阻礙效應與產品屬性在消費者學習過程中對產品評斷的影響

Abstract

本研究利用兩種學習理論：人類連結記憶模式與適應性網絡模式，來解釋消費者是透過何種方式來學習品牌與屬性這兩種產品線索，以及如何利用產品線索建立預測系統。本研究採用實驗設計的方式進行研究，藉著操弄產品線索出現的次數與順序，來觀察消費者在不同情況下的學習過程是否也有所差異，也希望能藉此了解品牌與屬性在消費者的學習過程中是否擁有不同的權重。此外，本研究另一個目的為藉由實驗的操弄觀察消費者在延伸產品上的品質評價，並進一步得知品牌權益的變動與延伸， 本研究發現，在品牌與屬性資訊同時出現的情況下，消費者會傾向使用屬性來預測產品品質。這證實了消費者在學習過程中是以邏輯為基礎的觀點來學習如何預測產品品質。但若是讓消費者先學習到品牌與品質間的連結關係之後，消費者便會增加品牌的預測能力，進而建立品牌權益。因此本研究建議廠商在安排產品資訊時，可以利用這種阻礙效應，先將品牌名稱與產品價值的連結曝露給消費者，讓消費者先建立品牌與品質間的連結，才不會使品牌權益被產品屬性稀釋掉，也有利於廠商更進一步的建立品牌忠誠度或推出延伸產品。

We try to explain how consumers learn the two predict cues, brand and attribute, and how they develop the predict system on the basis of two learning theories: Human Associative Memory (HAM) and Adaptive Network Model. We use experimental design to observe if learning process will be different in different situations by manipulating the frequency and order of predictive cues. And we also want to know whether brand and attribute have different weight in the learning process. Besides, another purpose of this thesis is to examine the variation of brand equity and brand extension in quality evaluation of extension category. We find that consumers tend to predict product quality by attributes if brand and attribute information come together. It proves that consumers assess predictiveness and causality through normative causal-reasoning processes. But consumers will add brand predictiveness and then brand equity is built after preexposure of the relationship of brand and quality. Because of blocking effect, we suggest firms can expose the linkage of brand name and product evaluation to consumers first, then brand equity will not be diluted by attribute equity. Furthermore, firms will be advantageous to develop brand loyalty and brand extension.