Consumer responses to high-technology products: Product attributes, cognition, and emotions

The present study investigates how high-technology attributes influence consumer responses. Based on Mehrabian and Russell's Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework (1974), this study proposes that high-technology product attributes elicit consumers' cognitive (attitude) and affective states (pleasure and arousal), contributing to their approach–avoidance behavior. High-technology product users (N = 408) participated in surveys. The results provide support for the model. Among six factors of high-technology product attributes (usefulness, ease of use, innovativeness of technology, visual appeal, prototypicality, and self-expression), the latter four have major influences on approach behavior through attitude (cognitive state) and pleasure (affective state). Supplemental analysis shows that attitude and pleasure influence approach–avoidance behavior directly, but that arousal affects approach–avoidance behavior indirectly via pleasure.

Research highlights
► We model that high-technology attributes elicit cognitive and affective states, predicting approach-avoidance behavior.
► Four attributes (innovativeness, visual appeal, prototypicality, and self-expression) have impact on approach behavior.
► Attitude and pleasure influence approach-avoidance behavior.
► Arousal affects approach-avoidance behavior indirectly via pleasure.