产品透明性对消费者品牌感知的影响

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01696

摘要/Abstract

摘要：

越来越多企业在设计和生产产品时, 将产品进行透明化处理。本文探讨了产品透明性对消费者品牌感知的影响。通过5个实验, 本研究发现: 透明性设计会使消费者产生更强的品牌创新性感知, 而非透明性设计会使消费者产生更强的品牌可靠性感知; 在上述过程中, 趣味性和厚重感分别起着中介作用。本文还发现了上述路径的边界条件。对于非典型产品(相对于典型产品), 透明性对品牌创新性感知的效应消失; 对于轻质诉求产品(相对于控制组), 透明性对品牌可靠性感知的影响消失。最后, 本文还发现促进定向个体更偏好透明设计的品牌, 预防定向个体更偏好非透明设计的品牌。本文对企业产品外观的选择和品牌策略的打造具有重要指导意义。

关键词: 产品透明性, 品牌创新性感知, 品牌可靠性感知, 产品典型性, 调节定向

Abstract:

In the current market, transparent appearance is becoming more popular and is increasingly used in product and packaging design (e.g., transparent frames). However, previous studies have focused on the effects of product transparency (transparent vs. opaque appearance) on food consumption quantity, product evaluation, purchase intention, and consumption decision. In comparison, there is a paucity of understanding of how consumers’ brand perceptions are affected by product transparency and the underlying mechanisms of these effects. In the current research, we extend the extant literature by examining consumer perceptions and attitudes toward brands when faced with the appearance of products with different degrees of transparency.

One pilot study and four studies were conducted to examine our hypotheses. The pilot study (n= 278) examined that the basic hypothesis of product transparency, such that the transparent (vs. opaque) appearance would be perceived as more interesting, and the opaque (vs. transparent) appearance would be perceived with a stronger heaviness. Experiment 1 (n = 186) investigated the main effects of product transparency on brand innovation perception and brand reliability perception, as well as the mediating effects of interestingness and heaviness. Experiment 2 (n = 304) used a moderation-of-process approach to further validate the moderation of product typicality in the process of product transparency influencing brand innovation perception. Experiment 3 (n = 368) examined the moderating role of product claims in the effect of product transparency on brand reliability perception. Experiment 4 (n = 240) examined the effect of product transparency on brand attitude and the moderating role of regulatory focus in the process. To document a robust effect, we varied the type of experimental material in five studies.

Our investigation results suggest that transparent appearance (vs. opaque appearance) allows consumers to create a stronger perception of brand innovation through the increased perception of interestingness. Meanwhile, opaque appearance (vs. transparent appearance) makes consumers perceive stronger brand reliability through the increased perception of heaviness. The effect of product transparency on brand innovation perception is attenuated when the product is atypical (vs. typical), while the effect of product transparency on brand reliability perception would be weakened when the product is lightweight claim (vs. control group). Finally, we also find that promotion-oriented individuals prefer brands with transparent designs, while prevention-oriented individuals prefer brands with opaque designs.

In summary, we bridge the gap in research related to product transparency by exploring the effects of product transparency on consumers’ brand perceptions, as well as the mechanism of such an influence. Furthermore, this research also explored the moderating role of product typicality, product claim and regulatory focus in the process of product transparency affecting consumers’ brand perceptions and attitudes, which also enriched the research on product typicality and product claim and regulatory focus. From a practice perspective, this research is an invaluable guide to the selection of a company’s product appearance and the creation of a branding strategy.

Key words: product transparency, brand innovation perception, brand reliability perception, product typicality, regulatory focus

中图分类号:

B849: F713.55

许销冰, 张忞硕, 曾帅帆, 范卓怡. (2023). 产品透明性对消费者品牌感知的影响. 心理学报, 55(10), 1696-1711.

XU Xiaobing, ZHANG Minshuo, ZENG Shuaifan, FAN Zhuoyi. (2023). The impact of product transparency on consumer brand perceptions. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 55(10), 1696-1711.

图/表 11

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研究自变量	研究因变量	研究发现	参考文献
包装透明	健康感知/信任感知	透明包装使消费者对产品的健康感知更高, 认为产品更值得信任。	Riley et al., 2015; Sofia & Pantin-Sohier, 2020
	产品吸引力	完全暴露产品的透明包装更具吸引力。	Sabo et al., 2017
	产品环保性感知	消费者倾向于将透明包装产品与纯净和环保联系起来。	Tse & Yim, 2002
	产品评价	透明包装进一步降低了人们对易产生厌恶感产品(如药品)的评价。	Batra et al., 2010
	产品评价	当透明产品与其它令人厌恶的产品接触时, 人们对透明包装的评价也更低。	Morales & Fitzsimons, 2007
	食物消费数量	透明包装对食物消费数量具有促进消费的凸显作用和抑制消费的监控作用。	Deng & Srinivasan, 2013
	购买意愿	透明包装会使消费者产生更强的信任感, 从而产生更强的购买意愿。	Billeter et al., 2012; Sofia & Pantin-Sohier, 2020
	购买意愿	透明包装能显著增强消费者对高感知质量风险产品的感知质量, 从而提升购买意愿, 而对低感知质量风险产品无影响。	Sabri et al., 2020
产品自身透明	决策方式	相比于不透明产品, 透明产品会使消费者更依赖于情绪进行决策。	Du et al., 2021

研究自变量	研究因变量	研究发现	参考文献
包装透明	健康感知/信任感知	透明包装使消费者对产品的健康感知更高, 认为产品更值得信任。	Riley et al., 2015; Sofia & Pantin-Sohier, 2020
	产品吸引力	完全暴露产品的透明包装更具吸引力。	Sabo et al., 2017
	产品环保性感知	消费者倾向于将透明包装产品与纯净和环保联系起来。	Tse & Yim, 2002
	产品评价	透明包装进一步降低了人们对易产生厌恶感产品(如药品)的评价。	Batra et al., 2010
	产品评价	当透明产品与其它令人厌恶的产品接触时, 人们对透明包装的评价也更低。	Morales & Fitzsimons, 2007
	食物消费数量	透明包装对食物消费数量具有促进消费的凸显作用和抑制消费的监控作用。	Deng & Srinivasan, 2013
	购买意愿	透明包装会使消费者产生更强的信任感, 从而产生更强的购买意愿。	Billeter et al., 2012; Sofia & Pantin-Sohier, 2020
	购买意愿	透明包装能显著增强消费者对高感知质量风险产品的感知质量, 从而提升购买意愿, 而对低感知质量风险产品无影响。	Sabri et al., 2020
产品自身透明	决策方式	相比于不透明产品, 透明产品会使消费者更依赖于情绪进行决策。	Du et al., 2021