Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
The Importance of Cognitive Maps
for Emotional and Cognitive Reactions
towards Online Shops
Gunnar Mau, Sebastian Schulz, and Günter Silberer
Institute of Marketing and Retailing
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Structure
1. Cognitive Maps and Online Buying Experience
2. Hypotheses
3. Method
4. Results
5. Discussion and Conclusion
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Cognitive Maps and Online Buying Experience
ƒ Majority of cognitions during surfing relates to orientation
ƒ Greater cognitive effort is required for orientation in online environments
compared to real stores (Eveland and Dunwoody 2000)
ƒ Less cognitive capacity is available for processing other information
(e.g. the evaluation of purchasing alternatives)
ƒ Orientation in environments depends substantially on cognitive maps
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Cognitive Maps and Online Buying Experience
ƒ Cognitive Map:
Network of customer beliefs regarding the structure of the respective environment
(Sholl 1987)
ƒ Cognitive Maps are formed by direct exploration or by reference to vicarious
sources (cf. Grossbart & Rammohan 1981)
ƒ „…this network of beliefs can provide a basis for evaluating the consequences of
various shopping behaviors“ (Grossbart & Rammohan 1981 p. 129)
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Hypotheses
ƒ Cognitive Maps and orientation-related cognitions (H1)
ƒ Adequate cognitive map (vs. inadequate cognitive map)
Æ lower number of orientation-related cognitions while shopping
ƒ Cognitive Maps and cognitions concerning the decision process (H2)
ƒ Adequate cognitive map (vs. inadequate cognitive map)
Æ more cognitions concerning search of purchasing alternatives (H2a)
Æ more cognitions concerning evaluation of buying alternatives (H2b)
Æ more cognitions concerning realization of the buying process (H2c)
ƒ Cognitive Maps and emotions (H3)
ƒ Adequate mental map (vs. inadequate cognitive map)
Æ more positive emotions
ƒ Impact of familiarity (H4)
ƒ Inadequate cognitive map + familiarity
Æ less orientation cognitions
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Method
ƒ Two online shops based on the complete Amazon.de product database
ƒ Condition: adequate Cognitive Map
Æ identical to the known site at amazon.de
ƒ Condition: inadequate Cognitive Map
Æ adaptation of this site which is not known to customers. books are arranged in a
graphic coordination system
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Method
ƒ Laboratory experiment (N = 51 )
ƒ Task: participants were asked to buy two different books
ƒ Use of defined keyword search
ƒ Use both shops in a prescribed order
ƒ Familarity: n = 27 received a brief introduction to the online shop
ƒ Emotional and cognitive reactions while visiting the online shops
ƒ Video-cued verbal protocols (Silberer 2005)
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Results (I)
20,0%
ƒ Reported emotional vs. cognitive reactions
18,0%
percent of all reported statements
16,0%
ƒ Adequate Cognitive Map (vs. inadequate)
Ærelatively more reported emotions
14,0%
12,0%
10,0%
8,0%
adequate
cognitive m ap
10,38%
inadequate
cognitve m ap
7,36%
ƒ Inadequate Cognitive Map (vs. adequate)
Ærelatively more reported cognitions
(T(50) = 2.354; p < .05)
6,0%
4,0%
2,0%
0,0%
adequate cognitive map
inadequate cognitive map
reported emotions
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Results (II)
30,0%
ƒ Reported cognitions referring orientation
27,0%
percent of all reportd cognitions
24,0%
inade quate
cognitive map
20,00%
21,0%
18,0%
15,0%
ƒ Adequate Cognitive Map (vs. inadequate)
Ærelatively less cognitions referring
orientation
(T(50) = 10.376; p < .001)
12,0%
9,0%
ade quate
cognitive map
6,63%
ƒ Results support hypotheses 1
6,0%
3,0%
0,0%
ade quate cognitive m ap inade quate cognitive m ap
cognition re fe rring orie ntation
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Results (III)
30,0%
ƒ Reported cognitions referring
searching for purchasing alternatives
27,0%
percent of all reportd cognitions
24,0%
ƒ Adequate Cognitive Map (vs. inadequate)
Ærelatively more cognitions referring
searching for purchasing alternatives
21,0%
18,0%
15,0%
12,0%
9,0%
6,0%
ade quate
cognitive map
8.43%
(T(50) = 2.948; p < .01)
inade quate
cognitive map
5.34%
ƒ Results support hypotheses 2a
3,0%
0,0%
ade quate cognitive m ap inade quate cognitive m ap
cognition ref erring searching f or purchasing alternatives
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Results (IV)
30,0%
ƒ Reported cognitions referring
evaluating buying alternatives
27,0%
percent of all reportd cognitions
24,0%
ƒ Difference between
Adequate vs. inadequate Cognitive Map
Ænot significant
21,0%
18,0%
15,0%
(T(50) = 1.632; p = .109)
12,0%
9,0%
ade quate
cognitive map
7.22%
6,0%
inade quate
cognitive map
5.32%
ƒ Results don’t support hypotheses 2b
3,0%
0,0%
ade quate cognitive m ap inade quate cognitive m ap
cognition ref erring evaluating buying alternatives
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Results (V)
30,0%
ƒ Reported cognitions referring
fulfilling the buying process
27,0%
percent of all reportd cognitions
24,0%
21,0%
18,0%
ƒ Adequate Cognitive Map (vs. inadequate)
Ærelatively more cognitions referring
fulfilling the buying process
ade quate
cognitive map
17.17%
15,0%
12,0%
9,0%
inade quate
cognitive map
8,66%
(T(50) = 5.629; p < .001)
ƒ Results support hypotheses 2c
6,0%
3,0%
0,0%
ade quate cognitive m ap inade quate cognitive m ap
cognition ref erring f ulf illing the buying process
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Results (VI)
39,0%
inade quate
cognitive map
34.08%
36,0%
ƒ Valence of reported emotions
33,0%
ƒ Adequate Cognitive Map (vs. inadequate)
Ærelatively less positive emotions
percent of all reported emotions
30,0%
27,0%
24,0%
21,0%
ade quate
cognitive map
18.78%
(T(50) = -2.557; p < .05)
18,0%
15,0%
ƒ Results don’t support hypotheses 3
12,0%
9,0%
6,0%
3,0%
0,0%
ade quate cognitive m ap inade quate cognitive m ap
reported positive emotions
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Results (VII)
39,0%
ƒ Impact of familiarization
36,0%
33,0%
No Tutorial
29.0%
percent of all reported cognitions
30,0%
27,0%
24,0%
21,0%
ƒ With tutorial (vs. without tutorial )
Ærelatively less cognitions referring
orientation
Tutorial
18.3%
18,0%
(T(50) = 3.729; p < .001)
15,0%
12,0%
9,0%
ƒ Results support hypotheses 4
6,0%
3,0%
0,0%
w ith Tutorial
w ithout Tutorial
reported cognitions ref erring orientation
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Discussion and Conclusion
ƒ Less orientation-related cognitions occur in the presence of an adequate
Cognitive Map
ƒ Instead, customers devote more thoughts related to their buying decision
ƒ However, the evaluation of the final buying decision is not dependent on the
cognitive effort
ƒ Negative emotions do not necessarily occur when only inadequate Cognitive
Maps are available
ƒ In a new environment a great number of positive emotions may arise as a result
of greater interest
ƒ Nonetheless, the participants expressed significantly higher strain when buying in
the unknown shop and experienced the buying process as more complex
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Thank You!
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Method
ƒ Two online shops based on the complete Amazon.de product database
ƒ Condition: adequate cognitive map
Æ close to the known site at amazon.de
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
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