Interspousal Interactive Roles Across Decision Stages

ABSTRACT - This research reports interspousal role estimations across prepurchase, purchase and postpurchase decision stages involved in the recent buying of two new jointly used products : TV and car. Forty four evening MBA student couples participated in the study. Roles across prespecified 20 decision substages were estimated on a 100-point constant sum scale, first individually, and then jointly, by the couples, amid much individual reflection and joint interaction. The questionnaire was pretested, and fully explained to the participants for uniformity of understanding of the decision stages and their content, thus assuring the reliability and the validity of the research instrument.

Citation:

Oswald A. Mascarenhas and Ram Kesavan (1986) ,"Interspousal Interactive Roles Across Decision Stages", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 13, eds. Richard J. Lutz, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 669.

Advances in Consumer Research Volume 13, 1986      Page 669

INTERSPOUSAL INTERACTIVE ROLES ACROSS DECISION STAGES

Oswald A. Mascarenhas, University of Detroit

Ram Kesavan, University of Detroit

ABSTRACT -

This research reports interspousal role estimations across prepurchase, purchase and postpurchase decision stages involved in the recent buying of two new jointly used products : TV and car. Forty four evening MBA student couples participated in the study. Roles across prespecified 20 decision substages were estimated on a 100-point constant sum scale, first individually, and then jointly, by the couples, amid much individual reflection and joint interaction. The questionnaire was pretested, and fully explained to the participants for uniformity of understanding of the decision stages and their content, thus assuring the reliability and the validity of the research instrument.

Given the student sample results may not be fully generalizable. MaJor findings reveal that given the male expertise for these products the husbands did express dominant roles through most of the decision substages. However, the interactive process that lead to the final decision seemed to have been controlled by the female spouses.

For further information, write to:

Professor Oswald A. Mascarenhas / College of Business & Administration / University of Detroit, Detroit MI 48221

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