FBA SEMINAR SERIES

The Stability Effect for Weight Judgments

Prof. Dengfeng Yan, Associate Professor of Marketing, New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai)

Date:          26 October 2022 (Wednesday)
Time:         10:30am – 11:30am
Venue:      Online via Zoom
Host:          Prof. Kao SI, Assistant Professor of Marketing
Zoom Link: https://umac.zoom.us/j/94233379534

 

Abstract

The ubiquity of the intrinsic shape of a product, package, or logo makes understanding the effect of shape on consumer judgments an important theoretical and managerial question. In this research, we hypothesize and demonstrate that the bi-directional relationship between stability and weight leads individuals to perceive visually more stable shapes as heavier. This core effect is mitigated when the order of the questions makes volume judgments more accessible than weight judgments. Building on this evidence, we then show that the shape stability effect could have substantive implications for calorific perceptions and consumption decisions. Further, we examine how shape stability may influence consumer preference in general, showing that greater shape stability could increase or decrease consumer’s WTP, depending on whether the product is positioned as healthy or tasty.

 

Speaker

Prof. Dengfeng Yan is Associate Professor of Marketing, NYU Shanghai; Global Network Associate Professor, NYU. Prior to joining NYU Shanghai, he was an Associate Professor of Marketing with tenure at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He also taught at HKUST as a visiting assistant professor in the Spring of 2016. Prof. YAN’s research focuses on understanding how consumers respond to numerical information (such as prices and attribute specifications) and how consumer judgment and preferences vary as a function of psychological distance. His research has been published in top-tier journals including Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Psychology, and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. He currently serves on the Editorial Review Boards of Journal of Consumer Research and Journal of Consumer Psychology.

 

All are welcome!