Consumers' variety-seeking behaviors under time pressure: Based on regulatory focus and excitement levels

  • Yi-weng Yang 1 ,
  • Jia Liu , 2 ,
  • Yi Wang , 3
Expand
  • 1. School of Economics and Management, North China University of Technology, Beijing, China
  • 2. Graduate School, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
  • 3. School of Business, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
liujia@cufe.edu.cn
wangyi@cufe.edu.cn

Received date: 23 Apr 2023

Accepted date: 23 Apr 2024

Published date: 20 Mar 2024

Copyright

2024 2024 The Authors. PsyCh Journal published by Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Abstract

Variety-seeking behavior has received substantial attention in marketing literature. Although various explanations of the causes of variety-seeking explore the influence of consumers' internal psychological characteristics on behavioral decisions, few studies have been conducted on external factors. With the fast pace of modern life and the increasing trend of online shopping, consumers often face time constraints when making purchasing decisions. This study examines the impact of time pressure as a significant external environmental factor on consumers' variety-seeking behavior. A conceptual framework is developed based on construal level theory to uncover the influencing mechanism of time pressure on variety-seeking behavior while also considering the effects of the consumer's personality and emotional state. We conducted two experiments to investigate the moderating effect of regulatory focus from the personality perspective and excitement level from the emotional state perspective. Study 1 found that time pressure significantly affects variety-seeking behavior. Additionally, consumers with prevention regulatory focus tend to exhibit more variety-seeking behavior when not under time pressure. Study 2 supports the main effect and shows that the level of excitement affects the impact of time pressure on variety-seeking behavior. Therefore, this study contributes to the literature on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions by presenting a robust theoretical framework that provides practical insights and implications for enterprise managers.

Cite this article

Yi-weng Yang , Jia Liu , Yi Wang . Consumers' variety-seeking behaviors under time pressure: Based on regulatory focus and excitement levels[J]. Psych Journal, 2024 , 13(3) : 440 -455 . DOI: 10.1002/pchj.770

1
Ackerman, D. S., & Gross, B. L. (2003). So many choices, so little time: Measuring the effects of free choice and enjoyment on perception of free time, time pressure, and deprivation. Advances in Consumer Research, 30, 290–294.

2
Afonso Vieira, V., & Vaz Torres, C. (2013). The effect of motivational orientation over arousal-shopping response relationship. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 21(2), 158–167.

DOI

3
Argo, J. J., Dahl, D. W., & Manchanda, R. V. (2005). The influence of a mere social presence in a retail context. Journal of Consumer Research, 32(2), 207–212.

DOI

4
Bar-Anan, Y., Liberman, N., & Trope, Y. (2006). The association between psychological distance and construal level: Evidence from an implicit association test. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 135(4), 609–622.

DOI

5
Beldona, S., Moreo, A. P., & Mundhra, G. D. (2010). The role of involvement and variety-seeking in eating out behaviors. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 22(3), 433–444.

DOI

6
Belli, A., Carrillat, F. A., Zlatevska, N., & Cowley, E. (2024). How does time pressure influence risk preferences? Answers from a meta-analysis. Journal of Consumer Research, 50(6), 1172–1197.

DOI

7
Campbell, M. C., & Goodstein, R. C. (2001). The moderating effect of perceived risk on consumers' evaluations of product incongruity: Preference for the norm. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(3), 439–449.

DOI

8
Chintagunta, P. K. (1998). Inertia and variety seeking in a model of brand-purchase timing. Marketing Science, 17(3), 253–270.

DOI

9
Cui, H., Yao, F., Jin, X., Zhao, T. Y., Xu, W., & Smyczek, S. (2023). Effect of regulatory focus on food variety-seeking behavior of Chinese tourists. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 47(1), 153–176.

DOI

10
Dhar, R., & Nowlis, S. M. (1999). The effect of time pressure on consumer choice deferral. Journal of Consumer Research, 25(4), 369–384.

DOI

11
Etkin, J., & Mogilner, C. (2016). Does variety among activities increase happiness? Journal of Consumer Research, 43(2), 210–229.

DOI

12
Fisher, R. J. (1993). Social desirability bias and the validity of indirect questioning. Journal of Consumer Research, 20(2), 303–315.

DOI

13
Godinho, S., Prada, M., & Garrido, M. V. (2016). Under pressure: An integrative perspective of time pressure impact on consumer decision-making. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 28(4), 251–273.

DOI

14
Gullo, K., Berger, J., Etkin, J., & Bollinger, B. (2019). Does time of day affect variety-seeking? Journal of Consumer Research, 46(1), 20–35.

DOI

15
Hagtvedt, H. (2011). The impact of incomplete typeface logos on perceptions of the firm. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 86–93.

DOI

16
Hamilton, R. (2014). Decisions at a distance: Effects of psychological distance on consumer decision making. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(2), 3–6.

DOI

17
Herrington, J., & Capella, L. (1995). Shopper reactions to perceived time pressure. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 23, 13–20.

DOI

18
Higgins, E. T. (1997). Beyond pleasure and pain. American Psychologist, 52(12), 1280–1300.

DOI

19
Higgins, E. T. (2000). Making a good decision: Value from fit. American Psychologist, 55(11), 1217–1230.

DOI

20
Higgins, E. T., Friedman, R. S., Harlow, R. E., Idson, L. C., Ayduk, O. N., & Taylor, A. (2001). Achievement orientations from subjective histories of success: Promotion pride versus prevention pride. European Journal of Social Psychology, 31(1), 3–23.

DOI

21
Higgins, E. T., Shah, J., & Friedman, R. (1997). Emotional responses to goal attainment: Strength of regulatory focus as moderator. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72(3), 515–525.

DOI

22
Higgins, E. T., & Spiegel, S. (2004). Promotion and prevention strategies for self-regulation: A motivated cognition perspective. In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications (pp. 171–187). The Guilford Press.

23
Kahn, B. E., & Louie, T. A. (1991). Effects of price promotions on variety-seeking and reinforcement behavior. Marketing Science, 10(4), 316–337.

DOI

24
Kahn, B., & Ratner, R. (2005). Variety for the sake of variety? Diversification motives in consumer choice. In Inside consumption: Consumer motives, goals, and desires (pp. 102–121). Routledge.

25
Keller, P. A., Lee, A. Y., & Sternthal, B. (2004). Fitting construal to judgment: The compatibility effect of regulatory focus and level of construal. [Unpublished manuscript]. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

26
Kim, H., Chung, J. Y., & Lee, M. (2020). Consumer's response to time restrictions: Role of construal level. Journal of Marketing Communications, 26(2), 207–228.

DOI

27
Koschate-Fischer, N., Hoyer, W. D., Stokburger-Sauer, N. E., & Engling, J. (2018). Do life events always lead to change in purchase? The mediating role of change in consumer innovativeness, the variety-seeking tendency, and price consciousness. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 46, 516–536.

DOI

28
Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2010). Principles of marketing. Pearson Education.

29
Lanaj, K., Chang, C. H., & Johnson, R. E. (2012). Regulatory focus and work-related outcomes: A review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138(5), 998–1034.

DOI

30
Larson, R. B. (2019). Controlling social desirability bias. International Journal of Market Research, 61(5), 534–547.

DOI

31
Lattin, J. M., & McAlister, L. (1985). Using a variety-seeking model to identify substitute and complementary relationships among competing products. Journal of Marketing Research, 22(3), 330–339.

DOI

32
Ledgerwood, A., Trope, Y., & Chaiken, S. (2010). Flexibility now, consistency later: Psychological distance and construal shape evaluative responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(1), 32–51.

DOI

33
Levav, J., & Zhu, R. (2009). Seeking freedom through variety. Journal of Consumer Research, 36(4), 600–610.

DOI

34
Li, D., Yang, K., & Zhou, R. (2007). An empirical study on consumer repurchase intention and its influencing factors. Journal of Management, 4(5), 654.

35
Liberman, N., Sagristano, M. D., & Trope, Y. (2002). The effect of temporal distance on level of mental construal. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38(6), 523–534.

DOI

36
Liberman, N., & Trope, Y. (1998). The role of feasibility and desirability considerations in near and distant future decisions: A test of temporal construal theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 5–18.

DOI

37
Liu, C. W., Hsieh, A. Y., Lo, S. K., & Hwang, Y. (2017). What consumers see when time is running out: Consumers' browsing behaviors on online shopping websites when under time pressure. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 391–397.

38
Lockwood, P., Jordan, C. H., & Kunda, Z. (2002). Motivation by positive or negative role models: Regulatory focus determines who will best inspire us. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(4), 854–864.

DOI

39
Maimaran, M., & Wheeler, S. C. (2008). Circles, squares, and choice: The effect of shape arrays on uniqueness and variety seeking. Journal of Marketing Research, 45(6), 731–740.

DOI

40
McAlister, L. (1982). A dynamic attribute satiation model of variety-seeking behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 9(2), 141–150.

DOI

41
McAlister, L., & Pessemier, E. (1982). Variety-seeking behavior: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Consumer Research, 9(3), 311–322.

DOI

42
Menon, S., & Kahn, B. E. (1995). The impact of context on variety seeking in product choices. Journal of Consumer Research, 22(3), 285–295.

DOI

43
Mohan, G., Sivakumaran, B., & Sharma, P. (2012). Store environment's impact on variety seeking behavior. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 19(4), 419–428.

DOI

44
Mostafa, M. M. (2006). Gender differences in Egyptian consumers' green purchase behaviour: The effects of environmental knowledge, concern and attitude. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 31(3), 220–229.

DOI

45
Paulhus, D. L., & Lim, D. T. K. (1994). Arousal and evaluative extremity in social judgments: A dynamic complexity model. European Journal of Social Psychology, 24(1), 89–99.

DOI

46
Pham, M. T., & Avnet, T. (2004). Ideals and oughts and the reliance on affect versus substance in persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 30(4), 503–518.

DOI

47
Ratner, R. K., & Kahn, B. E. (1999). Choosing less-preferred experiences for the sake of variety. Journal of Consumer Research, 26(1), 1–15.

DOI

48
Ratner, R. K., & Kahn, B. E. (2002). The impact of private versus public consumption on variety-seeking behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 29(2), 246–257.

DOI

49
Read, D., Loewenstein, G., & Kalyanaraman, S. (1999). Mixing virtue and vice: Combining the immediacy effect and the diversification heuristic. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 12(4), 257–273.

DOI

50
Roehm, H. A., & Roehm, M. L. (2004). Variety-seeking and time of day: Why leader brands hope young adults shop in the afternoon, but follower brands hope for morning. Marketing Letters, 15(4), 213–221.

DOI

51
Roehm, H. A., Jr., & Roehm, M. L. (2005). Revisiting the effect of positive mood on variety seeking. Journal of Consumer Research, 32, 330–336.

DOI

52
Ryu, K., & Jang, S. C. S. (2007). The effect of environmental perceptions on behavioral intentions through emotions: The case of upscale restaurants. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 31(1), 56–72.

DOI

53
Salisbury, L. C., & Feinberg, F. M. (2012). All things considered? The role of choice set formation in diversification. Journal of Marketing Research, 49(3), 320–335.

DOI

54
Steenkamp, J. B. E., & Baumgartner, H. (1992). The role of optimum stimulation level in exploratory consumer behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 19(3), 434–448.

55
Sun, W., Chang, E. C., & Xu, Y. (2023). The effects of background music tempo on consumer variety-seeking behavior: The mediating role of arousal. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1236006.

DOI

56
Trope, Y. (2004). Theory in social psychology: Seeing the forest and the trees. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 8(2), 193–200.

DOI

57
Trope, Y., & Liberman, N. (2003). Temporal construal. Psychological Review, 110(3), 403–421.

DOI

58
Tuu, H. H., & Olsen, S. O. (2013). Consideration set size, variety seeking, and the satisfaction-repurchase loyalty relationship at a product category level. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 25(4), 590–613.

DOI

59
Wirtz, J., Mattila, A. S., & Tan, R. L. P. (2000). The moderating role of target-arousal on the impact of affect on satisfaction—An examination in the context of service experiences. Journal of Retailing, 76(3), 347–365.

DOI

60
Yao, Q., Yue, G., Wu, C., Li, Y., & Chen, C. (2008). Measurement dimension of adjustment orientation and reliability and validity test of questionnaire. Applied Psychology, 14(4), 318–323.

61
Ye, S., Yao, K., & Xue, J. (2023). Leveraging empowering leadership to improve employees' improvisational behavior: The role of promotion focus and willingness to take risks. Psychological Reports.

DOI

62
Yi, W., Liu, J., & Sun, G. (2020). Acquaintances or strangers, whom will consumers change their behavior for? The effect of different social presences on consumer variety-seeking behavior. Journal of Central University of Finance & Economics, 2020(4), 126–132.

DOI

63
Yu, H., Yuan, P., & Liu, Y. (2008). Research on the influence of selecting environment on diversified seeking behavior in network. Nankai Management Review, 11(3), 31–38.

64
Zhang, Y. (2022). Variety-seeking behavior in consumption: A literature review and future research directions. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 874444.

DOI

Options
Outlines

/