FASHION INNOVATIVENESS PREDICTORS: PERCEIVED ATTRIBUTES OF INNOVATIONS AND PSYCHOGRAPHICS

The study was designed to investigate the role of perceived attributes of innovations and psychographics in predicting fashion innovativeness in the area of apparel. A descriptive survey design was used to achieve the objectives of the study. The dependent variable in the study was fashion innovativeness; two sets of independent variables were used in an attempt to predict fashion innovativeness: perceived attributes of innovations and psychographics.; The questionnaire was administered to 181 undergraduate women enrolled in an introductory marketing course at a large midwestern university. The questionnaire consisted of four measures which were developed or adapted for use in the study: Fashion Innovativeness, Perceived Attributes of Innovations, Psychographics, and Fashion Information Sources.; The principal statistical tests employed in the study were factor analysis, stepwise multiple regression, and Cronbach's coefficient alpha test for reliability. The reliability coefficients for the measures were as follows: Perceived Innovation Attributes, .83; Psychographics, .86; Fashion Information Sources, .86.; Before the hypotheses were tested the Psychographic Measure and the Perceived Attributes of Innovations Measure were factor analyzed which resulted in four factors for the Psychographic Measure: Fashion Interest, Self-confidence, Venturesomeness, and Body Satisfaction; and, three factors for the perceived Attributes of Innovations Measure: Relative Advantage, Perceived Risk, and Compatibility.; Respondents' factor scores on the perceived Attributes of Innovations Measure and Psychographic Measure and total scores on the Fashion Information Sources Measure were entered into the stepwise multiple regression analysis. Three of the variables were found to be predictive of Fashion Innovativeness: Relative Advantage, Fashion interest, and Perceived risk. The results of the study provide evidence that Perceived Attributes of Innovations are more predictive of Fashion Innovativeness than Psychographics. The findings have implications for apparel marketers in that Perceived Attributes of Innovations may be useful in predicting early adoption of new clothing styles.