Although relatively under-researched, behavioral influence strategies commonly are used by marketers to modify consumer demand. Reported here are the results of a field experiment which tested the effectiveness of trial and incentive behavioral influence strategies. The efficacy of using self-perception theory to explain and predict behavior is assessed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AakerDavid A. “The Long-Term Value of Temporary Price Reductions,” unpublished doctoral dissertation, Stanford University, 1969.
2.
AakerDavid A. “A Measure of Brand Acceptance,” Journal of Marketing Research, 9 (May1972), 160–7.
3.
BandlerR. J., MadarasG. R., and BemD. J.. “Self-Observation as a Source of Pain Perception,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 9 (July1968), 205–9.
4.
BaronR. A. “The Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon: Mediating Effects of Size of First Request and Sex of Requester,” Bulletin of Psychonomic Society, 2 (August1973), 113–4.
5.
BassFrank M., PessemierEdgar A., and LehmanDonald R.. “An Experimental Study of Relationships Between Attitudes, Brand Preference, and Choice,” Behavioral Science, 17 (November1972), 532–41.
6.
BemD. J. “An Experimental Analysis of Self-Persuasion,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1 (August1965), 199–218.
7.
BemD. J. “Self-Perception Theory,” in BerkowitzL., ed., Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 6. New York: Academic Press, 1972, p. 1–62.
8.
BettmanJames R., CaponNoel, and LutzRichard. “Cognitive Algebra in Multi-Attribute Attitude Models,” Journal of Marketing Research, 12 (May1975), 151–65.
9.
BettmanJames R., CaponNoel, and LutzRichard. “Multi-Attribute Measurement Models and Multi-Attribute Attitude Theory: A Test of Construct Validity,” Journal of Consumer Research, 1 (March1975), 1–15.
10.
BogartK., LoebA., and RutminI. D.. “Behavioral Consequences of Cognitive Dissonance,” paper presented at the Eastern Psychological Association meetings, 1969.
11.
CalderBobby J. and StawBarry M.. “Self-Perception of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31 (April1975), 599–605.
12.
CialdiniR. B. “A Test of Two Techniques for Inducing Verbal, Behavioral, and Further Compliance with a Request to Give Blood,” in review.
13.
CohenJoel B., FishbeinMartin, and AhtolaO.. “The Nature and Uses of Expectancy-Value Models in Consumer Attitude Research,” Journal of Marketing Research, 9 (November1972), 456–60.
14.
DavisonG. and ValinsS.. “Maintenance of Self-Attributed and Drug-Attributed Behavior Change,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 11 (January1969), 25–33.
DayGeorge S. “Theories of Attitude Structure and Change,” in WardS. and RobertsonT. S., eds., Consumer Behavior: Theoretical Sources.Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1973, p. 303–53.
17.
DyerRobert F. and KuehlPhilip G.. “The Corrective Advertising Remedy of the FTC: An Experimental Evaluation,” Journal of Marketing, 38 (January1974), 48–54.
18.
DeciE. L. “The Effects of Externally Mediated Rewards on Intrinsic Motivation,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18 (April1971), 105–15.
19.
DoobA. N., CarlsmithJ. M., FreedmanJ. L., LandauerT. K., and TomS.. “Effect of Initial Selling Price on Subsequent Sales,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18 (April1971), 105–15.
20.
FreedmanJ. L. and FraserS. C.. “Compliance Without Pressure: The Foot-in-the Door Technique,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4 (August1966) 195–202.
21.
GinterJames L. “An Experimental Investigation of Attitude Change and Choice of a New Brand,” Journal of Marketing Research, 11 (February1974), 30–40.
22.
HeelerRoger M., KearneyMichael J., and MehaffeyBruce J.. “Modelling Supermarket Product Selection,” Journal of Marketing Research, 10 (February1973), 34–7.
23.
KelleyH. H. “Attribution in Social Interaction,” in JonesE. E. et al., Attribution: Perceiving the Causes of Behavior.Morristown, New Jersey: General Learning Press, 1971, p. 1–26.
24.
KeppelGeoffrey. Design and Analysis: A Researcher's Handbook.Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1973.
25.
KieslerC. A., NisbettR. E., and ZannaM. P.. “On Inferring One's Beliefs from One's Behavior,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.11 (April1969), 321–27.
26.
KraftFrederic B., GranboisDonald H., and SummersJohn O.. “Brand Evaluation and Brand Choice: A Longitudinal Study,” Journal of Marketing Research, 10 (August1973), 235–41.
27.
KruglanskiA. W., FreedmanI., and ZeeviG.. “The Effect of Extrinsic Incentive on Some Qualitative Aspects of Task Performance,” Journal of Personality, 39 (December1971), 606–17.
28.
KruglanskiA. W., AlonS., and LewisT., “Retrospective Misattribution and Task Enjoyment,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 8 (November1972), 493–501.
29.
KruglanskiA. W., RiterA., AmitaiA., MargolinB., ShabtaiL., and ZakshD., “Can Money Enhance Intrinsic Motivation?: A Test of the Content-Consequence Hypothesis,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31 (April1975), 744–750.
30.
LehmanDonald R. “Television Show Preference: Application of a Choice Model,” Journal of Marketing Research, 8 (February1971), 47–55.
31.
LepperM. R. and GreeneD.. “Turning Play into Work: Effects of Adult Surveillance and Extrinsic Rewards on Children's Intrinsic Motivation,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31 (March1975), 479–86.
32.
LepperM. R., GreeneD., and NisbettR. E.. “Undermining Children's Intrinsic Interest with Extrinsic Rewards: A Test of the Overjustification Hypothesis,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28 (October1973), 129–37.
33.
LeventhalG. M., YountsC. M., and LundA. K.. “Tolerance for Inequity in Buyer-Seller Relationships,” Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2 (July-September1972), 308–18.
McArthurL. A. “The How and What of Why: Some Determinants and Consequences of Causal Attribution,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 22 (May1972), 171–93.
36.
MillerR. L., BrickmanP., and BolenD.. “Attribution Versus Persuasion as a Means of Modifying Behavior,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31 (March1975), 430–41.
37.
MischelWalter. Personality and Assessment.New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1968.
38.
MyersJerome L.Fundamentals of Experimental Design, 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1972.
39.
NicosiaF. M. and RosenbergB.. “Substantive Modeling in Consumer Attitude Research: Some Practical Uses,” working paper no. 78, Institute of Business and Economic Research, University of California at Berkeley, October1971.
40.
PlinerP., HartH., KohlJ., and SaariD.. “Compliance Without Pressure: Some Further Data on the Foot-in-the-Door Technique,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 10 (January1974), 17–22.
41.
SawyerAlan G. “The Effects of Repetition of Refutational and Supportive Advertising Appeals,” Journal of Marketing Research, 19 (February1973), 23–33.
42.
ScottC. A. “Past Behavior, Incentives, and Maintained Behavior Change: A Field Study of Self-Attribution Theory,” unpublished doctoral dissertation, Northwestern University, 1975.
43.
ShethJ. N. and TalarzykW. Wayne, “Perceived Instrumentality and Value Importance as Determinants of Attitudes,” Journal of Marketing Research, 9 (February1972), 6–9.
44.
SiegalS.Non-Parametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences.New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1956.
45.
SnyderMark and CunninghamM. R.. “To Comply or Not Comply: Testing the Self-Perception Explanation of the Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31 (January1975), 64–7.
46.
SternthalBrian and CraigC. Samuel, “Fear Appeals: Revisited and Revised,” Journal of Consumer Research, 1 (December1974), 22–34.
47.
SternthalBrian and CraigC. Samuel. “Humor in Advertising,” Journal of Marketing, 37 (October1974), 12–8.
48.
StormsM. D. and NisbettR. E.. “Insomnia and the Attribution Process,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 16 (October1970), 319–28.
49.
ValinsS. “Cognitive Effects of False-Heart-Rate Feedback,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4 (October1966), 400–8.
50.
WilkieW. L. and PessemeirE. A.. “Issues in Marketing's Use of Multi-Attribute Attitude Models,” Journal of Marketing Research, 10 (November1973), 428–41.
51.
WinterFrederick W. “A Laboratory Experimental Study of the Dynamics of Attitude and Choice Behavior,” unpublished doctoral dissertation, Purdue University, 1972.
52.
WoodsideArch G. “Over-Rewarding the Consumer,” in BeckerB. W. and BeckerH., eds., Combined Proceedings of the American Marketing Association, 1972, p. 396–9.