This dissertation sought to apply the construct of knowledge calibration to the domain of consumer research. Product involvement, product type, and general self-efficacy were postulated to influence calibration of consumer knowledge. Need for cognition was proposed as a moderator to the relationships between (a) product involvement and calibration, and (b) product type and calibration. Calibration, in turn, was proposed to affect decision-making accuracy. The proposed model was informed by research in the streams of psychology and consumer behavior. Insurance and music were chosen as the two product categories based on pretests. The questionnaire, measuring the constructs under study, was developed based on literature review, expert interviews, and pretests among knowledgeable respondents. Data was collected from 332 students enrolled in undergraduate business courses. Regression analysis was used to test the proposed effects. Moderation was examined using subgroup analysis. Results show that four of the ten hypotheses were supported at the .05 level of significance. One hypothesis was partially supported (linear effect instead of the proposed curvilinear effect). The key result of the study is the empirical validation of the calibration – decision-making relationship. It was also found that significant proportions of consumers are underconfident in their knowledge. As an early examination of knowledge calibration in the consumer domain, the findings are promising. Several avenues of possible research have been highlighted. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Marketing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2005. / June 30, 2005. / Knowledge Calibration, Confidence Subjective Knowledge, Consumer Knowledge / Includes bibliographical references. / Ronald E. Goldsmith, Professor Directing Dissertation; James Carson, Outside Committee Member; Michael Brusco, Committee Member; Charles Hofacker, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_182326 |
| Contributors | Pillai, Kishore Gopalakrishna (authoraut), Goldsmith, Ronald E. (professor directing dissertation), Carson, James (outside committee member), Brusco, Michael (committee member), Hofacker, Charles (committee member), Department of Marketing (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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