Role of tactile and visual inputs in product evaluation: a multisensory perspective
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics
ISSN: 1355-5855
Article publication date: 30 August 2011
Abstract
Purpose
There has been an increased interest in marketing literature in understanding the role of sensory experience. However, few researchers have addressed multisensory interaction of visual and tactile evaluation for products salient in single sensory modality. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap and investigate how multisensory evaluation influences overall attitude and purchase intentions. Further, the role of individual personality variable in influencing the interrelationship between sensory evaluation and behavioral outcomes are examined.
Design/methodology/approach
The data for this study were collected from 126 students who responded to attitude towards the product and purchase intentions after evaluating three experimental tasks. Repeated measures analysis of variance was carried out to test the multisensory interaction hypotheses.
Findings
The multisensory interaction of tactile and visual information was found to significantly increase the consumer attitudes for products dominant on single sensory modality of touch. Further, the multisensory evaluation led to greater purchase intentions than visual or tactile evaluation.
Originality/value
The paper is perhaps first to investigate multisensory interaction of tactile and visual sensory information in evaluation of products that are salient in touch properties. The current study further examines the role of individual personality variables in influencing interrelationship between sensory evaluation and purchase intentions.
Keywords
Citation
Balaji, M.S., Raghavan, S. and Jha, S. (2011), "Role of tactile and visual inputs in product evaluation: a multisensory perspective", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 513-530. https://doi.org/10.1108/13555851111165066
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited