Context Data Under Different Sensory Channels Affects The Compromise Effect When Shopping

The compromise effect refers to the fact that in a choice set,when the value of each attribute of an option is in the middle position,the choice share of that option far exceeds that of the options whose values of each attribute are in the two sides.Extremeness Aversion Theory,which argues that the compromise effect arises because people value losses more than gains,is the classical explanation for the compromise effect.Following the Extremeness Aversion Theory,the Expected-Loss Minimization Theory argues that the compromise effect arises by means of mathematical calculations and may be the underlying mechanism of the Extremeness Aversion Theory.This study explored the theoretical mechanisms by which the compromise effect arose through a pilot experiment and three formal experiments.The pilot experiment identified two attributes for each of the clothing and USB flash drive products through a questionnaire,determined their attribute values based on expected loss minimization theory,and identified the music stimulus material that would be used in Experiment 2.Experiment 1 was designed to investigate the validity of the expected loss gap setting for the clothing product in the pilot experiment,as well as to test the expected loss minimization theory.A 2(EL size: small,large)× 2(choice set type: ABC,BCD)between-subjects design was used.Experiment 2builds on Experiment 1 by initiating emotions through music,thus exploring the effect of contextual data on the compromise effect under the auditory channel,thus demonstrating the logical connection between expected loss minimization theory and extreme aversion theory.A2(context data type: excited,calm)× 2(EL size: small,large)× 2(choice set type: ABC,BCD)between-subjects design was used.Experiment 3 verified the robustness of the results of Experiment 2 under the visual channel by presenting visual stimuli to activate the relevant sensations of the subjects.A 2(context data type: excited,calm)× 2(EL size: small,large)×2(choice set type: ABC,BCD)between-subjects design was used.The experimental results showed that:(1)No significant level of compromise effect was produced when the expected-loss gap was small,and the compromise effect was significantly enhanced when the expected-loss gap was large.(2)In the group with smaller expected-loss,the compromise effect was significantly enhanced by the calm context data(compared to the excited group);in the group with higher expected-loss,the compromise effect was significantly enhanced by the excited context data(compared to the calm group).(3)The effect of context data on the compromise effect in each group under the visual channel was similar to that under the auditory channel.