Current Search: consumer behavior (x)
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- Title
- THE DARK SIDE: STUDY OF THE ROLE OF SKIN TONE ON CONSUMER PERCEPTION.
- Creator
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Sablon, Kelcey, McConnell, Daniel, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The intent of this thesis is to explore the effects and influencers of skin tone on consumer perception. Firstly we conducted a primary study to test the effects of skin tone on service provider quality. The results showed that while skin tone had little effect, gender and ethnicity were more indicative. Therefore our study seeks to re-test the relationship between skin tone and consumer service perception as well as the effects of ethnicity and tipping behavior, and if a consumer's cultural...
Show moreThe intent of this thesis is to explore the effects and influencers of skin tone on consumer perception. Firstly we conducted a primary study to test the effects of skin tone on service provider quality. The results showed that while skin tone had little effect, gender and ethnicity were more indicative. Therefore our study seeks to re-test the relationship between skin tone and consumer service perception as well as the effects of ethnicity and tipping behavior, and if a consumer's cultural identity strength plays a role in consumer perception. We examined the differences across ethnicities i.e. White, Hispanic, and African American. Specifically we were interested in any potential differences across skin tone (light skinned vs. dark skinned) within African American and Hispanic service providers. Firstly we sought out stock images that portrayed easily identifiable ethnicities. We exposed the respondents to those images in which we asked them to identify the ethnicity of the image as a manipulation check for ethnicity. In the actual study, all respondents were given the same service scenario with the image of one of the ten (White, light or dark skinned Hispanic, light or dark skinned African American, male or female) stock photos. Respondents were asked to rate the service quality, satisfaction, and tip amount. The data was analyzed as a 2 way independent-groups design.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004603, ucf:45307
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004603
- Title
- THE EFFECT OF LOVESTYLE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: ATTRACTING A PARTNER AND FORMING A RELATIONSHIP.
- Creator
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Yeh, Fonda, Massiah, Carolyn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Erotic stimuli in the consumer's environment can lead to affective responses, which produce traits such as erotophobia-erotophilia and lovestyle. Individuals can be classified as one of six main lovestyles, as well as erotophilic (having a positive view towards sexual behaviors) or erotophobic (having a negative view towards sexual behaviors). A person's style of loving may affect which products he or she perceives to be helpful in attracting potential sexual and relationship partners. I...
Show moreErotic stimuli in the consumer's environment can lead to affective responses, which produce traits such as erotophobia-erotophilia and lovestyle. Individuals can be classified as one of six main lovestyles, as well as erotophilic (having a positive view towards sexual behaviors) or erotophobic (having a negative view towards sexual behaviors). A person's style of loving may affect which products he or she perceives to be helpful in attracting potential sexual and relationship partners. I investigated this possible correlation by examining (1) whether each lovestyle is erotophilic or erotophobic and (2) which products erotophilic individuals are more likely to buy as opposed to those that erotophobic individuals are more likely to buy in (a) attracting sexual partners and (b) attracting relationship partners. The study indicated that lovestyle did not predict erotophobia-erotophilia, nor did the erotophobia-erotophilia trait predict which products an individual bought. However, a significant relationship was found between gender and erotophobia-erotophilia, as well as between gender and many of the products. Overall, the findings suggest that gender is the biggest predictor of what products were perceived as helpful in attracting sexual and relationship partners.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004528, ucf:45168
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004528
- Title
- The Effect of Food Labeling and Environmental Cues on Food Consumption Judgments and Choices.
- Creator
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Lefebvre, Sarah, He, Xin, Tafaghodijami, Ata, Rugar, Yael Zemack -, Mao, Huifang, Biswas, Dipayan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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As obesity levels reach epidemic levels globally, an understanding of the multitude of factors that influence both eating behavior and food choice is necessary. This dissertation attempts to investigate the role of emerging food categories, namely organic foods, and the influence of environmental cues on eating behaviors and choices. This goal is accomplished through three essays. The first essay focuses on the organic food trend and consumer taste expectations. Specifically, this essay...
Show moreAs obesity levels reach epidemic levels globally, an understanding of the multitude of factors that influence both eating behavior and food choice is necessary. This dissertation attempts to investigate the role of emerging food categories, namely organic foods, and the influence of environmental cues on eating behaviors and choices. This goal is accomplished through three essays. The first essay focuses on the organic food trend and consumer taste expectations. Specifically, this essay explores how the presence of an organic label influences taste expectations differently for minimally processed versus highly processed foods due to the level of consistency (congruency) between the food item and formed organic associations. Moving the focus on food consumption to environmental cues, the second essay of this dissertation investigates how the temperature dimension of ambient scent (i.e., cool or warm) influences food choice and the number of calories consumed. This essay, drawing on literature from physiology and the limited research on the temperature dimension of scent, shows that the temperature dimension of scent generates behaviors that mimic the body's physiological responses to ambient temperature. Lastly, the third essay explores the relationship between organic foods and the discrete emotion of nostalgia. This essay examines how proneness to nostalgia and nostalgia evoked by advertising results in a preference for organic food products. This essay proposes that nostalgia evokes a desire for simplicity that is represented through the traditional production methods used by organic products; this leads to a preference for organic products. In sum, these three essays advance the knowledge on factors that influence food consumption behavior and choice, adding to the theoretical understanding of emerging food trends, labeling, and environmental cues, while providing implications for marketing strategy and consumer well-being.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006615, ucf:51301
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006615
- Title
- STUDENT PERCEPTION OF BARRIERS TO STUDY ABROAD.
- Creator
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Walker, Jessica, Valdez, Carlos, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Studying abroad during the collegiate experience is an idea sought by the many high school seniors and college freshmen alike. The social, intellectual, and cultural benefits received from participating makes it a seemingly easy decision. Yet, lack of action plagues the nation as there exists a miniscule number of students who follow through with their desire to study abroad. Prior research exemplifies that students rely on the perceptions of their peers and family when approaching an...
Show moreStudying abroad during the collegiate experience is an idea sought by the many high school seniors and college freshmen alike. The social, intellectual, and cultural benefits received from participating makes it a seemingly easy decision. Yet, lack of action plagues the nation as there exists a miniscule number of students who follow through with their desire to study abroad. Prior research exemplifies that students rely on the perceptions of their peers and family when approaching an unfamiliar subject. These perceptions result in concocted barriers that dissuade the student from participating in study abroad before they seek concrete information. There are a limited number of studies completed at universities to identify these specific barriers. Thus, this research examines the student population at the University of Central Florida, the perceived barriers they possess concerning study abroad, and their sources of these perceptions. This is a qualitative and quantitative study that investigates the effects of perceived cost and graduation delay on the willingness of a student to study abroad. The unexpected ramifications of the marketing mix, utilized by the department of Study Abroad, will shed light upon the steps necessary to revise their position in order to transform student intent into action.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFH0004876, ucf:45418
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004876
- Title
- PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY'S IMPACT ON BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS IN THE TIMESHARE INDUSTRY.
- Creator
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Pollard, Leonard, Malone, Linda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study created a model using factor analysis and structural equation modeling to investigate the relationship of service quality, word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity of individuals who experienced a timeshare mini vacation at a branded timeshare resort. The constructs of service quality were developed by creating a survey tool. A total of 4,797 surveys were electronically sent resulting in a total of 1,275 of the individuals surveyed who met the criteria of staying at a...
Show moreThis study created a model using factor analysis and structural equation modeling to investigate the relationship of service quality, word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity of individuals who experienced a timeshare mini vacation at a branded timeshare resort. The constructs of service quality were developed by creating a survey tool. A total of 4,797 surveys were electronically sent resulting in a total of 1,275 of the individuals surveyed who met the criteria of staying at a branded hotel or resort during their mini vacation. Six different variables were created from the ordinal level questions on the survey: Resort Accommodations, Sales Gallery, Sales Presentation, Resort Activities, Resort Staff and Brand Value. These were then used in an exploratory factor analysis to identify latent factors after which structural equation modeling was used to define the relationship between the factors and the independent variables. A total of 44 models were explored and evaluated based on goodness-of-fit metrics. The model that had the best level of fit was a first-order two-factor model. This model was created with an 80% subset and confirmed with a 20% subset of the sample. The factors found represent the Vacation Experience Promise (VEP) and the Vacation Experience Delivery (VED). There was a positive correlation for both VEP and VED with word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity. The research also posited 24 hypotheses of the relationship between the service quality constructs, word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity with the demographic characteristics of guest type, gender, stay type, age, marital status, gross income, timeshare ownership and the number of presentations attended. There was not enough information to support a relationship between the service quality constructs, word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity with regards to gender, gross income and marital status. There was a difference in the scores for the service quality constructs and the varying categories within the age, stay type, and timeshare ownership demographic variables. There was a difference only in the VED scores and the varying categories within the guest type and presentations attended demographic variables. There was also a difference in the scores for the word-of-mouth recommendation construct and the varying categories within the age, guest type, timeshare ownership and number of presentations attended demographic variables. Lastly, there was also a difference in the scores for the price sensitivity construct and the varying categories within the guest type, timeshare ownership and presentation attended demographic variables. The research discusses the business implications associated with these findings and proposes next steps for future research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003475, ucf:48942
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003475