The attraction effect in mid-involvement categories: An experimental economics approach

Contexts, the set of alternatives under consideration, usually influence consumer choice. One of the context effects, namely the attraction effect, spawns considerable conceptual and empirical research, consistent with the aforementioned influence in decision-making. Very recently, some authors have questioned the practical relevance and applicability of the attraction effect. As part of this debate, some authors show that most of the existent research includes important background factors at levels that do not correspond to business reality. In light of the above, this article applies the methodology of experimental economics to the analysis of the attraction effect. The methodology takes into consideration (1) high degrees of external validity (economic consequences, binding choices, no choice options, and real brands), and (2) the analysis of the attraction effect in mid-involvement categories, which have received very little attention. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of some business practices and support the need for a better conceptualization of decision-making.