Many researchers have studied the interaction between choice overload and purchase intention resulting in mixed and sometimes contradictory results. This study extended the current knowledge and examined how rurality (rural vs. urban/suburban) among millennial consumers influences choice overload and purchase intention when presented with extensive or limited options. Using both quantitative survey data and qualitative interviews, the author studied consumer experiences to understand choice overload and purchase intention better. Overall, some of the results suggest a statistical difference between rural and urban/suburban participants in their feelings of choice overload. However, many of the results were small and unlikely to be of practical significance. Additionally, the interviews were analyzed and multiple themes emerged, including possible factors that may support prior meta-analytic conclusions about the nuance of choice overload.

Abstract Proof of concept for a continuous environmental sampling methodology that employs common terrestrial arthropods as environmental samplers was tested by analyzing pitfall, malaise and black light captures over a six month period over a replicated urban-suburban-rural gradient in Central Virginia. All arthropods captured at the nine sites were identified and assigned to aquatic, vegetation, or soil groups based on their association with these microhabitats. To offset variability in arthropod life history patterns and species abundance within habitat types, arthropod categories based on presence/absence data over the six month period were constructed to provide for sampling reliability within each microhabitat type. Arthropod categories ranged from single abundant species and families to synthetic groupings based on microhabitat associations (e.g., “soil beetles”), all of which could be easily identified. Mean weekly captures of individuals in each resulting category were compared within and among the nine sites using GLM or ranks analyses. Overall and weekly mean capture rates in the aquatic (two categories), soil (seven categories) and vegetation (11 categories) microhabitats were similar within each habitat type. With the exception of the two aquatic category members (midges and caddisflies), overall, monthly and weekly mean capture rates of all arthropod categories were highest in suburban and lowest in urban habitats. Results demonstrate reliability of the arthropod categories constructed and provide ground truthing for a continuously deployable and user-friendly arthropod-based system for monitoring environmental agents.

Thesis (M.Arch.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references p. 44. Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

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