Weight Illusion: How Number of Apps Impact Weight Perception and Product Evaluations

摘要

The goal of the current research is to investigate an important factor that can influence consumers' weight perception and judgments on the target product. In particular, we investigate whether a high number of applications on a smartphone, which is not related to the actual weight of the smartphone, has an impact on perceived heaviness and evaluations of the product. We argue that when a high number of applications is presented on a smartphone screen, consumers perceive their phones as being heavier compared to when a lower number of app icons is presented. This is possibly because the number of apps creates a weight illusion when consumers are exposed to a higher number of objects in a given space. Drawing on weight perception literature, we design experiments to answer the following research questions: how can unrelated information influence weight perception, most notably the weight of digital devices? Stpdies are designed to demonstrate "weight illusion," in which individuals perceive weight differently based on the visuals presented while the actual weight doeis not change. Would consumers perceive a digital device, a smartphone in this case, as heavier when they view a higher (vs. lower) number of application icons on a screen? If so, how would the weight perception be associated with attitudinal and behavioral aspect toward the product? In this research, we introduce the number of objects displayed as a new visual cue for inferring weight and consumers' changing perception and judgment.