Choosing Among Alternative Brands: Revisiting the Way Involvement Drives Consumer Selectivity

Abstract This study provides original theoretical and practical insights on the role of involvement in consumer decision making by demonstrating its negative effect on the relative size of the consideration set. Two experimental studies were conducted to test the relations between these constructs. The moderating effect of the nature of a product category and of the decision-making context was also examined. The results suggest that high involvement makes consumers more selective when evaluating the brands, they consider for purchase. This points towards different marketing practices in order to enhance brand attitudes or strengthen brand awareness accordingly.