• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.61-101
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• 2014

This study investigates when and how disagreements in online customer ratings prompt more favorable product evaluations. Among the three metrics of volume, valence, and variance that feature in the research on online customer ratings, volume and valence have exhibited consistently positive patterns in their effects on product sales or evaluations (e.g., Dellarocas, Zhang, and Awad 2007; Liu 2006). Ratings variance, or the degree of disagreement among reviewers, however, has shown rather mixed results, with some studies reporting positive effects on product sales (e.g., Clement, Proppe, and Rott 2007) while others finding negative effects on product evaluations (e.g., Zhu and Zhang 2010). This study aims to resolve these contradictory findings by introducing preference heterogeneity as a possible moderator and causal attribution as a mediator to account for the moderating effect. The main proposition of this study is that when preference heterogeneity is perceived as high, a disagreement in ratings is attributed more to reviewers' different preferences than to unreliable product quality, which in turn prompts better quality evaluations of a product. Because disagreements mostly result from differences in reviewers' tastes or the low reliability of a product's quality (Mizerski 1982; Sen and Lerman 2007), a greater level of attribution to reviewer tastes can mitigate the negative effect of disagreement on product evaluations. Specifically, if consumers infer that reviewers' heterogeneous preferences result in subjectively different experiences and thereby highly diverse ratings, they would not disregard the overall quality of a product. However, if consumers infer that reviewers' preferences are quite homogeneous and thus the low reliability of the product quality contributes to such disagreements, they would discount the overall product quality. Therefore, consumers would respond more favorably to disagreements in ratings when preference heterogeneity is perceived as high rather than low. This study furthermore extends this prediction to the various levels of average ratings. The heuristicsystematic processing model so far indicates that the engagement in effortful systematic processing occurs only when sufficient motivation is present (Hann et al. 2007; Maheswaran and Chaiken 1991; Martin and Davies 1998). One of the key factors affecting this motivation is the aspiration level of the decision maker. Only under conditions that meet or exceed his aspiration level does he tend to engage in systematic processing (Patzelt and Shepherd 2008; Stephanous and Sage 1987). Therefore, systematic causal attribution processing regarding ratings variance is likely more activated when the average rating is high enough to meet the aspiration level than when it is too low to meet it. Considering that the interaction between ratings variance and preference heterogeneity occurs through the mediation of causal attribution, this greater activation of causal attribution in high versus low average ratings would lead to more pronounced interaction between ratings variance and preference heterogeneity in high versus low average ratings. Overall, this study proposes that the interaction between ratings variance and preference heterogeneity is more pronounced when the average rating is high as compared to when it is low. Two laboratory studies lend support to these predictions. Study 1 reveals that participants exposed to a high-preference heterogeneity book title (i.e., a novel) attributed disagreement in ratings more to reviewers' tastes, and thereby more favorably evaluated books with such ratings, compared to those exposed to a low-preference heterogeneity title (i.e., an English listening practice book). Study 2 then extended these findings to the various levels of average ratings and found that this greater preference for disagreement options under high preference heterogeneity is more pronounced when the average rating is high compared to when it is low. This study makes an important theoretical contribution to the online customer ratings literature by showing that preference heterogeneity serves as a key moderator of the effect of ratings variance on product evaluations and that causal attribution acts as a mediator of this moderation effect. A more comprehensive picture of the interplay among ratings variance, preference heterogeneity, and average ratings is also provided by revealing that the interaction between ratings variance and preference heterogeneity varies as a function of the average rating. In addition, this work provides some significant managerial implications for marketers in terms of how they manage word of mouth. Because a lack of consensus creates some uncertainty and anxiety over the given information, consumers experience a psychological burden regarding their choice of a product when ratings show disagreement. The results of this study offer a way to address this problem. By explicitly clarifying that there are many more differences in tastes among reviewers than expected, marketers can allow consumers to speculate that differing tastes of reviewers rather than an uncertain or poor product quality contribute to such conflicts in ratings. Thus, when fierce disagreements are observed in the WOM arena, marketers are advised to communicate to consumers that diverse, rather than uniform, tastes govern reviews and evaluations of products.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.37 no.12 s.142
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• pp.1-11
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to investigate the color preference of women living in Seoul, to provide materials which is useful for setting up the color plan for a better costume, and to suggest new information in the apparel study. This study is done on the basis of color preference only by age and the range of this study restricted on womens' clothes. The subjects of this research are 1,100 young adult women and 1,244 elderly women photographed in the street. The data are analyzed by frequency and percentage. The results of this study are as follows ; The preference of chromatic color and achromatic color, tint and tone, pattern of textiles are different mainly by age. 1. Elderly women prefer achromatic colors to chromatic colors. The most preferred achromatic color is black, especially elderly women prefer black. 2. Analysis of tint shows that blue, red and yellow red are commonly preferred by women. Especially blue is preferred by young women : red and yellow red are preferred by elderly women. 3. Analysis of tone shows that vivid, pale, dark tones are commonly preferred by women. Especially vivid tone is preferred by elderly women, while pale tone is preferred by young women 4. Analysis of pattern of textiles shows at, pattern textiles are preferred by elderly women rather than by young women. The most preferred pattern for elderly women is a flower pattern, and for young women a stripe pattern.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 1993

The purpose of this research was to find out relationships between the use of fashion information, preference of fashion advertising and fashion leadership. This research was carried out by both the theoretical and empirical study. For the theoretical study, the research of Fashion Leadership was based on the fashion opinion leadership and innovativeness. The study include the analysis of variables influencing fashion leadership, such as use of fashion information preference of fashion advertising, and demographic variables. For the empirical study, fashion leadership was measured by fashion opinion leadership and innovativeness. The variables influencing on the fashion leadership were measured by use of fashion information (marketer-dominated information, consumer-dominated information, neutral information), preference of fashion advertising (dramatic type, feeling type, goods demonstration type), demorgraphic variables (age, years of education, family income, job, marriage). Data were obtained from 313 female in chungbuk area by self-administered questionaire. The datacollected through the questionaire were analyzed by the stastical technique - ANOVA and Duncantest, t-test, stepwise multiple-regression. The results of the study were as follows; 1. There were significant differences on the fashion leadership, fashion innovativeness, fashion opinionleadership according to the marketer dominated information and neutral information. There were significant differences on the fashion leadership, fashion innovativeness, fashion opinion leadership according to the preference of dramatic type. There were significant differences on the fashion opinion leadership according to the preference of goods demonstration type. 2. 30 percent of the total variance of fashion leadership was explained by the six variables: fashion magazines, TV & Radio advertising, clothing of TV talent & singer, years of education, dramatic type, catalogue. 3. When the subjects were divided into five groups(innovative communicators, innovators, opinion leaders, followers, indifferents) according to their innovativeness scores and opinion leadership scores, there were significant differences among groups in most of use of fashion information, preference of fashion advertising variables and in some of demographic variables. 4. There were significant interactions between marketer-dominated information and dramatic type and were significant interactions in goods demonstration type, marketer-dominated information and dramatic type. There were significant interactions between consumer-dominated information and dramatic type. This ariables has the effect on Fashion Leadership by the interactions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.12-24
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• 2000

This study seeks to find an approach tool that allows to consider both ecological and visual aspect in developing an ecological space. Main objective of this study is to develop a planting design method in consideration of correlation between high visual preference and ecological diversity. To this end, an integrated method based on visual design principles and landscape ecological principles was developed first. Then study areas of 20 natural areas and 10 urban areas were selected to survey and analyze visual preference and ecological diversity. The result showed that scale is an element that has the greatest impact on visual preference. In areas with high ecological diversity, scale and connectivity had the biggest impact. In order to have a planting design desirable visually and ecologically based on these factors, it may be divided into following three issues.(1) In oder to increase ecological diversity in areas with strong visual preference, a priority should be given to introduce techniques promoting harmony among dominant species of various scales and other species. At the same time, there should be efforts to secure connectivity. (2) To improve visual preferences in areas with high ecological diversity, close-range, medium-range, and distant landscapes should be ensured by aligning colors and connectivity of various scales with other factors. (3) Also, a target area should be developed into a visually preferred and ecologically sound area by supplementing form and interlocking issues and identifying the spirit of the place. This study offers a way to improve visual preference and promote ecological diversity indeveloping ecological parks for the future. In landscape planning and design, it is important to secure various scales and connectivity as high-priority principles.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.302-311
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data for better safety control over children's preference foods sold in school stores. The survey was conducted from June to July 2009, to collect 749 types of children's preference foods sold in 150 middle and high school stores nation-wide excluding Jeju Island and general and nutrition information were analyzed. Out of 749 types of snack food items, 689 and 602 snacks were sold at high school and middle school stores respectively. Among children's preference foods, cookies, bread, and ice-cream were the main items. Among them, 98% of snacks were domestic products and the price range of each individual snacks were mostly between 600 and 900 won. 27.8% of children's preference foods sold were found to be in the high calorie/low nutrition food group. Even though the proportion of candy and fruit/vegetable beverages sold were not high, their proportion in high calorie/low nutrition snack group were higher than 68.1%. Among the children's preference foods sold in middle and high school stores, carbonated drinks and ramen were continuously sold in certain middle and high schools, even though sales were prohibited. This study concludes that government, corporations and retailers should work together in developing healthier children's snack distribution environment. In addition, dairy products, which take up 15% of children's preference food, should be diversified to meet their nutrient requirements.

• Archives of design research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.149-156
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• 2002

The success of a product is only possible on the basis of user preference for products and the user preference for products is greatly influenced by the design. Designers have to understand user preference and convert it into the combination of specified design attribute, and after that they should design products which have the image that they want to get. Then the product will be sure to be a hit. Therefore, on the point of view of design, it is necessary to find oui definitely the consumer preference frame : the relationship among design preference - design images - design attribute. This study will give you guidelines on which designers can select and design some more objective and reliable design factors, finding out the relation of cause and effect by which they can know what kind of product designs their consumers like and how the popular image which that products offer is composed of. Therefore, in this study, after we developed the consumer response framework which is proposed by Bloch(1995) : distinct relationship model among preference - design image adjective - design factors, we analyzed the relationship among preference-design image adjective - design factors through the empirical researches. And then we give the way of design.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.3 s.116
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• pp.12-22
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to evaluate visual preferences of the methods for river embankment based on seasonal changes and to reveal the relationship between visual preference and effective factors, which are the physical and esthetic elements inside the river. For this research seven river embankment methods including concrete block, concrete wall, gabion, and vegetated concrete block were selected in Dongchon of Gwangyang. Twenty-eight pictures by the four pictures of each embankment method based on seasonal changes, the winter and summer of the first and second years after construction were used for a photo-questionnaire by 49 participants. In the analysis of the relationship between visual preference and effective factors, the independent variables included eight factors: form of the material, harmony with the surroundings, the cleanness of river floor, the green area of embankment methods, the water area in river floor, the stone and sand area in river floor, the planting area in river floor, and the area of embankment itself. The result of this study are as follows. First, visual preference in summer was higher than in winter, and the summer landscape of the second you scored the highest value for visual preference. Second, similarly to the way the vegetated concrete block produced a green effect, cobblestone and gabion embankments made of natural materials scored higher than others, whereas the concrete retaining wall scored the lowest of all methods because of it's artificiality. Third, the seven independent variables, except form of the material, are proved statistically significant at the 5% level. The water area in river floor, harmony with the surroundings, the planting area in river floor, and the cleanness of the river floor were revealed as more effective factors influencing visual preference. The research results suggest that the riverscape has to be controlled in terms of seasonal change and embankment methods. Natural materials and green effects in embankment methods are more important for increasing landscape preference, and the landscape factors inside a river should also be considered important variables. It is recommended that advanced study on other factors affecting visual preference of the riverscape be carried out to support this research.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.71-80
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to suggest the criteria for the damaged mountainous landscape based on the shape, location and ratio of damaged landscape. For the study, the preference and landscape adjectives were analyzed on visual images and simulations. The variables for analysis were the amount of the damaged ratio(10%, 30%, 50%), the location of the damage (upper, middle, lower) and the various forms of the damage(spot, line, area). According to the results of this study, in accordance with the amount of damage, the visual preference recorded its lowest with the a rate of 50%. As for the location of the damage, the lower-ridge of the mountain showed the highest preference, and the upper-ridge was recorded as the lowest. The linear damage type showed the highest preference. On the other hand, the spotted damage type showed lowest. The results indicate that the visual preference increases when there is a lower ratio of damage, as the damage locates at the lower-ridge, and also when there is a presence of linear formation development. The group of linear formation-the lower ridge-10% showed the highest preference, and the group of linear formation-the mid ridge-50% was the lowest with the results of 3-way ANOVA. The group of linear formation-lower ridge-10% in particular had virtually no differences of visual preference when it was compared with the original scene. The damage with the spotted formation, on the mid-upper location and the high ratio of damage were analyzed as factors that give negative influence on the mountainous landscape. The main features of mountainous landscape were reduced into two factors, 'total estimation' and 'spatial scale' by the factor analysis with total variance of 65.96%.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture International Edition
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• no.1
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• pp.111-119
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• 2001

This study aims both to analyze view resources of on agricultural village and its original view image in order to establish indexation and the direction of development and to present assessment model of agricultural view for expectations in plan change for and improvement of agricultural view and alternative valuation. To do this, I selected four agricultural villages as the case areas for this study and examined view resources and their residents' consciousness through a questionnaire and investigated the image preference degree of agricultural village view and view preference. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The newly-introduced artificial view elements, according to development, are a hindrance element of agricultural view; as such Commercial buildings and transmission towers show the highest frequency and are increasing. The problem is that development is being made without any systematic plan. 2. In the examination of images of agricultural villages, the traditional ones are 2.82 on average, which means the view is modern; the natural ones are 3.3 on average, which indicates natural images; the agricultural ones are 3.67 on average, which emerge as agricultural images. View preference degree is 3.34 on average, which is usually good. 3. It is proved that all of the variables of type of location form and view image increase the degree of view preference; size in causal relation can be identified by parameter estimate; that Type I. image variables of agricultural-ness contribute to the dependent variables, view preference degree. 4. It is identified that view preference degree according to location from emerges mountain type, champaign type, and suburbs type in order of preference.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.242-247
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• 2006

This study is intended to analyze the characteristics of the preference according to the locations of view points, which are the current criteria for the evaluation of the view. To this end, a total of fifty one test cases according to view point locations were sampled based on the picture data collected in previous studies, and preference assessment was conducted on these cases to identify preference characteristics, where a five-point Lickert-scale evaluation was performed for each test case, and three test cases for each type were comparatively evaluated. It is deemed that the findings from this study may be used to finally derive qualitative assesment scale for the view seen from apartment units.