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Consumer control in online environments

Profile image of Thomas P NovakThomas P NovakProfile image of Ann SchlosserAnn Schlosser

2000, Vanderbuilt University eLab

Abstract

In most traditional media environments, the main type of control available to consumers is to manipulate their own beliefs and judgments or to approach or avoid the mass media message. Indeed, most research in the consumer behavior literature studying control (cf., Greene 1988; Hui and Bateson 1991; Hoch and Loewenstein 1991; Gould 1991; Siddarth and Chattopadhyay 1998; Zufryden, Pedrick and Sankaralingam 1993) has dealt with what is called secondary control. Secondary control occurs when people do not have control ...

FAQs

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What distinguishes primary control from secondary control in consumer behavior?add

The study finds that primary control involves direct manipulation of the environment, unlike secondary control, which focuses on internal changes of perception, particularly relevant in traditional media.

How do internal and external locus of control affect Internet usage?add

The research demonstrates that individuals with an Internal locus of control engage in goal-directed Internet use, while those with an External locus prefer experiential, non-directed use.

What impact does locus of control have on beliefs about Internet regulation?add

Internals tend to oppose government regulation of Internet content, whereas those believing in powerful others advocate for such regulations, revealing differing policy preferences based on locus of control.

How did the study measure control scales among Internet users?add

The paper utilized structural models to test the measurement properties of six control scales, achieving significant findings indicating different dimensions of internal and external control.

What relationship does the study find between Internet use and social isolation?add

Increased Internet use did not correlate with social isolation; instead, it is linked to a person's locus of control, with Externals substituting online activities for offline ones.

Figures (1)

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