Affect Consumer Choice Research Articles

Genetic Mapping and QTL Analysis of Fruit Traits in Melon (Cucumis melo L.).

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is an important horticultural cash crop and its quality traits directly affect consumer choice and market price. These traits are controlled by genetic as well as environmental factors. In this study, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping strategy was used to identify the potential genetic loci controlling quality traits of melons (i.e., exocarp and pericarp firmness and soluble solid content) based on newly derived whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism-based cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (SNP-CAPS) markers. Specifically, SNPs of two melon varieties, M4-5 and M1-15, as revealed by whole-genome sequencing, were converted to the CAPS markers, which were used to construct a genetic linkage map comprising 12 chromosomes with a total length of 1414.88 cM, in the F2 population of M4-5 and M1-15. The six identified QTLs included: SSC6.1 and SSC11.1 related to soluble solid content; EF12.1 associated with exocarp firmness; and EPF3.1, EPF3.2 and EPF7.1 related to edible pericarp firmness. These genes were located on five chromosomes (3, 6, 7, 11, and 12) in the flanking regions of the CAPS markers. Moreover, the newly developed CAPS markers will be useful in guiding genetic engineering and molecular breeding in melon.

Genome-wide association study revealed the genomic regions associated with skin pigmentation in an Ogye x White Leghorn F2 chicken population

Skin color in chickens is an economically important trait that determines the first impression of a consumer toward a broiler and can ultimately affect consumer choice in the market. Therefore, identification of genomic regions associated with skin color is crucial for increasing the sales value of chickens. Although previous studies have attempted to reveal the genetic markers associated with the skin coloration in chickens, most were limited to investigations of candidate genes, such as melanin-related genes, and focused on case/control studies based on a single or small population. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 770 F2 intercrosses produced by an experimental population of 2 chicken breeds, namely Ogye and White Leghorns, with different skin colors. The GWAS demonstrated that the L* value among the 3 skin color traits is highly heritable, and the genomic regions located on 2 chromosomes (20 and Z) were detected to harbor SNPs significantly associated with the skin color trait, accounting for most of the total genetic variance. Particular genomic regions spanning a ∼2.94 Mb region on GGA Z and a ∼3.58 Mb region on GGA 20 were significantly associated with skin color traits, and in these regions, certain candidate genes, including MTAP, FEM1C, GNAS, and EDN3, were found. Our findings could help elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying chicken skin pigmentation. Furthermore, the candidate genes can be used to provide a valuable breeding strategy for the selection of specific chicken breeds with ideal skin coloration.

Factors affecting willingness and future intention to eat insects in students of an edible insect course

Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willingness to eat insects in countries without traditions of edible insects have been studied predominantly in Europe, and with a predominant focus on consumer attributes such as levels of food neophobia or disgust. This study examined attitudes in Taiwan, where edible insects are not commonly consumed, and included attributes of edible insects as a food innovation, using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the framework to model explanatory variables affecting consumer choice. These choices not only included willingness to eat insect products in varying levels of disguise, but also the desire, intention, and probability of actually eating insects within the next month, in order to identify factors affecting passive rejection from lack of supply instead of active rejection. Taiwanese students of an edible insect course were surveyed on their willingness and intention to eat insects, and their views towards novel foods, insects in general, and insects as food. Food neophobia and levels of disgust or fear of insects had the strongest effects on respondent willingness and intent to eat insects. Processed insect products were seen as more acceptable, yet also riskier and less acceptable to less innovative consumers. Concern over the environmental footprint of one’s diet correlated with a willingness to replace traditional meat with insects, but otherwise was not a significant predictor of likelihood to eat insects. Variables related to insect product supply such as trialability and observability were not significant, but perceived approval or disapproval from peers and family strongly correlated with willingness to eat insects. Strongly neophobic and entomophobic consumers may remain unwilling to add insects to their diets even if they are educated on the rationale for doing so.

Asserting your mind: Interruptions extremize consumer choices

AbstractInterruptions prevail in the retail environment, especially during consumer decision‐making. However, scant research has examined whether and how interruptions that suspend decisions affect consumer choices. We posit that interruptions heighten the consumers' preference certainty, which leads to a choice extremity effect—consumers choose their preferred products even more and their unpreferred products even less. Six experiments provide convergent evidence for the choice extremity effect and the underlying process. Study 1a shows that interruptions lead to choice extremity with a vice product (i.e., chips). Study 1b confirms the effect in the context of incentive‐compatible choices. Study 2 replicates the choice extremity effect with a virtue product (i.e., yogurts). Study 3 further tests the robustness of the effect with a decision‐related interruption. Study 4 shows that preference certainty mediates the effect of interruptions on choice extremity and rules out the level of arousal and task involvement as alternative accounts. Using a moderation approach, Study 5 shows that the choice extremity effect disappears when consumers have high self‐concept clarity. The present study contributes to research on interruptions, preference certainty, and consumer choices and provides implications for marketers.

Mind the Age Gap! How Problematic Internet Use Affects Adults’ and Emerging Adults’ Well-Being and Prosocial Consumer Behavior

While much has been reported about the negative consequences of the pervasive presence of information and communications technologies in consumers’ everyday lives, the present research enriches the literature on problematic internet use by applying the cognitive-behavioral model in a consumer context, creating a bridge between marketing and psychology research, with novel insights and directions for future research. By means of a moderated mediation model tested on hundreds of consumers, the authors explore whether problematic internet use influences well-being through the mediation of prosocial consumer behavior and the moderation of online-social support. The results show that problematic internet use can indirectly affect individual well-being by affecting consumer choice. Managerial and theoretical implications are addressed.

Understanding the consumption of plant-based meat alternatives and the role of health-related aspects. A study of the Italian market

One possible solution to address some of the current health and environmental challenges we are facing is to choose plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs). However, from the literature, the role of PBMA products in the consumer's diet and whether they are a substitute for red meat consumption or if they only represent an enrichment function is not clear. Moreover, little is known about how health-related aspects affect consumer choices. This study tries to understand the role of PBMAs in consumption habits and the effects of health-related aspects in PBMA consumption. The results show that PBMA consumption occurs in substitution to red meat, and it is associated mainly with healthy and sustainable habits, such as organic food consumption, and socio-demographic factors like higher income and gender. The study findings may help marketers define product value propositions in line with consumers' perceptions.

The role of taxation measures in the management of harmful products, services, and practices in Iran: a qualitative study.

Levying a tax on harmful products, services, and practices can affect consumer choices, effectively preventing diseases and reducing health care costs. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of taxation as a powerful financial tool in the management of harmful products, services, and practices to maintain and improve public health and preserve the financial sustainability of the health care system. This qualitative study was conducted in 2020-2021. In order to collect information for this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Using purposive and snowball sampling methods, 38 managers, policymakers, economists, and key experts were interviewed. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method. The transcribed interviews were further imported into MAXQDA for classification, and relevant codes were extracted. In this study, 6 main themes and 19 subthemes were labeled. The main themes included 1) objectives, effects, and requirements of the taxation of harmful products, services, and practices, 2) definition, instances, elasticity, and grading of harmful products, services, and practices, 3) Problems in controlling harmful products, services, and practices, 4) controlling harmful products, services, and practices, 5) traffic violations and accidents, and social harms, and 6) tax revenue use and the share of health care. The effects of taxing harmful products include reduced access to these products, reduced demand for harmful products, and the promotion of public health. Harmful products, services, and practices have major health and financial implications for individuals, families, and society. To improve public health, the demand for these products and services can be controlled through taxation measures to push consumers toward less harmful alternatives.

Effects of voice assistant recommendations on consumer behavior

AbstractThe present study compares the influence of text‐based recommendations; traditionally known as online consumer reviews, and the influence of voice‐based recommendations provided by voice‐driven virtual assistants on consumer behaviors. Based on media richness theory, the research model investigates how voice versus text modality influences consumers' perceptions of credibility and usefulness, as well as their behavioral intentions and actual behaviors. In addition, the study analyses if these relationships vary based on the type of product and compares the influence of masculine and feminine voices. Two studies were conducted using between‐subjects experimental designs, partial least squares‐structural equation modeling, and logistic regression. The core finding is that voice‐based recommendations are more effective than online consumer reviews in altering consumer behaviors. In addition, the first study showed that the influence of recommendations on behavioral intentions is mediated by consumers' perceptions of their credibility and usefulness. The second study confirmed, in a realistic setting, that voice‐based recommendations affect consumer choices to a greater extent. Recommendations for search products and provided by males are also found to be more effective. These results contribute to the voice assistant and e‐WOM literature by highlighting the effectiveness of voice‐based recommendations in predicting consumer behaviors, confirming that credibility and usefulness are key factors that determine the influence of recommendations, and showing that recommendations are more effective when they focus on search products.

Research on the influence mechanism of consumer psychology on marketing based on big data analysis

In the continuous development of Chinese market economy, consumption behavior has become the most important force in promoting economic development. Under the influence of economic, cultural, social and uncontrollable factors, consumer psychology is also constantly changing, resulting in changes in consumer behavior, which will change the marketing strategies of enterprises in the market. It is of great significance to study consumer demand from the perspective of consumer psychology and guide enterprises to do a good job in product, service and marketing. Fully consider the needs of the actual situation, do a good job of research on consumer psychology in different times, different populations and different regional environments, provide corresponding information support for marketing activities, and ensure the effectiveness of marketing work. Based on this, this paper expounds the factors affecting consumer choice in marketing, explains the changes of contemporary consumer psychology, and puts forward marketing countermeasures based on consumer psychology, in order to achieve long-term and stable development of enterprises.

Chemical contaminant levels in edible seaweeds of the Salish Sea and implications for their consumption.

Despite growing interest in edible seaweeds, there is limited information on seaweed chemical contaminant levels in the Salish Sea. Without this knowledge, health-based consumption advisories can not be determined for consumers that include Tribes and First Nations, Asian and Pacific Islander community members, and recreational harvesters. We measured contaminant concentrations in edible seaweeds (Fucus distichus, F. spiralis, and Nereocystis luetkeana) from 43 locations in the Salish Sea. Metals were analyzed in all samples, and 94 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (i.e. 40 PCBs, 15 PBDEs, 17 PCDD/Fs, and 22 organochlorine pesticides) and 51 PAHs were analyzed in Fucus spp. We compared concentrations of contaminants to human health-based screening levels calculated from the USEPA and to international limits. We then worked with six focal contaminants that either exceeded screening levels or international limits (Cd, total Hg, Pb, benzo[a]pyrene [BaP], and PCBs) or are of regional interest (total As). USEPA cancer-based screening levels were exceeded in 30 samples for the PCBs and two samples for BaP. Cadmium concentrations did not exceed the USEPA noncancer-based screening level but did exceed international limits at all sites. Lead exceeded international limits at three sites. Because there are no screening levels for total Hg and total As, and to be conservative, we made comparisons to methyl Hg and inorganic As screening levels. All samples were below the methyl Hg and above the inorganic As screening levels. Without knowledge of the As speciation, we cannot assess the health risk associated with the As. While seaweed was the focus, we did not consider contaminant exposure from consuming other foods. Other chemicals, such as contaminants of emerging concern (e.g., PFAS, pharmaceuticals and personal care products), should also be considered. Additionally, although we focused on toxicological aspects, there are cultural and health benefits of seaweed use that may affect consumer choice.

Consumer choices under new payment methods

This study suggests a payment portfolio model that includes new payment methods that have emerged from the development of cryptocurrency markets and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Our model analyzes the optimal payment choice for consumers under various macroeconomic conditions. We determine that an individual economic agent chooses payment methods under specific conditions by incorporating policy interest rates on CBDCs and stablecoins used on cryptocurrency exchanges. We analyze the impacts of CBDCs and stablecoins on the choice of whether to use cash or deposits. We also examine how the agent changes her portfolio compositions in response to exogenous macroeconomic policies. If a government replaces cash with a CBDC, the convenience of digital currency would not affect consumer choices. The higher the government’s interest rate on CBDCs, the more consumers will use CBDCs than deposits.

New insights from flavoromics on different heating methods of traditional fermented shrimp paste: The volatile components and metabolic pathways

Traditional Chinese fermented shrimp paste is popular with consumers for its unique seafood flavor and fermented aroma. However, different heating methods exerted various flavors, which directly affect consumer choice and the industrialization of shrimp paste. In this study, the effect of four heating methods (steaming, frying, microwaving, and infrared) on volatile components of shrimp paste were compared by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS), gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) and chemometrics. Results showed that 96 volatile components were identified; The volatile components such as pentanal, ethyl acetate, dimethyl disulfide, and propanal were the characteristic volatile components that could be distinguished between different heating methods. The concentration of phenols and alcohols decreased, and the concentration of ketones and aldehydes increased after heating. The effect of microwave heating on volatile components is closer to that of steaming and frying, while infrared heating had the most significant impact on volatile components of shrimp paste. In addition, steaming, frying, microwaving, and infrared heating improve the aroma quality of shrimp paste by promoting fat oxidation, protein degradation, the Strecker pathway, and the escape of sulfur-containing compounds. Therefore, our results can provide theoretical support for improving shrimp paste quality and consumer choice.

Transformation of the retail payment system in the context of digitalization

Aim. The presented study aims to identify key factors that currently determine the spread and development of various payment methods and that will determine their development in the future.Tasks. The authors analyze the fundamental concepts of digital retail payment methods in Russian and foreign economics; identify factors affecting the emergence and development of payment methods; conduct a survey of students and teachers of economic universities in St. Petersburg regarding the payment methods they use and method choice factors; present results and formulate conclusions.Methods. This study uses general and specific scientific methods, as well as a formal-logical approach. In the course of the study, a survey was conducted with subsequent analysis of its results. Materials for analysis were collected in the major Russian city of St. Petersburg, where many significant financial organizations are located. Google Forms features were used to collect data. The obtained materials were analyzed and systematized.Results. The major factors determining the development of the retail payment system and its prospects in the context of widespread digitalization are identified. According to the authors, these include the minimization of the risks of using payment methods, the convenience of their use, nativeness — intuitive clarity, the efficiency of calculations, and financial benefits (the bank’s business partners, cashback, etc.). Other factors turned out to be less significant from the user perspective.Conclusions. Factors affecting consumer choice when using a particular payment method are usually considered together: the desire to mitigate risks is considered along with convenience, the speed of money transfer — with the possibility of obtaining benefits. The results can be useful for all financial institutions that develop new tools and services and create strategies for promoting retail instruments. Making allowance for user preferences will allow payment service providers to create products of higher quality and develop effective strategies for working in the payment services market.

Total Utility Payment Schemes and New Landscape- Strategic Implications for Mainland China and Taiwan

Consumer payment methods and factors affecting consumer choice of payment methods are analyzed in this study. Convenience, security, and incentives are major factors for consumers to select payment methods or schemes. The dichotomy of consumer payment methods or schemes is used for defining primary consumer payment methods or schemes and confined consumer payment schemes. For expanding uses and profits of the operator(s), consumer payment methods tend to and need to evolve into total utility payment schemes (TUPS), which leads to a drastically new consumer payment landscape. It also affects consumer businesses as well as consumer banking and financial services. Strategies of fast TUPS and swift expansion into Mainland-Chinese frequently would increase substantially the global consumer payment share of Mainland Chinese payment. Close cooperation between Mainland China’s UnionPay and Taiwan banks’ credit/debit cards with appropriate incentives to consumers shall be a strategy in terms of market share and profitability.

To Brush or Not to Brush: Product Rankings, Consumer Search, and Fake Orders

Brushing—online merchants placing fake orders of their own products—has been a widespread phenomenon on major e-commerce platforms. One key reason why merchants brush is that it boosts their rankings in search results. Products with higher sales volume are more likely to rank higher. Additionally, rankings matter because consumers face search frictions and narrow their attention to only the few products that show up at the top. Thus, fake orders can affect consumer choice. In our paper, we find that if brushing gets more costly for merchants (e.g., due to stricter platform policies), it may sometimes surprisingly harm consumers as it may only blunt brushing by the merchant who sells a more popular product but intensify brushing by the merchant selling a less popular product. If search is less costly for consumers (e.g., due to improved search technologies), it may not always benefit consumers, either. Moreover, the design of the ranking algorithm is critical: placing more weight on sales-volume-related factors may trigger a nonmonotone change in consumer welfare; tracking recent sales only as opposed to cumulative sales does not always dial down brushing and, in fact, may sometimes cause the merchant selling a less popular product to brush more.

Consumers’ Attitudes and Purchase Intention for a Vitamin-Enriched Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This study aims to examine Italian consumer preferences for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) enriched with vitamins and to analyze the key drivers that affect consumer choices for this product. Specifically, we assessed consumers’ intention to purchase the enriched product compared to the conventional one. The methodology adopted inferential and multivariate statistical techniques: (1) exploratory factor analysis (EFA), (2) ordinary least squares regression (OLS) and (3) non-hierarchical clustering. This study appears to be the first research project related to exploring consumers’ interest in an extra virgin olive oil enhanced with vitamins, thereby providing preliminary indications. The main results represent a significant starting point for the development of new marketing strategies for the food industry.

Integrated LC-MS/MS and Transcriptome Sequencing Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Color Formation During Prickly Ash Fruit Ripening.

Prickly ash peel is one of the eight major condiments in China and is widely used in cooking because of its unique fragrance and numbing taste. The color of prickly ash fruit is the most intuitive quality that affects consumer choice. However, the main components and key biosynthetic genes responsible for prickly ash fruit color have not yet been determined. To better understand the biosynthetic mechanisms and accumulation of prickly ash fruit color components, we performed an integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of red and green prickly ash fruit at different growth periods. The transcriptome analysis identified 17,269 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between fruit of red and green prickly ash: 7,236 upregulated in green fruit and 10,033 downregulated. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) identified 214 flavonoids of 10 types. Flavonoids and flavonols are the main flavonoids in prickly ash, and the total flavonoid content of red prickly ash is higher than that of green prickly ash. Comprehensive analysis showed that the main colored metabolites that differed between green and red prickly ash were cyanidin-3-O-galactoside and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, and differences in the contents of these metabolites were due mainly to differences in the expression of ANS and UFGT. Our results provide insight into the mechanisms underlying color differences in red and green prickly ash and will be useful for improving the quality of prickly ash fruit.

Cucumber glossy fruit 1 (CsGLF1) encodes the zinc finger protein 6 that regulates fruit glossiness by enhancing cuticular wax biosynthesis.

Cucumber glossiness is an important visual quality trait that affects consumer choice. Accumulating evidence suggests that glossy trait is associated with cuticular wax accumulation. However, the molecular genetic mechanism controlling cucumber glossiness remains largely unknown. Here, we report the map-based cloning and functional characterization of CsGLF1, a locus that determines the glossy trait in cucumber. CsGLF1 encodes a homolog of the Cys2His2-like fold group (C2H2) -type zinc finger protein 6 (ZFP6) and its deletion leads to glossier pericarp and decreased cuticular wax accumulation. Consistently, transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that a group of wax biosynthetic genes were downregulated when CsZFP6 was absent. Further, transient expression assay revealed that CsZFP6 acted as a transcription activator of cuticular wax biosynthetic genes. Taken together, our findings demonstrated a novel regulator of fruit glossiness, which will provide new insights into regulatory mechanism of fruit glossiness in cucumber.

Factors affecting consumer choice of novel non-thermally processed fruit and vegetables products: Evidence from a 4-country study in Europe

A wide variety of novel non-thermal processing technologies (NTPTs) are under development to meet the increasing consumer demand for high-quality fruit and vegetable (F&V) products. Understanding consumers’ needs and possible barriers to acceptance of these technologies is however essential to assess the commercial feasibility of mildly processed F&Vs. Situated within this context, and extending previous work on the topic, in this paper we present results from a large-scale choice-based conjoint analysis consumer survey to investigate consumers’ choice behavior towards NTPT-processed F&V products in four European countries – Denmark, Italy, Serbia, and Spain, using three model products – orange juice, iceberg salad, and cherry tomatoes respectively processed via three NTPT – mild processing, novel washing, and active packaging, compared to three conventional processing techniques – pasteurization, conventional washing, and conventional packaging, respectively. Images of the three product categories were developed to systematically vary in three key attributes: stated benefits (health and nutrition, natural taste, shelf-life), information on processing (conventional, NTPT), and price point (reference, premium price). The results showed that, out of the three attributes considered, “stated benefit” was the most important driver of consumer choice – in all countries and across product categories. Benefits relevant to health and nutrition, and to natural taste were more positively received, compared to extension of shelf-life. Information on processing and price levels had a similar influence on consumer choice of iceberg salad and cherry tomatoes, whilst for orange juice processing had a larger effect than price, suggesting that information on processing may be more impactful for F&V-derived products than for fresh produce. Individual differences among consumers according to country, age, gender, and dietary status, appeared small and transient. The most consequential individual characteristic was consumers’ level of food technology neophobia (FTN), with results showing that high FTN consumers (17% of the sample) were less likely to choose F&V treated with NTPT, compared to consumers with medium or low FTN. Overall, this research suggests that products treated with NTPT may have a broad appeal across European consumers, and that targeted communication explicitly and efficiently focusing on health and taste benefits has the greatest chance to meet consumer preferences.

A Case for Openness \u2013 Book Publishing and the Role of Amazon

The presence of Amazon is ubiquitous, especially in the online bookstore and e-book market. The introduction of the “Kindle” further cemented Amazon’s dominant position and business model in the market, having negative implications for authors, publishers and consumers. Publishers have less control over setting the price to have access to Amazon’s customer base. This will affect the authors’ remuneration and attribution. On the other hand, Kindle users are locked-in consumers, limited to Amazon’s e-book offering. This not only affects consumer choice but also reinforces Amazon’s market power due to the significant network effects. The European Commission attempted to increase competition in the e-book market by banning most-favourite-nation clauses, but this has seemingly failed. This article advocates for enforcing the Kindle’s interoperability with the e-book formats of other e-book providers. The proposed approach is beneficial for publishers as well as consumers. It safeguards copyright aims while alleviating the contractual constraints imposed by Amazon. Furthermore, consumers would benefit from broader flexibility when using their Kindle, allowing them to store and read e-books from the provider of their choice.