Effects of Information Messages on Consumers’ Decision Making in the Context of Public Parks

Abstract

This study tests the relative efficacy of different types of information messages on customers' willingness to pay half of the regular daily entrance price and purchase a half-priced 'Texas Conservation Passport' (TCP). A sample of 4,093 was selected through mail survey. The experimental design used in this study was an extension of the Posttest-Only Control Group Design that included one control message and three treatment messages. Out of two hypotheses built by the author, one hypothesis that asked whether respondents had willingness to pay half price for a TCP after the four information messages were provided, was rejected, while the other hypothesis was not rejected. Thus, results of this study partially confirmed the effects of information messages on consumers' decision making.