Many of the most significant choices that people make are between hedonic and utilitarian options. In choosing between hedonic and utilitarian options, we sometimes have the option of choosing a series ahead of time. At other times we make each decisi ...
Many of the most significant choices that people make are between hedonic and utilitarian options. In choosing between hedonic and utilitarian options, we sometimes have the option of choosing a series ahead of time. At other times we make each decision singly, usually just before it is to take effect. Thus, consumers can use two choice strategies for the purchase of multiple items from a product class. In one strategy (i.e., simultaneous choices/sequential consumption), the consumer buys several items on one shopping trip and consumes the items over several consumption occasions; that is, when a series of choices are made simultaneously, typically most of items will not be consumed until later. Conversely, in the other strategy (i.e., sequential choices/sequential consumption), the consumer buys one item at a time, just before each consumption occasion; that is, a single choice from the same set is made in each period for immediate consumption. Simonson (1990) refers to the former choice mode as simultaneous choice and the latter as sequential choice.
The current research examines how choice strategies (i.e., simultaneous choice strategy vs. sequential choice strategy) influence the choice between hedonic and utilitarian options. Prior research has found that it is more difficult to justify hedonic consumption and easier to justify utilitarian consumption (e.g., Okada 2005; Prelec and Loewenstein 1998). Thus, we predict that simultaneous choice mode for future consumption (vs. sequential choice mode for immediate consumption) will increase the choice share of hedonic (vs. utilitarian) options (hypothesis 1).
In addition, we make two predictions. First, because asking people to provide reasons for their choice amplifies the need for justification, and because such amplified need for justification evokes more guilt associated with the hedonic consumption, we predict that the choice share of hedonic (vs. utilitarian) options will be attenuated more greatly in the simultaneous than sequential choices condition when consumers are asked to justify their choices (hypothesis 2). Second, building on the previous findings that attributes compatible with individuals' goal orientation tend to be overweighted in choice―that is, prevention-focused individuals are more likely than promotion-focused consumers to overweight utilitarian relative to hedonic attributes and select the option superior on these attributes (Chernev 2004), we predict that the choice share of hedonic (vs. utilitarian) options will be more likely to decrease in the simultaneous choices condition when consumers are more prevention (vs. promotion) oriented, whereas the effects of promotion and prevention motivations on choice between hedonic and utilitarian options will not be found in the sequential choices condition (hypothesis 3).
These predictions were tested and confirmed in three experiments. Three product categories (i.e., milk, drink, and snack) were selected for three experiments. In experiment 1, it was found that in all three product categories participants who made choices simultaneously for sequential consumption were more likely to select hedonic (vs. utilitarian) options than participants who made choices sequentially. In experiment 2, in all three product categories the choice share of hedonic (vs. utilitarian) options were found to decrease more greatly in simultaneous than sequential choices condition when participants were under the justification (vs. no justification) condition. In experiment 3, when participants were under the prevention (vs. promotion) condition, in all three product categories the choice share of hedonic (vs. utilitarian) options were found to decrease more greatly only in simultaneous choices condition. Consequently, hypotheses 1, 2, and 3 were all supported.