Improving Attribute-Importance Measurement; a Reference-Point Approach

EXTENDED ABSTRACT - Abstract Despite the importance of identifying the hierarchy of product attributes that drive judgment and choice, the many available methods remain limited regarding their convergent validity and test-retest reliability. To increase the validity and reliability of attribute-importance measurement, we focus on the central antecedent of the importance of product attributes in judgment and choice: consumers’ valuation curve of an attributeBthe idiosyncratic valuation of an attribute at different attribute levels relative to consumers’ reference points. We propose two new attribute-importance measures that reflect the determinance and the relevance of an attribute respectively, and show that accounting for the effects of reference points increases the predictive validity of attribute-determinance measures.

Citation:

Koert van Ittersum, Joost M.E. Pennings, Brian Wansink, and Hans C.M. van Trijp (2004) ,"Improving Attribute-Importance Measurement; a Reference-Point Approach", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 31, eds. Barbara E. Kahn and Mary Frances Luce, Valdosta, GA : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 84-85.