Decisions, Decisions: Examining the Role of Emotion in Low-Involvement Product Purchasing Decisions
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Date
2016-06
Authors
McCaslin, Mairi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
The idea that conscious rational thought leads to good decision making is one
that had pervaded Western thought for centuries. It has also led to a general
misconception about the absence of emotion from good decision making and the ability
of humans to conduct themselves on the basis of purely rational thought.
In a study conducted on millennials at the University of Oregon, subjects were
asked to choose one brand of bottled water over two others. Their decisions, the factors
involved and their ability to articulate their decision-making process were measured
over the course of a two-week period.
The results gathered and the hypotheses tested indicated that unconscious
emotion was heavily involved in the decision-making process and manifested itself in a
variety of different behaviors. This study has greater implications about the way that
millennials make product purchasing decisions and the emotional influences involved
decision making overall.
Description
65 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Journalism and Communication and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2016.
Keywords
Marketing, Behavioral psychology, Decision making, Product-purchasing decisions, Orbitofrontal cortex, Bottled water, Advertising, Brain