Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on June 4, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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This dissertation research synthesizes knowledge from consumer behavior, psychology and applied economics to address a fundamental issue in marketing regarding how buyers evaluate products. Classical economic theory has assumed that buyers have perfect information about products and prices and that buyers are capable of processing this information. However, in reality, buyers face an increasingly complex marketplace with numerous products, incomplete and imperfect information, and a limited capability of processing this information. Hence, this complex market place creates an uncertain environment in which buyers have to make purchase decisions. To reduce uncertainty, buyers tend to use available information cues to make inferences about the products being evaluated. Among these cues are the product’s price, reference price (e.g., price last paid, advertised reference price), and certain attributes intrinsic to the product. The research question addressed in this dissertation is, “how do information cues affect buyers’ product evaluations, behavioral intentions and price estimates?” Conceptually, this research develops a model incorporating the research objectives by describing how buyers select specific information cues, evaluate them, and arrive at an overall assessment of the value or worth of the product to them. Specifically, the model proposes that the price cue is used both as an indicator of product quality as well as an indicator of monetary sacrifice. It is proposed that buyers initially trade-off these opposite indicators to make an assessment of the value of acquiring the product. However, complicating this model is the notion that some product attributes produce benefits quite apart from quality, and that some price offers represent a short-term deal or bargain. Since buyers are assumed to have an internal reference price that may be used to evaluate a price offer, additional value, called transaction value, may be perceived if the offer price is below this reference price. Further, additional value may occur because, intrinsic attributes of the product may provide additional benefits. Furthermore, the model conceptualizes that the perceived value of the offer has a positive effect on buyers purchase intentions and the greater the transaction value, the less their search intention for a lower price. The model proposes specific linkages between these variables and suggests a process of how buyers evaluate product alternatives. To test this model and its propositions, an experiment was conducted. Respondents evaluated a 35mm compact camera given variations in the amount and type of information available for this evaluation. To enhance the reliability of the measures and manipulations, multiple items were used to measure the theoretical constructs. Because of the laboratory setting for the research, emphasis was placed on the precision and control of the procedures and on maximizing the internal validity of the study. A confirmatory factor analytical computer program was used to assess the measurement properties of the scales. Certain relationships were tested utilizing analysis of variance procedures and contrast analysis. The structural model specifying the causal relationships among the variables was analyzed using LISREL VI (a linear structural equation computer analytic program). The LISREL output statistics provided parameter coefficients for the individual relationships, as well as goodness-of-fit of the structural/causal model. The results of this research contribute to our understanding of the way imperfect information affects the efficiency of market operations. Understanding how buyers utilize imperfect information to make economic evaluations provides important information on how they make actual purchase decisions. Additionally, it provides information of how price offers affect buyers’ buyers’ product evaluation and purchase intention. Such knowledge will be useful to managers. / Ph. D.

A field study investigated the relevancy of certain theories in applied psychology for increasing vehicle safety belt use by children. Five different intervention activities applied either extrinsic rewards, or focused on the development of intrinsic motivation (e.g., personal commitment, awareness, active participation). The subjects were 138 children, aged five to eleven years, who attended five 30-min safety belt intervention activities as part of a summer recreation program conducted at three elementary schools. Safety belt use by children and their parents was directly observed and coded by vehicle license number both before and after the interventions. Coupons for free food at a fast food restaurant were distributed to participants by the school personnel, and safety belt use was observed at the restaurant's drive-thru window to assess generalization. The results revealed that participants from all three reward contingency conditions (i.e., rewards for safety belt use, participation, and noncontingent rewards) significantly increased their frequency of safety belt use from the baseline to intervention phase. The parents, although not direct participants in the program, showed similar increases in safety belt use. The increase in safety belt use also generalized to the fast food restaurant for both children and parents; however this effect was transient. Data collected during a three-week withdrawal period indicated that safety belt use decreased slightly among participants rewarded for belt use during the intervention, whereas safety belt use increased slightly for those who received noncontingent rewards or rewards for participation. This finding is consistent with "minimal justification" and "intrinsic motivation" theories and suggests that long-term maintenance and generalization of changes in safety belt use are inversely related to the degree of external control exerted to motivate safety belt use. From an application perspective, this research developed practical community-based interventions for increasing the use of safety belts among children, and demonstrated that behavior change among children may influence the safety belt use of other members in their family. / Ph. D.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Tendinopathy is a common degenerative pathology that is characterized by activity related pain, focal tendon tenderness, intratendinous imaging changes, and typically results in changes in the histological, mechanical, and molecular properties of the tendon. Tendinopathy is difficult to study in humans, which has contributed to limited knowledge of the pathology, and thus a lack of appropriate treatment options. However, most believe that the pathology is degenerative as a result of a combination of both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. In order to gain understanding of this pathology, animal models are required. Because each tendon is naturally exposed to different conditions, a universal model is not feasible; therefore, an appropriate animal model must be established for each tendon susceptible to degenerative changes. While acceptable models have been developed for several tendons, a reliable model for the Achilles tendon remains elusive. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop an animal model of Achilles tendinopathy by investigating the individual and combined effects of an intrinsic and extrinsic factor on the rodent Achilles tendon. Rats selectively bred for high capacity running and Sprague Dawley rats underwent uphill treadmill running (an extrinsic factor) to mechanically overload the Achilles tendon or served as cage controls. Collagenase (intrinsic factor) was injected into one Achilles tendon in each animal to intrinsically break down the tendon. There were no interactions between uphill running and collagenase injection, indicating that the influence of the two factors was independent. Uphill treadmill running alone failed to produce any pathological changes in the histological or mechanical characteristics of the Achilles tendon, but did modify molecular activity. Intratendinous collagenase injection had negative effects on the histological, mechanical, and molecular properties of the tendon. The results of this dissertation demonstrated that the combined introduction of uphill treadmill running and collagenase injection did not lead to degenerative changes consistent with human Achilles tendinopathy. Intratendiouns collagenase injection negatively influenced the tendon; however, these changes were generally transient and not influenced by mechanical overload. Future studies should consider combinations of other intrinsic and extrinsic factors in an effort to develop an animal model that replicates human Achilles tendinopathy.