Abstract
Early information in a choice process leads consumers to develop a tentative preference for one of the options. This article examines the influence that tentative preferences have on information search. We consider two possibilities. First, that consumers will seek information they expect will support their tentative preference. We refer to this as leader-supporting search. Second, that consumers will seek information about their tentatively preferred option, irrespective of the expected valence of the information, which we refer to as leader-focused search. Across six studies, including one study which involved a real choice, we find strong evidence of leader-focused search, and little or no evidence of leader-supporting search. We also find that the tendency to engage in leader-focused search can steer consumers towards information sources that are objectively less credible. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of leader-focused search.
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Academy of Marketing Science
About this paper
Cite this paper
Guha, A., Carlson, K. (2015). Leader Focused Search: Influence of a Tentative Preference on Information Selection. In: Robinson, Jr., L. (eds) Proceedings of the 2008 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference. Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10963-3_82
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10963-3_82
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-10962-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-10963-3
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsBusiness and Management (R0)