Individual and Group Consumer Information Acquisition in Brand Choice Situations

Abstract

Drawing on small groups research, family sociology, and consumer information processing research, behavioral process methodology is used to compare information acquisition depth and decision time across individuals, ad hoc cross-sex dyads, and married couples. Ad hoc dyads and nominal groups (statistically paired individuals) acquired more information than did married couples; ad hoc dyads acquired more information than did individuals. The implications of the findings for our understanding of individual and group consumer information acquisition are discussed.