79% consumed less than Adequate Intakes for calcium. Ninety-two percent consumed more than the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for sodium. Few differences were observed in the kilocalorie, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and sodium intakes of these Native American Indians by tribal association, gender, or age grouping. Significant differences in percentages consuming alcohol were observed by gender (P< .05) and by age grouping (P< .01). A significant difference (P< .01) was observed by gender regarding the subjects' perceptions of their being alcoholics. Overall, few differences were observed in diet and health behaviors and perceptions of adult urban Native American Indians by tribal association, gender, and age grouping.

The association of addictive-like eating with food intake in children.

PubMed

Richmond, Rebekah L; Roberto, Christina A; Gearhardt, Ashley N

2017-10-01

The potential role of an addictive process in problematic eating is a growing area of interest and debate. Children are more vulnerable to the negative effects of addictive substances than adults and may be at increased risk for addictive-like eating behavior. No prior study has evaluated the association of addictive-like eating with objectively measured eating behavior in adults or children. We examined the association between "food addiction" and observed food consumption among children and whether age moderated this association. Seventy children participated in an observed dinner meal, completed a dietary recall interview, and answered the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C), a questionnaire assessing symptoms of "food addiction". Children's total calories ordered, calories consumed at dinner, calories consumed post-dinner, and a total of calories consumed at dinner and post-dinner were calculated along with their BMI percentile. We used generalized estimated equation models to investigate the relationship between the YFAS-C and food consumption. Elevated "food addiction" symptoms, but not BMI percentile, were positively associated with an increased amount of calories consumed at dinner and post-dinner. Age significantly moderated the relationship between YFAS-C and caloric intake, with only younger children exhibiting this association. As the first study of objectively measured eating behavior, we found addictive-like eating scores in children were positively associated with the total amount of calories consumed. Among younger children, "food addiction" was more strongly associated with the total calories consumed than BMI percentile, highlighting the importance of assessing behavioral phenotypes when evaluating caloric intake. This association between addictive-like eating and caloric intake among younger, but not older children may be due to differences in inhibitory control and dietary restraint. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food Handling Behaviors Observed in Consumers When Cooking Poultry and Eggs.

PubMed

Maughan, Curtis; Chambers, Edgar; Godwin, Sandria; Chambers, Delores; Cates, Sheryl; Koppel, Kadri

2016-06-01

Previous research has shown that many consumers do not follow recommended food safety practices for cooking poultry and eggs, which can lead to exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter. Past research has been done primarily through surveys and interviews, rather than observations. The objective of this project was to determine through observations whether consumers follow food safety guidelines. Consumers (n = 101) divided among three locations (Manhattan, KS; Kansas City, MO area; and Nashville, TN) were observed as they prepared a baked whole chicken breast, a pan-fried ground turkey patty, a fried egg, and scrambled eggs. The end point temperature for the cooked products was taken (outside the view of consumers) within 30 s after the consumers indicated they were finished cooking. Thermometer use while cooking was low, although marginally higher than that of some previous studies: only 37% of consumers used a thermometer for chicken breasts and only 22% for turkey patties. No one used a thermometer for fried or scrambled eggs. Only 77% of the chicken and 69% of the turkey was cooked to a safe temperature (165°F [74°C]), and 77% of scrambled and 49% of fried eggs reached a safe temperature (160°F [71°C]). Safe hand washing was noted in only 40% of respondents after handling the chicken breast and 44% after handling the ground turkey patty. This value decreased to 15% after handling raw eggs for fried eggs and to 17% for scrambled eggs. These results show that there is a high prevalence of unsafe behaviors (undercooking and poor hand washing technique) when cooking poultry and eggs and a great need for improvement in consumer behavior with poultry and eggs.

Infant feeding practices and food consumption patterns of children participating in WIC.

PubMed

Deming, Denise M; Briefel, Ronette R; Reidy, Kathleen C

2014-01-01

To describe feeding practices and food consumption of infants and children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). National, cross-sectional analysis of 24-hour dietary recall data from the 2008 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study. Random sample of infants (6-11 months of age), toddlers (12-23 months of age), and preschoolers (24-47 months of age); WIC participants (n = 794) and nonparticipants (n = 2,477). Breastfeeding rates, introduction to solids, food consumption. Used weighted descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and t tests to identify dietary outcomes unique to WIC participants vs nonparticipants. Compared with nonparticipants, fewer WIC infants were breastfed (P < .01) and consumed any vegetable (P < .05) but more consumed 100% juice (P < .05). Fewer WIC toddlers and preschoolers consumed any fruit vs nonparticipants (P < .01). The WIC toddlers were more likely to consume any sweet vs nonparticipants (P < .05), especially sugar-sweetened beverages (P < .01). Over 80% of all preschoolers consumed any sweet, and nearly half consumed sugar-sweetened beverages on an average day. Findings identify feeding and dietary issues that begin during infancy and are also present in toddler and preschool stages. These findings are useful for WIC nutritionists and health care practitioners to encourage the early development of healthful eating patterns. Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral risk factors associated with listeriosis in the home: a review of consumer food safety studies.

PubMed

Evans, Ellen W; Redmond, Elizabeth C

2014-03-01

Listeria monocytogenes causes human listeriosis, which is associated with the highest hospitalization and mortality rates of all foodborne illnesses. In recent years, the incidence of listeriosis has doubled in Europe, almost exclusively among older adults (≥ 60 years of age). Food safety factors associated with increased risk of listeriosis include lack of adherence to "use by" dates and ineffective refrigerated storage of foods. Consequently, older adult consumers' implementation of safe food practices should be evaluated. This article is a review of consumer food safety cognitive and behavioral data relating to risk factors associated with listeriosis in the home as reported in 165 consumer food safety studies. Overall, only 41% of studies included assessment of consumer cognitive or behavioral data associated with listeriosis; of these studies 59% included data on safe refrigeration, 54% included data on storage time for opened ready-to-eat foods, and 49% included data on adherence to use-by dates. In most (83%) of the studies, survey-based data collection methods (questionnaires/interviews) were used; thus, the majority of findings were based on self-report (74%) and knowledge (44%). Observation (31%) and focus groups (12%) were less commonly used, resulting in a lack of actual behaviors and attitudinal data relating to listeriosis risk factors. Only 7% of studies included food safety data for older adults. Although older adults may fail to implement recommended practices, this review reveals a need for in-depth research to determine food safety attitudes and actual behaviors of older adults in conjunction with knowledge and selfreport of practices linked to increased risks of listeriosis. Such data combined with review findings would inform targeted food safety education to reduce risks associated with listeriosis in the home.

The role of testosterone and estrogen in consumer behavior and social & economic decision making: A review.

PubMed

Stanton, Steven J

2017-06-01

A contribution to a special issue on Hormones and Human Competition.This manuscript reviews the current literature on the actions of the steroid hormones testosterone and estradiol in shaping humans' behavior within two applied contexts, specifically consumer behavior and decision making (both social and economic). The theoretical argument put forth is that steroids shape these everyday behaviors and choices in service to being more competitive in achieving long-term goals related to resource acquisition, mating success, and social dominance. In addition, a discussion of the increased research focus on the role of steroids in other applied business domains will highlight the relevant applications of basic science discoveries in behavioral endocrinology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An extended theory of planned behavior to predict consumers' willingness to buy mobile slaughter unit meat.

PubMed

Hoeksma, Djura L; Gerritzen, Marien A; Lokhorst, Anne Marike; Poortvliet, P Marijn

2017-06-01

The current study investigated the determinants of consumers' intention to purchase meat from mobile slaughter units (MSU). The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the value belief norm theory (VBN) were used as conceptual lenses to guide this investigation. We conducted a survey among 329 respondents in the Netherlands who buy meat for themselves and/or for others. The results indicated that (1) TPB and VBN explain a high proportion of the variance in consumers' intention to buy MSU meat, and that (2) an extended TPB that includes peoples' attitude, personal norm, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control turned out to be the best model to predict willingness to buy MSU meat. Further implications for future research and practice are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Types of alcoholic beverages usually consumed by students in 9th-12th grades--four states, 2005.

PubMed

2007-07-27

Excessive alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 4,500 deaths among underage youths in the United States each year (e.g., from homicides, motor-vehicle crashes, and suicides) and an average of 60 years of life lost per death. However, little is known about the specific types of alcoholic beverages consumed by youths. These data are important because numerous evidence-based strategies for reducing underage drinking rates are beverage-specific, including increasing alcohol excise taxes and increasing restrictions on the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. To examine types of alcoholic beverages usually consumed by students in 9th-12th grades, CDC analyzed 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data from the four state surveys that included a question on the type of alcohol consumed (Arkansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming). This report describes the results of that analysis, which indicated that liquor (e.g., bourbon, rum, scotch, vodka, or whiskey) was the most prevalent type of alcoholic beverage usually consumed among students in 9th-12th grades who reported current alcohol use or binge drinking. These findings suggest that considering beverage-specific alcohol consumption by youths is important when developing alcohol-control policies, specifically those related to the price and availability of particular types of alcoholic beverages.

Risk assessment of consuming agricultural products irrigated with reclaimed wastewater: An exposure model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Ginneken, Meike; Oron, Gideon

2000-09-01

This study assesses health risks to consumers due to the use of agricultural products irrigated with reclaimed wastewater. The analysis is based on a definition of an exposure model which takes into account several parameters: (1) the quality of the applied wastewater, (2) the irrigation method, (3) the elapsed times between irrigation, harvest, and product consumption, and (4) the consumers' habits. The exposure model is used for numerical simulation of human consumers' risks using the Monte Carlo simulation method. The results of the numerical simulation show large deviations, probably caused by uncertainty (impreciseness in quality of input data) and variability due to diversity among populations. There is a 10-orders of magnitude difference in the risk of infection between the different exposure scenarios with the same water quality. This variation indicates the need for setting risk-based criteria for wastewater reclamation rather than single water quality guidelines. Extra data are required to decrease uncertainty in the risk assessment. Future research needs to include definition of acceptable risk criteria, more accurate dose-response modeling, information regarding pathogen survival in treated wastewater, additional data related to the passage of pathogens into and in the plants during irrigation, and information regarding the behavior patterns of the community of human consumers.

The influence of social networking sites on health behavior change: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Laranjo, Liliana; Arguel, Amaël; Neves, Ana L; Gallagher, Aideen M; Kaplan, Ruth; Mortimer, Nathan; Mendes, Guilherme A; Lau, Annie Y S

2015-01-01

Objective Our aim was to evaluate the use and effectiveness of interventions using social networking sites (SNSs) to change health behaviors. Materials and methods Five databases were scanned using a predefined search strategy. Studies were included if they focused on patients/consumers, involved an SNS intervention, had an outcome related to health behavior change, and were prospective. Studies were screened by independent investigators, and assessed using Cochrane's ‘risk of bias’ tool. Randomized controlled trials were pooled in a meta-analysis. Results The database search retrieved 4656 citations; 12 studies (7411 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Facebook was the most utilized SNS, followed by health-specific SNSs, and Twitter. Eight randomized controlled trials were combined in a meta-analysis. A positive effect of SNS interventions on health behavior outcomes was found (Hedges’ g 0.24; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.43). There was considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 84.0%; T2 = 0.058) and no evidence of publication bias. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness of SNS interventions in changing health-related behaviors. Most studies evaluated multi-component interventions, posing problems in isolating the specific effect of the SNS. Health behavior change theories were seldom mentioned in the included articles, but two particularly innovative studies used ‘network alteration’, showing a positive effect. Overall, SNS interventions appeared to be effective in promoting changes in health-related behaviors, and further research regarding the application of these promising tools is warranted. Conclusions Our study showed a positive effect of SNS interventions on health behavior-related outcomes, but there was considerable heterogeneity. Protocol registration The protocol for this systematic review is registered at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO with the number CRD42013004140. PMID:25005606

Behavioral Science as a New Frontier for Transformational ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Over the last 40 years, tremendous progress has been made toward protecting our life-sustaining resources of air, water, and land and improving ecosystems and public health despite increasing population pressures. Many disciplines have provided the scientific underpinnings for this progress, but perhaps none have been more influential than exposure science. Exposure science has fostered a receptor- rather than source-based perspective regarding strategies for monitoring and controlling pollution to protect public health and the environment. We have achieved many gains through control of far-field sources. Near-field sources related to consumer products and activities in the home, vehicle, school, and work environments present the next challenge. These near-field sources tend to dominate our exposures and are direct results of our behaviors in purchasing and using consumer products. Therefore, these types of sources are less amenable to traditional regulatory approaches for exposure reduction. Behavior determines not only the presence or absence of consumer product and use, but also the details that largely define critical chemical exposure metrics including amount, concentration, frequency, duration, and pathway of exposure. Thus, it is becoming increasingly evident that in order to both predict and control near-field chemical exposures, we need to better understand human behavior and the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs that underlie consumer product rel

The Association Between Household Consumer Durable Assets and Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior in Ghana.

PubMed

Ansong, Eric

2015-01-01

This article examined the association between household consumer durable assets and maternal health-seeking behavior. Several studies have suggested a relationship between households' socioeconomic status (SES) and health outcomes. However, SES is a multidimensional concept that encompasses variables, such as wealth, education, and income. By grouping these variables together as one construct, prior studies have not provided enough insight into possible independent associations with health outcomes. This study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey of 2,065 women aged between 15 and 49 years to examine the association between household consumer durables (a component of SES) and maternal health-seeking behavior in Ghana. Results from a set of generalized linear models indicated that household consumer durable assets were positively associated with four measures of maternal health-seeking behaviors, namely, seeking prenatal care from skilled health personnel, delivery by skilled birth attendant, place of delivery, and the number of antenatal visits. Also, households with more assets whose residents lived in urban areas were more likely to use skilled health personnel before and during delivery, and at an approved health facility, compared those who lived in rural areas. Implications for health interventions and policies that focus on the most vulnerable households are discussed.

Internet-Based Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Covolo, Loredana; Rubinelli, Sara; Ceretti, Elisabetta; Gelatti, Umberto

2015-12-14

Direct-to-consumer genetic tests (DTC-GT) are easily purchased through the Internet, independent of a physician referral or approval for testing, allowing the retrieval of genetic information outside the clinical context. There is a broad debate about the testing validity, their impact on individuals, and what people know and perceive about them. The aim of this review was to collect evidence on DTC-GT from a comprehensive perspective that unravels the complexity of the phenomenon. A systematic search was carried out through PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Embase, in addition to Google Scholar according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist with the key term "Direct-to-consumer genetic test." In the final sample, 118 articles were identified. Articles were summarized in five categories according to their focus on (1) knowledge of, attitude toward use of, and perception of DTC-GT (n=37), (2) the impact of genetic risk information on users (n=37), (3) the opinion of health professionals (n=20), (4) the content of websites selling DTC-GT (n=16), and (5) the scientific evidence and clinical utility of the tests (n=14). Most of the articles analyzed the attitude, knowledge, and perception of DTC-GT, highlighting an interest in using DTC-GT, along with the need for a health care professional to help interpret the results. The articles investigating the content analysis of the websites selling these tests are in agreement that the information provided by the companies about genetic testing is not completely comprehensive for the consumer. Given that risk information can modify consumers' health behavior, there are surprisingly few studies carried out on actual consumers and they do not confirm the overall concerns on the possible impact of DTC-GT. Data from studies that investigate the quality of the tests offered confirm that they are not informative, have little predictive power, and do not measure genetic risk appropriately. The impact of DTC-GT on consumers' health perceptions and behaviors is an emerging concern. However, negative effects on consumers or health benefits have yet to be observed. Nevertheless, since the online market of DTC-GT is expected to grow, it is important to remain aware of a possible impact.

Consumer engagement and the development, evaluation, and dissemination of evidence-based parenting programs.

PubMed

Sanders, Matthew R; Kirby, James N

2012-06-01

A consumer perspective can contribute much to enhancing the "ecological fit" of population-level parenting interventions so they meet the needs of parents. This approach involves building relationships with consumer groups and soliciting consumer input into the relevance and acceptability of interventions, clarifying the enablers and barriers to engagement and involvement of parents, and clarifying variables that influence a parent's program completion. The adoption of a more collaborative approach to working with consumers is important if meaningful population-level change in the prevalence of serious social, emotional, and behavioral problems in children and young people is to be achieved. Parents seeking assistance for their children's behavior come from a diverse range of socioeconomic backgrounds, educational levels, cultures, and languages. This paper examines consumer engagement strategies that can be employed throughout the process of program development, evaluation, training, and dissemination, and in "scaling up" the intervention. We argue that a multilevel public health approach to parenting intervention requires a strong consumer perspective to enable interventions to be more responsive to the preferences and needs of families and to ensure improved population reach of interventions. Examples from large-scale dissemination trials are used to illustrate how consumer input can result in an increasingly differentiated suite of evidence-based parenting programs. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Consumer engagement and the development, evaluation and dissemination of evidence-based parenting programs

PubMed Central

Sanders, Matthew R.; Kirby, James N.

2013-01-01

A consumer perspective can contribute much to enhancing the “ecological fit” of population level parenting interventions so they meet the needs of parents. This approach involves building relationships with consumer groups and soliciting consumer input into the relevance and acceptability of interventions, clarifying the enablers and barriers to engagement and involvement of parents, and clarifying variables that influence a parent’s program completion. The adoption of a more collaborative approach to working with consumers is important if meaningful population level change in the prevalence of serious social, emotional and behavioral problems in children and young people is to be achieved. Parents seeking assistance for their children’s behavior come from a diverse range of socioeconomic backgrounds, educational levels, cultures and languages. This paper examines consumer engagement strategies that can be employed throughout the process of program development, evaluation, training and dissemination and in “scaling up” the intervention. We argue that a multi-level public health approach to parenting intervention requires a strong consumer perspective to enable interventions to be more responsive to the preferences and needs of families and to ensure improved population reach of interventions. Examples from large scale dissemination trials are used to illustrate how consumer input can result in an increasingly differentiated suite of evidence-based parenting programs. PMID:22440062

Assessing the Moderating Effect of the End User in Consumer Behavior: The Acceptance of Technological Implants to Increase Innate Human Capacities.

PubMed

Pelegrín-Borondo, Jorge; Reinares-Lara, Eva; Olarte-Pascual, Cristina; Garcia-Sierra, Marta

2016-01-01

Today, technological implants are being developed to increase innate human capacities, such as memory or calculation speed, and to endow us with new ones, such as the remote control of machines. This study's aim was two-fold: first, to introduce a Cognitive-Affective-Normative (CAN) model of technology acceptance to explain the intention to use this technology in the field of consumer behavior; and second, to analyze the differences in the intention to use it based on whether the intended implant recipient is oneself or one's child (i.e., the moderating effect of the end user). A multi-group analysis was performed to compare the results between the two groups: implant "for me" (Group 1) and implant "for my child" (Group 2). The model largely explains the intention to use the insideable technology for the specified groups [variance explained (R (2)) of over 0.70 in both cases]. The most important variables were found to be "positive emotions" and (positive) "subjective norm." This underscores the need to broaden the range of factors considered to be decisive in technology acceptance to include variables related to consumers' emotions. Moreover, statistically significant differences were found between the "for me" and "for my child" models for "perceived ease of use (PEU)" and "subjective norm." These findings confirm the moderating effect of the end user on new insideable technology acceptance.

Consumers young and old: segmenting the target markets for direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising.

PubMed

Ball, Jennifer Gerard; Manika, Danae; Stout, Patricia

2011-10-01

Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising (DTCA) studies have typically focused on older adults or a general population of adults. However, college students are viable targets for DTCA and are receiving more research attention in this area. In this article, we compare college students with two adult age segments. Our findings indicate all age groups had relatively high awareness of DTCA and similar attitudes and behavioral responses to the ads. However, there were significant differences in media use and health characteristics as well as the factors predicting DTCA ad trust, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Implications and future research suggestions are discussed.

Variations in mature market consumer behavior within a health care product: implications for marketing strategy.

PubMed

Hopper, J A; Busbin, J W

1995-01-01

America is undergoing a profound age shift in its demographic make-up with people 55 and over comprising an increasing proportion of the population. Marketers may need to increase their response rate to this shift, especially in refining the application of marketing theory and practice to older age consumers. To this end, a survey of older couple buying behavior for health insurance coverage is reported here. Results clarify evaluative criteria and the viability of multiple market segmentation for health care coverage among older consumers as couples. Commentary on the efficacy of present health coverage marketing programs is provided.

Applying a Consumer Behavior Lens to Salt Reduction Initiatives.

PubMed

Regan, Áine; Kent, Monique Potvin; Raats, Monique M; McConnon, Áine; Wall, Patrick; Dubois, Lise

2017-08-18

Reformulation of food products to reduce salt content has been a central strategy for achieving population level salt reduction. In this paper, we reflect on current reformulation strategies and consider how consumer behavior determines the ultimate success of these strategies. We consider the merits of adopting a 'health by stealth', silent approach to reformulation compared to implementing a communications strategy which draws on labeling initiatives in tandem with reformulation efforts. We end this paper by calling for a multi-actor approach which utilizes co-design, participatory tools to facilitate the involvement of all stakeholders, including, and especially, consumers, in making decisions around how best to achieve population-level salt reduction.

Plant foods and the dietary ecology of Neanderthals and early modern humans.

PubMed

Henry, Amanda G; Brooks, Alison S; Piperno, Dolores R

2014-04-01

One of the most important challenges in anthropology is understanding the disappearance of Neanderthals. Previous research suggests that Neanderthals had a narrower diet than early modern humans, in part because they lacked various social and technological advances that lead to greater dietary variety, such as a sexual division of labor and the use of complex projectile weapons. The wider diet of early modern humans would have provided more calories and nutrients, increasing fertility, decreasing mortality and supporting large population sizes, allowing them to out-compete Neanderthals. However, this model for Neanderthal dietary behavior is based on analysis of animal remains, stable isotopes, and other methods that provide evidence only of animal food in the diet. This model does not take into account the potential role of plant food. Here we present results from the first broad comparison of plant foods in the diets of Neanderthals and early modern humans from several populations in Europe, the Near East, and Africa. Our data comes from the analysis of plant microremains (starch grains and phytoliths) in dental calculus and on stone tools. Our results suggest that both species consumed a similarly wide array of plant foods, including foods that are often considered low-ranked, like underground storage organs and grass seeds. Plants were consumed across the entire range of individuals and sites we examined, and none of the expected predictors of variation (species, geographic region, or associated stone tool technology) had a strong influence on the number of plant species consumed. Our data suggest that Neanderthal dietary ecology was more complex than previously thought. This implies that the relationship between Neanderthal technology, social behavior, and food acquisition strategies must be better explored. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Socialization Perspective on Selected Consumer Characteristics of the Elderly.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Ruth Belk; Moschis, George P.

1985-01-01

Examines the effects of selected antecedent variables and communication processes on the consumer behavior of the elderly. Results suggest that the mass media and the family may be instrumental in reinforcing or developing traditional sex-role stereotypes among the elderly, whereas consumer education may help them filter puffery in advertisements.…

Brand placement and consumer choice: an in-store experiment.

PubMed

Sigurdsson, Valdimar; Saevarsson, Hugi; Foxall, Gordon

2009-01-01

An in-store experiment was performed to investigate the effects of shelf placement (high, middle, low) on consumers' purchases of potato chips. Placement of potato chips on the middle shelf was associated with the highest percentage of purchases. The results confirm the importance of item placement as a factor in consumers' buying behavior.

"Totally Different Standards": Consumer Orientation in Study Abroad Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaeger, Kirsten; Gram, Malene

2017-01-01

The paper takes an interest in consumer behavior in international higher education (HE). It takes qualitative narratives of international student experience as a point of departure for a discussion of the degree to which students conceive of their experience in consumer terms when they evaluate their stays abroad. Intentionally, the group of…

Consumer Credit Card Use: The Roles of Creditor Disclosure and Anticipated Emotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiener, Richard L.; Holtje, Michael; Winter, Ryan J.; Cantone, Jason A.; Gross, Karen; Block-Lieb, Susan

2007-01-01

In response to federal legislative reform aimed, in part, at reducing consumer bankruptcy filings, the authors conducted 2 experiments examining the role of affect in purchasing behavior. In Experiment 1, they examined consumer debtors, and in Experiment 2, they examined nondebtors. In both experiments, they investigated purchasing decisions made…

Consumer Education: A Guide for Teachers of Home Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Ava A.; Whorley, Beulah

The guide offers suggested curriculum materials in consumer education for secondary schools or as background information for teaching adults. It focuses on an understanding of decision making, the economic system, and management. The units of instruction are based on 13 concepts: (1) the process of decision making in relation to consumer behavior;…

76 FR 41150 - Notice Announcing Ten-Year Regulatory Review Schedule and Request for Public Comment on the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-13

... in the face of changing marketplace conditions, evolving consumer behavior, and technological...) 326-2984, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission... continuing need for the rule or guide as well as the rule's or guide's costs and benefits to consumers and...

Brand Placement and Consumer Choice: An in-Store Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sigurdsson, Valdimar; Saevarsson, Hugi; Foxall, Gordon

2009-01-01

An in-store experiment was performed to investigate the effects of shelf placement (high, middle, low) on consumers' purchases of potato chips. Placement of potato chips on the middle shelf was associated with the highest percentage of purchases. The results confirm the importance of item placement as a factor in consumers' buying behavior.…

An overture to overeating: The cross-modal effects of acoustic pitch on food preferences and serving behavior.

PubMed

Lowe, Michael; Ringler, Christine; Haws, Kelly

2018-04-01

Billions of dollars are spent annually with the aim of enticing consumers to purchase food. Yet despite the prevalence of such advertising, little is known about how the actual sensation of this advertising media affects consumer behavior, including consequential choices regarding food. This paper explores the effect of acoustic pitch in food advertising, demonstrating in two studies, including a field study in a live retail environment, how the perception of pitch in advertising can impact food desirability and decisions regarding serving size. In study 1, a field study, pitch affects actual serving sizes and purchase behavior in a live, self-serve retail setting, with low pitch leading to larger serving sizes. Study 2 demonstrates how low pitch increases desire for a food product among hungry consumers, and that this effect is mediated by perceptions of size and how filling consumers believe the product will be. We discuss these results in the context of cross-modal correspondence and mental imagery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships among grocery nutrition label users and consumers' attitudes and behavior toward restaurant menu labeling.

PubMed

Roseman, Mary G; Mathe-Soulek, Kimberly; Higgins, Joseph A

2013-12-01

In the United States (US), based on the 2010 Affordable Care Act, restaurant chains and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations are required to begin implementing calorie information on their menus. As enacting of the law begins, it is important to understand its potential for improving consumers' healthful behaviors. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore relationships among users of grocery nutrition labels and attitudes toward restaurant menu labeling, along with the caloric content of their restaurant menu selection. Study participants were surveyed and then provided identical mock restaurant menus with or without calories. Results found that participants who used grocery nutrition labels and believed they would make healthy menu selections with nutrition labels on restaurant menus made healthier menu selections, regardless of whether the menu displayed calories or not. Consumers' nutrition knowledge and behaviors gained from using grocery nutrition labels and consumers' desire for restaurants to provide nutrition menu labels have a positive effect on their choosing healthful restaurant menu items. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Power of food moderates food craving, perceived control, and brain networks following a short-term post-absorptive state in older adults.

PubMed

Rejeski, W Jack; Burdette, Jonathan; Burns, Marley; Morgan, Ashley R; Hayasaka, Satoru; Norris, James; Williamson, Donald A; Laurienti, Paul J

2012-06-01

The Power of Food Scale (PFS) is a new measure that assesses the drive to consume highly palatable food in an obesogenic food environment. The data reported in this investigation evaluate whether the PFS moderates state cravings, control beliefs, and brain networks of older, obese adults following either a short-term post-absorptive state, in which participants were only allowed to consume water, or a short-term energy surfeit treatment condition, in which they consumed BOOST®. We found that the short-term post-absorptive condition, in which participants consumed water only, was associated with increases in state cravings for desired food, a reduction in participants' confidence related to the control of eating behavior, and shifts in brain networks that parallel what is observed with other addictive behaviors. Furthermore, individuals who scored high on the PFS were at an increased risk for experiencing these effects. Future research is needed to examine the eating behavior of persons who score high on the PFS and to develop interventions that directly target food cravings. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the Impacts of Timebased Rates, Enabling Technology, and Other Treatments in Consumer Behavior Studies: Protocols and Guidelines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cappers, Peter; Todd, Annika; Perry, Michael

2013-06-27

This report offers guidelines and protocols for measuring the effects of time-based rates, enabling technology, and various other treatments on customers’ levels and patterns of electricity usage. Although the focus is on evaluating consumer behavior studies (CBS) that involve field trials and pilots, the methods can be extended to assessing the large-scale programs that may follow. CBSs are undertaken to resolve uncertainties and ambiguities about how consumers respond to inducements to modify their electricity demand. Those inducements include price structures; feedback and information; and enabling technologies embedded in programs such as: critical peak, time-of use, real-time pricing; peak time rebatemore » or critical peak rebate; home energy reports and in-home displays; and all manner of device controls for appliances and plug loads. Although the focus of this report is on consumer studies—where the subjects are households—the behavioral sciences principles discussed and many of the methods recommended apply equally to studying commercial and industrial customer electricity demand.« less

The influence of an online auction's product price and e-retailer reputation on consumers' perception, attitude, and behavioral intention.

PubMed

Wu, Wann-Yih; Huang, Po-Ching; Fu, Chen-Su

2011-06-01

Online auctions combine the conventional auction model with information technology. However, information asymmetry within such auctions causes risks and uncertainties that influence consumer purchase intentions. In this study, a 2 (product price: high vs. low) × 2 (e-retailer reputation: high vs. low) experimental design was used to understand whether the product price and e-retailer reputation will influence consumers' perceived risk, attitude toward the website and purchase intention. The results of this study indicate that perceived risk negatively influences consumer attitude toward the website and online purchase intention, while consumer attitude toward the website positively influences purchase intention. Moreover, involvement moderates the influence of product price and e-retailer reputation only on social risk but does not have a significant effect on consumer attitude toward the website. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of online auction users' behavior. Finally, the managerial implications, limitations and future research directions are also provided. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2011 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

A framework for characterizing eHealth literacy demands and barriers.

PubMed

Chan, Connie V; Kaufman, David R

2011-11-17

Consumer eHealth interventions are of a growing importance in the individual management of health and health behaviors. However, a range of access, resources, and skills barriers prevent health care consumers from fully engaging in and benefiting from the spectrum of eHealth interventions. Consumers may engage in a range of eHealth tasks, such as participating in health discussion forums and entering information into a personal health record. eHealth literacy names a set of skills and knowledge that are essential for productive interactions with technology-based health tools, such as proficiency in information retrieval strategies, and communicating health concepts effectively. We propose a theoretical and methodological framework for characterizing complexity of eHealth tasks, which can be used to diagnose and describe literacy barriers and inform the development of solution strategies. We adapted and integrated two existing theoretical models relevant to the analysis of eHealth literacy into a single framework to systematically categorize and describe task demands and user performance on tasks needed by health care consumers in the information age. The method derived from the framework is applied to (1) code task demands using a cognitive task analysis, and (2) code user performance on tasks. The framework and method are applied to the analysis of a Web-based consumer eHealth task with information-seeking and decision-making demands. We present the results from the in-depth analysis of the task performance of a single user as well as of 20 users on the same task to illustrate both the detailed analysis and the aggregate measures obtained and potential analyses that can be performed using this method. The analysis shows that the framework can be used to classify task demands as well as the barriers encountered in user performance of the tasks. Our approach can be used to (1) characterize the challenges confronted by participants in performing the tasks, (2) determine the extent to which application of the framework to the cognitive task analysis can predict and explain the problems encountered by participants, and (3) inform revisions to the framework to increase accuracy of predictions. The results of this illustrative application suggest that the framework is useful for characterizing task complexity and for diagnosing and explaining barriers encountered in task completion. The framework and analytic approach can be a potentially powerful generative research platform to inform development of rigorous eHealth examination and design instruments, such as to assess eHealth competence, to design and evaluate consumer eHealth tools, and to develop an eHealth curriculum.

A Framework for Characterizing eHealth Literacy Demands and Barriers

PubMed Central

Chan, Connie V

2011-01-01

Background Consumer eHealth interventions are of a growing importance in the individual management of health and health behaviors. However, a range of access, resources, and skills barriers prevent health care consumers from fully engaging in and benefiting from the spectrum of eHealth interventions. Consumers may engage in a range of eHealth tasks, such as participating in health discussion forums and entering information into a personal health record. eHealth literacy names a set of skills and knowledge that are essential for productive interactions with technology-based health tools, such as proficiency in information retrieval strategies, and communicating health concepts effectively. Objective We propose a theoretical and methodological framework for characterizing complexity of eHealth tasks, which can be used to diagnose and describe literacy barriers and inform the development of solution strategies. Methods We adapted and integrated two existing theoretical models relevant to the analysis of eHealth literacy into a single framework to systematically categorize and describe task demands and user performance on tasks needed by health care consumers in the information age. The method derived from the framework is applied to (1) code task demands using a cognitive task analysis, and (2) code user performance on tasks. The framework and method are applied to the analysis of a Web-based consumer eHealth task with information-seeking and decision-making demands. We present the results from the in-depth analysis of the task performance of a single user as well as of 20 users on the same task to illustrate both the detailed analysis and the aggregate measures obtained and potential analyses that can be performed using this method. Results The analysis shows that the framework can be used to classify task demands as well as the barriers encountered in user performance of the tasks. Our approach can be used to (1) characterize the challenges confronted by participants in performing the tasks, (2) determine the extent to which application of the framework to the cognitive task analysis can predict and explain the problems encountered by participants, and (3) inform revisions to the framework to increase accuracy of predictions. Conclusions The results of this illustrative application suggest that the framework is useful for characterizing task complexity and for diagnosing and explaining barriers encountered in task completion. The framework and analytic approach can be a potentially powerful generative research platform to inform development of rigorous eHealth examination and design instruments, such as to assess eHealth competence, to design and evaluate consumer eHealth tools, and to develop an eHealth curriculum. PMID:22094891

Lateral Hypothalamus GABAergic Neurons Modulate Consummatory Behaviors Regardless of the Caloric Content or Biological Relevance of the Consumed Stimuli.

PubMed

Navarro, Montserrat; Olney, Jeffrey J; Burnham, Nathan W; Mazzone, Christopher M; Lowery-Gionta, Emily G; Pleil, Kristen E; Kash, Thomas L; Thiele, Todd E

2016-05-01

It was recently reported that activation of a subset of lateral hypothalamus (LH) GABAergic neurons induced both appetitive (food-seeking) and consummatory (eating) behaviors in vGat-ires-cre mice, while inhibition or deletion of GABAergic neurons blunted these behaviors. As food and caloric-dense liquid solutions were used, the data reported suggest that these LH GABAergic neurons may modulate behaviors that function to maintain homeostatic caloric balance. Here we report that chemogenetic activation of this GABAergic population in vGat-ires-cre mice increased consummatory behavior directed at any available stimulus, including those entailing calories (food, sucrose, and ethanol), those that do not (saccharin and water), and those lacking biological relevance (wood). Chemogenetic inhibition of these neurons attenuated consummatory behaviors. These data indicate that LH GABAergic neurons modulate consummatory behaviors regardless of the caloric content or biological relevance of the consumed stimuli.

Evaluation of Check in/Check out for Students with Internalizing Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Katherine K.; Chenier, Jeffrey S.; Gresham, Frank M.

2014-01-01

Internalizing behaviors are directed inward toward the child and are frequently overlooked in classrooms compared with externalizing behaviors. When internalizing behaviors are identified, cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBIs) are typically the intervention of choice; however, CBIs are time-consuming and require considerable skill and…

Constructing a consumption model of fine dining from the perspective of behavioral economics

PubMed Central

Tsai, Sang-Bing

2018-01-01

Numerous factors affect how people choose a fine dining restaurant, including food quality, service quality, food safety, and hedonic value. A conceptual framework for evaluating restaurant selection behavior has not yet been developed. This study surveyed 150 individuals with fine dining experience and proposed the use of mental accounting and axiomatic design to construct a consumer economic behavior model. Linear and logistic regressions were employed to determine model correlations and the probability of each factor affecting behavior. The most crucial factor was food quality, followed by service and dining motivation, particularly regarding family dining. Safe ingredients, high cooking standards, and menu innovation all increased the likelihood of consumers choosing fine dining restaurants. PMID:29641554

Constructing a consumption model of fine dining from the perspective of behavioral economics.

PubMed

Hsu, Sheng-Hsun; Hsiao, Cheng-Fu; Tsai, Sang-Bing

2018-01-01

Numerous factors affect how people choose a fine dining restaurant, including food quality, service quality, food safety, and hedonic value. A conceptual framework for evaluating restaurant selection behavior has not yet been developed. This study surveyed 150 individuals with fine dining experience and proposed the use of mental accounting and axiomatic design to construct a consumer economic behavior model. Linear and logistic regressions were employed to determine model correlations and the probability of each factor affecting behavior. The most crucial factor was food quality, followed by service and dining motivation, particularly regarding family dining. Safe ingredients, high cooking standards, and menu innovation all increased the likelihood of consumers choosing fine dining restaurants.

Factors affecting osteoarthritis patients' self-reported goal-directed drug information-seeking behaviors after exposure to direct-to-consumer advertising from physicians and the internet.

PubMed

Liu, Yifei; Farris, Karen B; Doucette, William R

2011-10-01

The objective of this study was to investigate appraisal of means (ie, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and affect) in predicting patients' goal-directed behaviors of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA)-prompted drug-information search from physicians and the internet. One thousand patients were randomly selected from a nationwide sample frame of 3000 osteoarthritis patients. A self-administered survey assessed exposure to DTCA, drug-information search as goal, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, affect, and osteoarthritis pain. After 6 weeks, another survey measured the behavior of drug-information search for respondents to the first survey. Study subjects were those who were exposed to DTCA in the previous month, and who set drug-information search as their goal. For each information source, a multiple regression analysis was conducted in which drug-information search was the dependent variable, and self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, affect, and osteoarthritis pain were the independent variables. Among 454 patients who were exposed to DTCA, 174 patients set drug-information search as their goal and were the study subjects. The regression for physicians was not statistically significant. The regression for the internet was significant, accounting for 15% of behavior variance. Self-efficacy was a strong predictor of goal-directed drug-information search from the internet. Appraisal of means was useful to predict the goal-directed behavior of DTCA-prompted drug-information search from the internet. For patients who set drug-information search as a goal, actions to promote drug-information search from the internet need to focus on self-efficacy.

How state taxes and policies targeting soda consumption modify the association between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors: a cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Taber, Daniel R; Chriqui, Jamie F; Vuillaume, Renee; Chaloupka, Frank J

2014-01-01

Sodas are widely sold in vending machines and other school venues in the United States, particularly in high school. Research suggests that policy changes have reduced soda access, but the impact of reduced access on consumption is unclear. This study was designed to identify student, environmental, or policy characteristics that modify the associations between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors. Data on school vending machine access and student diet were obtained as part of the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) and linked to state-level data on soda taxes, restaurant taxes, and state laws governing the sale of soda in schools. Regression models were used to: 1) estimate associations between vending machine access and soda consumption, fast food consumption, and lunch source, and 2) determine if associations were modified by state soda taxes, restaurant taxes, laws banning in-school soda sales, or student characteristics (race/ethnicity, sex, home food access, weight loss behaviors.). Contrary to the hypothesis, students tended to consume 0.53 fewer servings of soda/week (95% CI: -1.17, 0.11) and consume fast food on 0.24 fewer days/week (95% CI: -0.44, -0.05) if they had in-school access to vending machines. They were also less likely to consume soda daily (23.9% vs. 27.9%, average difference  =  -4.02, 95% CI: -7.28, -0.76). However, these inverse associations were observed primarily among states with lower soda and restaurant tax rates (relative to general food tax rates) and states that did not ban in-school soda sales. Associations did not vary by any student characteristics except for weight loss behaviors. Isolated changes to the school food environment may have unintended consequences unless policymakers incorporate other initiatives designed to discourage overall soda consumption.

How State Taxes and Policies Targeting Soda Consumption Modify the Association between School Vending Machines and Student Dietary Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

PubMed Central

Taber, Daniel R.; Chriqui, Jamie F.; Vuillaume, Renee; Chaloupka, Frank J.

2014-01-01

Background Sodas are widely sold in vending machines and other school venues in the United States, particularly in high school. Research suggests that policy changes have reduced soda access, but the impact of reduced access on consumption is unclear. This study was designed to identify student, environmental, or policy characteristics that modify the associations between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors. Methods Data on school vending machine access and student diet were obtained as part of the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) and linked to state-level data on soda taxes, restaurant taxes, and state laws governing the sale of soda in schools. Regression models were used to: 1) estimate associations between vending machine access and soda consumption, fast food consumption, and lunch source, and 2) determine if associations were modified by state soda taxes, restaurant taxes, laws banning in-school soda sales, or student characteristics (race/ethnicity, sex, home food access, weight loss behaviors.) Results Contrary to the hypothesis, students tended to consume 0.53 fewer servings of soda/week (95% CI: -1.17, 0.11) and consume fast food on 0.24 fewer days/week (95% CI: -0.44, -0.05) if they had in-school access to vending machines. They were also less likely to consume soda daily (23.9% vs. 27.9%, average difference = -4.02, 95% CI: -7.28, -0.76). However, these inverse associations were observed primarily among states with lower soda and restaurant tax rates (relative to general food tax rates) and states that did not ban in-school soda sales. Associations did not vary by any student characteristics except for weight loss behaviors. Conclusion Isolated changes to the school food environment may have unintended consequences unless policymakers incorporate other initiatives designed to discourage overall soda consumption. PMID:25083906

Understanding older adults' medication decision making and behavior: A study on over-the-counter (OTC) anticholinergic medications.

PubMed

Holden, Richard J; Srinivas, Preethi; Campbell, Noll L; Clark, Daniel O; Bodke, Kunal S; Hong, Youngbok; Boustani, Malaz A; Ferguson, Denisha; Callahan, Christopher M

2018-03-06

Older adults purchase and use over-the-counter (OTC) medications with potentially significant adverse effects. Some OTC medications, such as those with anticholinergic effects, are relatively contraindicated for use by older adults due to evidence of impaired cognition and other adverse effects. To inform the design of future OTC medication safety interventions for older adults, this study investigated consumers' decision making and behavior related to OTC medication purchasing and use, with a focus on OTC anticholinergic medications. The study had a cross-sectional design with multiple methods. A total of 84 adults participated in qualitative research interviews (n = 24), in-store shopper observations (n = 39), and laboratory-based simulated OTC shopping tasks (n = 21). Simulated shopping participants also rank-ordered eight factors on their importance for OTC decision making. Findings revealed that many participants had concerns about medication adverse effects, generally, but were not aware of age-related risk associated with the use of anticholinergic medications. Analyses produced a map of the workflow of OTC-related behavior and decision making as well as related barriers such as difficulty locating medications or comparing them to an alternative. Participants reported effectiveness, adverse effects or health risks, and price as most important to their OTC medication purchase and use decisions. A persona analysis identified two types of consumers: the habit follower, who frequently purchased OTC medications and considered them safe; and the deliberator, who was more likely to weigh their options and consider alternatives to OTC medications. A conceptual model of OTC medication purchase and use is presented. Drawing on study findings and behavioral theories, the model depicts dual processes for OTC medication decision making - habit-based and deliberation-based - as well as the antecedents and consequences of decision making. This model suggests several design directions for consumer-oriented interventions to promote OTC medication safety. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extending the concept of social validity: behavior analysis for disease prevention and health promotion.

PubMed

Winett, R A; Moore, J F; Anderson, E S

1991-01-01

A broader definition of social validity is proposed wherein a socially valid behavior-change intervention is directed to a problem of verifiable importance, the intervention is valued and used appropriately by designated target groups, and the intervention as used has sufficient behavioral impact to substantially reduce the probability of the problem's occurrence in target populations. The verifiable importance of a problem is based on epidemiological data, and the value and appropriate use of an intervention are enhanced through the use of conceptual frameworks for social marketing and behavior change and considerable formative and pilot research. Behavioral impact is assessed through efficacy and effectiveness studies. Thus, the social validity of a behavior-change intervention is established through a number of interactive, a priori steps. This approach to defining social validity is related to critical analysis and intervention issues including individual and population perspectives and "top-down" and "bottom-up" approaches to intervention design. This broader definition of social validity is illustrated by a project to reduce the risk of HIV infection among adolescents. Although the various steps involved in creating socially valid interventions can be complicated, time-consuming, and expensive, following all the steps can result in interventions capable of improving a nation's health.

Consumers' convenience orientation towards meal preparation: conceptualization and measurement.

PubMed

Candel, M

2001-02-01

Consumer researchers consider convenience orientation towards meal preparation to be a relevant construct for understanding consumer behavior towards foods. This study set out to conceptualize this construct and to develop a scale that measures it. As examined in two different samples of meal preparers, the resulting scale is reliable, satisfies a unifactorial structure and has satisfactory convergent validity. The scale's nomological validity is supported in that it conforms to expectations regarding various psychographic constructs and various food-related behaviors. Convenience orientation was found to be negatively related to cooking enjoyment, involvement with food products and variety seeking, and to be positively related to role overload. The analyses also suggest that the lack of relation between the meal preparer's working status and convenience food consumption, as found in many studies, is due to convenience food not offering enough preparation convenience. Consuming take-away meals and eating in restaurants appear to satisfy the consumer's need for convenience more adequately. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

A qualitative study of psychological, social and behavioral barriers to appropriate food portion size control.

PubMed

Spence, Michelle; Livingstone, M Barbara E; Hollywood, Lynsey E; Gibney, Eileen R; O'Brien, Sinéad A; Pourshahidi, L Kirsty; Dean, Moira

2013-08-01

Given the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity, there is a clear need for meaningful practical healthy eating advice - not only in relation to food choice, but also on appropriate food portion sizes. As the majority of portion size research to date has been overwhelmingly quantitative in design, there is a clear need to qualitatively explore consumers' views in order to fully understand how food portion size decisions are made. Using qualitative methodology this present study aimed to explore consumers' views about factors influencing their portion size selection and consumption and to identify barriers to appropriate portion size control. Ten focus groups with four to nine participants in each were formed with a total of 66 persons (aged 19-64 years) living on the island of Ireland. The semi-structured discussions elicited participants' perceptions of suggested serving size guidance and explored the influence of personal, social and environmental factors on their food portion size consumption. Audiotapes of the discussions were professionally transcribed verbatim, loaded into NVivo 9, and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis procedure. The rich descriptive data derived from participants highlight that unhealthy portion size behaviors emanate from various psychological, social and behavioral factors. These bypass reflective and deliberative control, and converge to constitute significant barriers to healthy portion size control. Seven significant barriers to healthy portion size control were apparent: (1) lack of clarity and irrelevance of suggested serving size guidance; (2) guiltless eating; (3) lack of self-control over food cues; (4) distracted eating; (5) social pressures; (6) emotional eating rewards; and (7) quantification habits ingrained from childhood. Portion size control strategies should empower consumers to overcome these effects so that the consumption of appropriate food portion sizes becomes automatic and habitual.

Changes in primary healthcare providers’ attitudes and counseling behaviors related to dietary sodium reduction, DocStyles 2010 and 2015

PubMed Central

Cogswell, Mary E.; Fang, Jing; Coleman King, Sallyann M.; Merritt, Robert K.

2017-01-01

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The 2013 ACC/AHA Lifestyle Management Guideline recommends counseling pre-hypertensive and hypertensive patients to reduce sodium intake. Population sodium reduction efforts have been introduced in recent years, and dietary guidelines continued to emphasize sodium reduction in 2010 and 2015. The objective of this analysis was to determine changes in primary health care providers’ sodium-reduction attitudes and counseling between 2010 and 2015. Primary care internists, family/general practitioners, and nurse practitioners answered questions about sodium-related attitudes and counseling behaviors in DocStyles, a repeated cross-sectional web-based survey in the United States. Differences in responses between years were examined. In 2015, the majority (78%) of participants (n = 1,251) agreed that most of their patients should reduce sodium intake, and reported advising hypertensive (85%), and chronic kidney disease patients (71%), but not diabetic patients (48%) and African-American patients (43%) to consume less salt. Since 2010, the proportion of participants agreeing their patients should reduce sodium intake decreased while the proportion advising patients with these characteristics to consume less salt increased and the prevalence of specific types of advice declined. Changes in behaviors between surveys remained significant after adjusting for provider and practice characteristics. More providers are advising patients to consume less salt in 2015 compared to 2010; however, fewer agree their patients should reduce intake and counseling is not universally applied across patient groups at risk for hypertension. Further efforts and educational resources may be required to enable patient counseling about sodium reduction strategies. PMID:28531232

Use of automated monitoring to assess behavioral toxicology in fish: Linking behavior and physiology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brewer, S.K.; DeLonay, A.J.; Beauvais, S.L.; Little, E.E.; Jones, S.B.

1999-01-01

We measured locomotory behaviors (distance traveled, speed, tortuosity of path, and rate of change in direction) with computer-assisted analysis in 30 day posthatch rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to pesticides. We also examined cholinesterase inhibition as a potential endpoint linking physiology and behavior. Sublethal exposure to chemicals often causes changes in swimming behavior, reflecting alterations in sensory and motor systems. Swimming behavior also integrates functions of the nervous system. Rarely are the connections between physiology and behavior made. Although behavior is often suggested as a sensitive, early indicator of toxicity, behavioral toxicology has not been used to its full potential because conventional methods of behavioral assessment have relied on manual techniques, which are often time-consuming and difficult to quantify. This has severely limited the application and utility of behavioral procedures. Swimming behavior is particularly amenable to computerized assessment and automated monitoring. Locomotory responses are sensitive to toxicants and can be easily measured. We briefly discuss the use of behavior in toxicology and automated techniques used in behavioral toxicology. We also describe the system we used to determine locomotory behaviors of fish, and present data demonstrating the system's effectiveness in measuring alterations in response to chemical challenges. Lastly, we correlate behavioral and physiological endpoints.

Person-Organization Commitment: Bonds of Internal Consumer in the Context of Non-profit Organizations

PubMed Central

Juaneda-Ayensa, Emma; Clavel San Emeterio, Mónica; González-Menorca, Carlos

2017-01-01

From an Organizational Behavior perspective, it is important to recognize the links generated between individuals and the organization that encourage a desire for permanence. After more than a half century of research, Organizational Commitment remains one of the open questions in the Psychology of Organizations. It is considered an essential factor for explaining individual behavior in the organization such as satisfaction, turnover intention, or loyalty. In this paper, we analyze different contributions regarding the nature of the bond between the individual and the organization. Taking into account the peculiarities of Non-profit Organizations, we present different interpretation for later validation, comparing results from the Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the four models obtained using exploratory factor analysis, both conducted on a sample of 235 members of Non-profit Organizations. PMID:28775699

A Case Study on Primary, Secondary and University Students' Environmentally Responsible Behaviors in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahyaoglu, Mustafa

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study is to prove the environmentally responsible behaviors of primary, secondary and university students in Turkey. The students', who attended the study as participants, environmentally political behaviors, consumer/economical behaviors, direct behaviors toward protecting the environment and individual and public persuasion…

Associations between the five-factor model of personality and health behaviors among college students.

PubMed

Raynor, Douglas A; Levine, Heidi

2009-01-01

In fall 2006, the authors examined associations between the five-factor model of personality and several key health behaviors. College students (N = 583) completed the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment and the International Personality Item Pool Big Five short-form questionnaire. Highly conscientious individuals were more likely to wear seat belts, utilize alcohol-related harm reduction, exercise, get enough sleep, and consume fruits and vegetables. They were also less likely to smoke cigarettes, consume alcohol, and binge drink. Highly extraverted individuals were more likely to smoke cigarettes, consume alcohol, binge drink, and have multiple sexual partners, and they were less likely to engage in alcohol-related harm reduction, use condoms, and get enough sleep. These findings are supportive of a growing body of evidence indicating that conscientiousness and extraversion are robust concomitants of health behaviors among college students.

Using social marketing to manage population health performance.

PubMed

Rothschild, Michael L

2010-09-01

Population health can be affected by implementing pay-for-performance measures with key players. From a social marketing perspective, people (both consumers and managers) have choices and will do what they perceive enhances their own self-interest. The bottom-up focus of social marketing begins with an understanding of the people whose behaviors are targeted. Desired behavior results when people perceive that they will get more value than the cost of behaving and when the resulting offer is perceived to be better than what is obtainable through alternative choices. Incentives should be offered to consumers; managers should receive motivation for their own behavior and understand how to motivate relevant consumers. Pay can be monetary or nonmonetary, tangible or intangible. Everyone is paid for performance. Some are paid well enough to behave as desired; others are offered a poor rate of pay and choose not to behave.

Consumer Education Resources Catalog. 16mm Films, Multi Media Kits, Video Cassettes, Simulations & Games, Printed Material.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Sandra; Bannister, Rosella

This catalog lists teaching-learning resources available for preview at the Michigan Consumer Education Center. A subject index to multi-media identifies titles of films, video casettes, multi-media kits, and games under seven specific subjects. These are (1) Factors Affecting Consumer Behavior, (2) Money Management and Credit, (3) Buying and…

Commercial WWW Site Appeal: How Does It Affect Online Food and Drink Consumers' Purchasing Behavior?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Gregory K.; Manning, Barbara J.

1998-01-01

Reports on an online survey of consumer attitudes toward online storefronts marketing barbecue sauce, cheese, olive oil, potato chips, and other specialty food products. The relationship between consumer attitudes toward Web sites and the likelihood of purchase, as well as demographic factors related to online food and drink buying, are described.…

BRAND PLACEMENT AND CONSUMER CHOICE: AN IN-STORE EXPERIMENT

PubMed Central

Sigurdsson, Valdimar; Saevarsson, Hugi; Foxall, Gordon

2009-01-01

An in-store experiment was performed to investigate the effects of shelf placement (high, middle, low) on consumers' purchases of potato chips. Placement of potato chips on the middle shelf was associated with the highest percentage of purchases. The results confirm the importance of item placement as a factor in consumers' buying behavior. PMID:20190939

How to inject consumerism into your existing health plans.

PubMed

Havlin, Linda J; McAllister, Michael F; Slavney, David H

2003-09-01

Consumerism seeks to create a behavior change on the part of consumers so that they become accountable, knowledgeable and actively engaged in managing their health. It can be used in any existing health plan through targeted plan design changes and consumer education efforts. Employers have many options in addition to consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs).

Different responses of congeneric consumers to an exotic food resource: Who gets the novel resource prize?

Treesearch

Yvette K. Ortega; Leigh F. Greenwood; Ragan M. Callaway; Dean E. Pearson

2014-01-01

Exotic species can provide abundant food resources for native consumers, but predicting which native species will respond positively remains a challenge. We studied the foraging behavior of blackcapped (Poecile atricapillus) andmountain (P. gambeli) chickadees in westernMontana to compare the degree to which these congeric and syntopic consumers exploited larvae of...

78 FR 9020 - Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Further Comment on Specific Issues Related to the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-07

... adjust the Remote Areas Fund usage allowance requirement to reflect consumer behavior, and if so, how... files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau... issues relating to the implementation of the Remote Areas Fund as a portable consumer subsidy program, as...

From loquacious to reticent: understanding patient health information communication to guide consumer health IT design.

PubMed

Valdez, Rupa S; Guterbock, Thomas M; Fitzgibbon, Kara; Williams, Ishan C; Wellbeloved-Stone, Claire A; Bears, Jaime E; Menefee, Hannah K

2017-07-01

It is increasingly recognized that some patients self-manage in the context of social networks rather than alone. Consumer health information technology (IT) designed to support socially embedded self-management must be responsive to patients' everyday communication practices. There is an opportunity to improve consumer health IT design by explicating how patients currently leverage social media to support health information communication. The objective of this study was to determine types of health information communication patterns that typify Facebook users with chronic health conditions to guide consumer health IT design. Seven hundred participants with type 2 diabetes were recruited through a commercial survey access panel. Cluster analysis was used to identify distinct approaches to health information communication both on and off Facebook. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) methods were used to identify demographic and behavioral differences among profiles. Secondary analysis of qualitative interviews ( n  = 25) and analysis of open-ended survey questions were conducted to understand participant rationales for each profile. Our analysis yielded 7 distinct health information communication profiles. Five of 7 profiles had consistent patterns both on and off Facebook, while the remaining 2 demonstrated distinct practices, with no health information communication on Facebook but some off Facebook. One profile was distinct from all others in both health information communication practices and demographic composition. Rationales for following specific health information communication practices were categorized under 6 themes: altruism, instrumental support, social support, privacy and stigma, convenience, and Facebook knowledge. Facebook has been widely adopted for health information communication; This study demonstrates that Facebook has been widely adopted for health information communication. It also shows that the ways in which patients communicate health information on and off Facebook are diverse. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Household income disparities in fruit and vegetable consumption by state and territory: results of the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

PubMed

Grimm, Kirsten A; Foltz, Jennifer L; Blanck, Heidi M; Scanlon, Kelley S

2012-12-01

Few studies take into account the influence of family size on household resources when assessing income disparities in fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption. Poverty income ratio (PIR) is a measure that utilizes both reported income and household size. We sought to examine state-specific disparities in meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives for F/V consumption by percent PIR. This analysis included 353,005 adults in 54 states and territories reporting data to the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in the United States. Percent PIR was calculated using the midpoint of self-reported income range and family size. The prevalences consuming at least two fruits and at least three vegetables per day were examined by percent PIR (<130% [greatest poverty], 130% to <200%, 200% to <400%, and ≥ 400% [least poverty]). The percent of adults consuming vegetables at least three times daily was significantly lower (21.3%) among those living at greatest poverty (<130% PIR) compared with 30.7% among those with least poverty (≥ 400% PIR). Daily consumption of vegetables at least three times was significantly lower among those with greatest poverty in a majority of states and territories surveyed (43 of 54). The overall percent of adults consuming fruits at least 2 times daily was also lower among those living at greatest vs least poverty, but the difference was smaller (32.0% vs 34.2%), with 14 states reporting a difference that was significantly lower among those with greatest poverty. Our study revealed that in 2009 a significantly lower proportion of US adults living at greatest poverty consumed fruits at least two times daily or vegetables at least three times daily compared with those with the least poverty, with greater disparity in vegetable intake. Policy and environmental strategies for increased affordability, access, availability, and point-of-decision information are approaches that may help disparate households purchase and consume F/V. Published by Elsevier Inc.

77 FR 66748 - Truth in Lending (Regulation Z)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-07

... partners who do not work outside the home to obtain credit card accounts. These groups urged the Bureau to... theory certain consumer and issuer behaviors could lead to situations where consumers enter into credit...

Consumer Adoption of Future MyData-Based Preventive eHealth Services: An Acceptance Model and Survey Study.

PubMed

Koivumäki, Timo; Pekkarinen, Saara; Lappi, Minna; Väisänen, Jere; Juntunen, Jouni; Pikkarainen, Minna

2017-12-22

Constantly increasing health care costs have led countries and health care providers to the point where health care systems must be reinvented. Consequently, electronic health (eHealth) has recently received a great deal of attention in social sciences in the domain of Internet studies. However, only a fraction of these studies focuses on the acceptability of eHealth, making consumers' subjective evaluation an understudied field. This study will address this gap by focusing on the acceptance of MyData-based preventive eHealth services from the consumer point of view. We are adopting the term "MyData", which according to a White Paper of the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communication refers to "1) a new approach, a paradigm shift in personal data management and processing that seeks to transform the current organization centric system to a human centric system, 2) to personal data as a resource that the individual can access and control." The aim of this study was to investigate what factors influence consumers' intentions to use a MyData-based preventive eHealth service before use. We applied a new adoption model combining Venkatesh's unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) in a consumer context and three constructs from health behavior theories, namely threat appraisals, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers. To test the research model, we applied structural equation modeling (SEM) with Mplus software, version 7.4. A Web-based survey was administered. We collected 855 responses. We first applied traditional SEM for the research model, which was not statistically significant. We then tested for possible heterogeneity in the data by running a mixture analysis. We found that heterogeneity was not the cause for the poor performance of the research model. Thus, we moved on to model-generating SEM and ended up with a statistically significant empirical model (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] 0.051, Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] 0.906, comparative fit index [CFI] 0.915, and standardized root mean square residual 0.062). According to our empirical model, the statistically significant drivers for behavioral intention were effort expectancy (beta=.191, P<.001), self-efficacy (beta=.449, P<.001), threat appraisals (beta=.416, P<.001), and perceived barriers (beta=-.212, P=.009). Our research highlighted the importance of health-related factors when it comes to eHealth technology adoption in the consumer context. Emphasis should especially be placed on efforts to increase consumers' self-efficacy in eHealth technology use and in supporting healthy behavior. ©Timo Koivumäki, Saara Pekkarinen, Minna Lappi, Jere Väisänen, Jouni Juntunen, Minna Pikkarainen. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 22.12.2017.

Consumer preferences for health and nonhealth outcomes of health promotion: results from a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Alayli-Goebbels, Adrienne F G; Dellaert, Benedict G C; Knox, Stephanie A; Ament, André J H A; Lakerveld, Jeroen; Bot, Sandra D M; Nijpels, G; Severens, J L

2013-01-01

Health promotion (HP) interventions have outcomes that go beyond health. Such broader nonhealth outcomes are usually neglected in economic evaluation studies. To allow for their consideration, insights are needed into the types of nonhealth outcomes that HP interventions produce and their relative importance compared with health outcomes. This study explored consumer preferences for health and nonhealth outcomes of HP in the context of lifestyle behavior change. A discrete choice experiment was conducted among participants in a lifestyle intervention (n = 132) and controls (n = 141). Respondents made 16 binary choices between situations that can be experienced after lifestyle behavior change. The situations were described by 10 attributes: future health state value, start point of future health state, life expectancy, clothing size above ideal, days with sufficient relaxation, endurance, experienced control over lifestyle choices, lifestyle improvement of partner and/or children, monetary cost per month, and time cost per week. With the exception of "time cost per week" and "start point of future health state," all attributes significantly determined consumer choices. Thus, both health and nonhealth outcomes affected consumer choice. Marginal rates of substitution between the price attribute and the other attributes revealed that the attributes "endurance," "days with sufficient relaxation," and "future health state value" had the greatest impact on consumer choices. The "life expectancy" attribute had a relatively low impact and for increases of less than 3 years, respondents were not willing to trade. Health outcomes and nonhealth outcomes of lifestyle behavior change were both important to consumers in this study. Decision makers should respond to consumer preferences and consider nonhealth outcomes when deciding about HP interventions. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Older Adult Consumer Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-Reported Storage Practices of Ready-to-Eat Food Products and Risks Associated with Listeriosis.

PubMed

Evans, Ellen W; Redmond, Elizabeth C

2016-02-01

Consumer implementation of recommended food safety practices, specifically relating to time and temperature control of ready-to-eat (RTE) food products associated with listeriosis are crucial. This is particularly the case for at-risk consumers such as older adults, given the increased listeriosis incidence reported internationally among adults aged ≥60 years. However, data detailing older adults' cognitive risk factors associated with listeriosis are lacking. Combining data about knowledge, self-reported practices, and attitudes can achieve a cumulative multilayered in-depth understanding of consumer food safety behavior and cognition. This study aims to ascertain older adults' cognition and behavior in relation to domestic food handling and storage practices that may increase the risks associated with L. monocytogenes. Older adults (≥60 years) (n = 100) participated in an interview and questionnaire to determine knowledge, self-reported practices, and attitudes toward recommended practices. Although the majority (79%) had positive attitudes toward refrigeration, 84% were unaware of recommended temperatures (5°C) and 65% self-reported "never" checking their refrigerator temperature. Although most (72%) knew that "use-by" dates indicate food safety and 62% reported "always" taking note, neutral attitudes were held, with 67% believing it was safe to eat food beyond use-by dates and 57% reporting doing so. Attitudes toward consuming foods within the recommended 2 days of opening were neutral, with 55% aware of recommendations and , 84% reporting that they consume RTE foods beyond recommendations. Although knowledgeable of some key practices, older adults self-reported potentially unsafe practices when storing RTE foods at home, which may increase risks associated with L. monocytogenes. This study has determined that older adults' food safety cognition may affect their behaviors; understanding consumer food safety cognition is essential for developing targeted food safety education.

An analysis of training, generalization, and maintenance effects of Primary Care Triple P for parents of preschool-aged children with disruptive behavior.

PubMed

Boyle, Cynthia L; Sanders, Matthew R; Lutzker, John R; Prinz, Ronald J; Shapiro, Cheri; Whitaker, Daniel J

2010-02-01

A brief primary care intervention for parents of preschool-aged children with disruptive behavior was assessed using a multiple probe design. Primary Care Triple P, a four session behavioral intervention was sequentially introduced within a multiple probe format to each of 9 families to a total of 10 children aged between 3 and 7 years (males = 4, females = 6). Independent observations of parent-child interaction in the home revealed that the intervention was associated with lower levels of child disruptive behavior both in a target training setting and in various generalization settings. Parent report data also confirmed there were significant reductions in intensity and frequency of disruptive behavior, an increase in task specific parental self-efficacy, improved scores on the Parent Experience Survey, and high levels of consumer satisfaction. All short-term intervention effects were maintained at four-month follow-up. Implications for the delivery of brief interventions to prevent conduct problems are discussed.

The sound of cooperation: Musical influences on cooperative behavior.

PubMed

Kniffin, Kevin M; Yan, Jubo; Wansink, Brian; Schulze, William D

2017-03-01

Music as an environmental aspect of professional workplaces has been closely studied with respect to consumer behavior while sparse attention has been given to its relevance for employee behavior. In this article, we focus on the influence of music upon cooperative behavior within decision-making groups. Based on results from two extended 20-round public goods experiments, we find that happy music significantly and positively influences cooperative behavior. We also find a significant positive association between mood and cooperative behavior. Consequently, while our studies provide partial support for the relevance of affect in relation to cooperation within groups, we also show an independently important function of happy music that fits with a theory of synchronous and rhythmic activity as a social lubricant. More generally, our findings indicate that music and perhaps other atmospheric variables that are designed to prime consumer behavior might have comparably important effects for employees and consequently warrant closer investigation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Journal of Organizational Behavior Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) on patient health-related behaviors and issues.

PubMed

Polen, Hyla H; Khanfar, Nile M; Clauson, Kevin A

2009-01-01

The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars annually on direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Patient perspectives on the impact of televised DTCA on health-related behaviors and issues were assessed by means of a 68-question survey. 58.6% of respondents believed that DTCA allowed consumers to have a more active role in managing their health. However, 27.6% felt DTCA caused confusion, and an alarming 17.8% of respondents stopped taking their medication because of concerns about serious side effects mentioned in DTCA. Overall, participants believed DTCA plays a useful role in health self-management; however, a considerable percentage thought that the cost outweighs the benefits.

Applying a Consumer Behavior Lens to Salt Reduction Initiatives

PubMed Central

Potvin Kent, Monique; Raats, Monique M.; McConnon, Áine; Wall, Patrick; Dubois, Lise

2017-01-01

Reformulation of food products to reduce salt content has been a central strategy for achieving population level salt reduction. In this paper, we reflect on current reformulation strategies and consider how consumer behavior determines the ultimate success of these strategies. We consider the merits of adopting a ‘health by stealth’, silent approach to reformulation compared to implementing a communications strategy which draws on labeling initiatives in tandem with reformulation efforts. We end this paper by calling for a multi-actor approach which utilizes co-design, participatory tools to facilitate the involvement of all stakeholders, including, and especially, consumers, in making decisions around how best to achieve population-level salt reduction. PMID:28820449

Examining Provider Perspectives within Housing First and Traditional Programs

PubMed Central

Henwood, Benjamin F.; Shinn, Marybeth; Tsemberis, Sam; Padgett, Deborah K.

2014-01-01

Pathways’ Housing First represents a radical departure from traditional programs that serve individuals experiencing homelessness and co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. This paper considered two federally funded comparison studies of Pathways’ Housing First and traditional programs to examine whether differences were reflected in the perspectives of frontline providers. Both quantitative analysis of responses to structured questions with close-ended responses and qualitative analysis of open-ended responses to semistructured questions showed that Pathways providers had greater endorsement of consumer values, lesser endorsement of systems values, and greater tolerance for abnormal behavior that did not result in harm to others than their counterparts in traditional programs. Comparing provider perspectives also revealed an “implementation paradox”; traditional providers were inhibited from engaging consumers in treatment and services without housing, whereas HF providers could focus on issues other than securing housing. As programs increasingly adopt a Housing First approach, implementation challenges remain due to an existing workforce habituated to traditional services. PMID:24659925