Emotional Intelligence In Consumer Behavior: Ability, Confidence

165 Pages·2004·1.29 MB·English

Emotional Intelligence In Consumer Behavior:
Ability, Confidence and Calibration as Predictors of Performance

Blair Kidwell

Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy
In
Marketing

David Brinberg, Chair
Andrew Parker
Kent Nakamoto
Bob Jewell
Helen Crawford

May 5, 2004
Blacksburg, Virginia

Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Decision Making, Ability, Confidence, Calibration
Copyright 2004, Blair Kidwell
Emotional Intelligence In Consumer Behavior:
Ability, Confidence and Calibration as Predictors of Performance

Blair Kidwell

(ABSTRACT)

The focus of this research is to examine the impact of emotional intelligence on
consumer decision making. Several research goals are presented: 1) to develop and test a
practical domain-specific scale of emotional ability, 2) to identify the influence of emotional
ability on behavioral individual and group level performance in a consumer context, 3) and to
identify how performance is further influenced by cognitive ability, cognitive and emotional
confidence and calibration between perceived (i.e., confidence) and actual ability.

Three studies were conducted to meet these goals. Study 1 involved the development
and validation of a consumer emotional ability scale (CEAS), based on four underlying
emotional abilities (i.e., perceiving, facilitating, understanding, managing). This instrument
allowed for further examination of how emotional intelligence affected performance among
consumer relationships. A proposed conceptual model was examined in an individual (study
2) and small group (study 3) context using the CEAS scale, along with additional items to
assess the influence of cognitive ability, cognitive and emotional confidence, and calibration
on performance in the consumer domain of healthy food choices.
DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to my wife Virginie, whose endless love and
encouragement has given me the strength and fortitude to “press on” throughout this arduous
process. She has been my guiding light and without her support, completion of this
dissertation would not have been possible.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have supported and assisted
me in this work.
I am especially indebted to my committee chairperson, Dr. David Brinberg, for his
encouragement and invaluable guidance. I would like to thank him for his willingness to
assist me in developing my skills in all areas of research. Although it wasn’t easy at times, I
appreciate the continued push to improve. And lastly, I would like to thank David for
introducing me to the concept of emotional intelligence. This concept has been a wonderful
area of study for me in academia and in life.
I am also very thankful to the other committee members, Dr. Andrew Parker, Dr.
Robert Jewell, Dr. Kent Nakamoto, and Dr. Helen Crawford for their extremely helpful
comments and suggestions throughout the course of this work.
I would like to express special gratitude to Dr. Robert Jewell for the collaborative
relationship that we developed over the last two years, consisting of the many brainstorming
meetings (that we never seemed to take notes during) and data analysis sessions, that led to a
the steady flow of creative ideas and fruitful collaborations.
A very special thank you to Dr. Robert Turrisi for pushing me down this path of
academia. The idea to pursue a Ph.D. first came from him while I working as his
undergraduate research assistant. He asked me; “What do you want to do with your life?”
Two years later I was a Ph.D. student and never looked back. I would not have considered
this change in my life without Rob suggesting so. (Ok, Rob, I’m ready for this lifestyle you
kept preaching about!)
And last, but certainly not least, I would like to acknowledge the support of my
family, particularly my parents, who have always been there for me in every way. The love
and encouragement that they have given me throughout my life has been so very important in
my completing this doctoral education.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………… ii

DEDICATION …………………………………………………………… iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………… iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………… v

LIST OF TABLES …………………………………………………………… viii

LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………………… ix

CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW
1.1 Introduction ………………………………………… 1
1.2 Plan of Studies ………………………………………… 1
1.3 Outline of Literature Review ………………………………………… 1

CHAPTER 2 THE ROLE OF EMOTION
2.1 Emotion, Affect, and Mood ………………………………………… 3
2.2 Theories of Emotion ………………………………………… 4
2.3 Emotions in Marketing ………………………………………… 5

CHAPTER 3 THE ROLE OF ABILITY
3.1 Ability and Performance ………………………………… 7
3.2 Cognitive Ability In Marketing ………………………………… 8
3.3 Emotional Ability in Marketing ………………………………… 10

CHAPTER 4 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
4.1 Overview of Emotional Intelligence ……………………………… 12
4.2 Ability Model of Emotional Intelligence ……………………………… 13
4.3 Limitations of Existing Measures ……………………………… 15

CHAPTER 5 CONFIDENCE AND CALIBRATION
5.1 Confidence and Performance ………………………………………… 17
5.2 Confidence in Marketing ………………………………………… 17
5.3 Calibration and Performance ………………………………………… 19
5.4 Calibration in Marketing ………………………………………… 20

CHAPTER 6 HYPOTHESES DEVELOPMENT
6.1 Hypotheses Development ………………………………… 22
6.1.1 Cognitive Ability (Hypothesis 1) ………………………………… 23
6.1.2 Emotional Ability (Hypothesis 2a & 2b) ………………………… 24
6.1.3 Cognitive Confidence (Hypothesis 3 & 4) ………………………… 25
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6.1.4 Emotional Confidence (Hypothesis 5 & 6) ………………………… 27
6.1.5 Cognitive Calibration (Hypothesis 7) ……………………………… 29
6.1.6 Emotional Calibration (Hypothesis 8) ……………………………… 30

CHAPTER 7 STUDY ONE
7.1 Scale Development …………………………………………… 32
7.2 Scale Validation …………………………………………… 43
7.3 Results …………………………………………… 48
7.4 Discussion …………………………………………… 59

CHAPTER 8 STUDY TWO
8.1 Pilot Test …………………………………………… 61
8.2 Method …………………………………………… 62
8.3 Results …………………………………………… 67
8.4 Discussion …………………………………………… 73

CHAPTER 9 STUDY THREE
9.1 Method …………………………………………… 75
9.2 Results …………………………………………… 78
9.3 Discussion …………………………………………… 82

CHAPTER 10 SUMMARY
10.1 General Discussion ……………………………………… 84
10.2 Summary of Studies ……………………………………… 85
10.3 Research Contributions ……………………………………… 89
10.4 Directions for Future Research ……………………………………… 92

APPENDIX A Elicitation of Emotions in
………………………… 94
Consumer-Related Situations Pilot Test

APPENDIX B Emotional Facilitation Elicitation
………………………… 95
Pilot Test

APPENDIX C Emotional Blending Elicitation Pilot
………………………… 96
Test

APPENDIX D Emotional Management Elicitation
Pilot Test ………………………… 97

APPENDIX E Consumer Emotional Ability Scale
………………………… 99
(CEAS)

APPENDIX F Nomological Relations Questionnaire ………………………… 115

APPENDIX G Objective Knowledge Difficulty
………………………… 119
Ratings Pilot Test

APPENDIX H Debriefing Sheet For All Studies ………………………… 120
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APPENDIX I Cognitive Ability And Confidence …………………………
121
Measures (Fat Knowledge)

APPENDIX J Example of Emotional Confidence ………………………… 124

APPENDIX K Stimulus Material for Study Two: …………………………
125
Individual Performance Task

APPENDIX L Correlation matrix of Relevant …………………………
126
Constructs (Study 2)

APPENDIX M Stimulus Material for Study Three: …………………………
127
Group Performance Task

APPENDIX N Correlation matrix of Relevant …………………………
128
Constructs (Study 3)

REFERENCES ………………………………………………………… 129

CURRICULUM VITAE ………………………………………………………… 152

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 7-1 …………………………………………… 34
Four-Branch Model of Consumer Emotional Intelligence
Table 7-2 …………………………………………… 36
Demographic Characteristics of CEAS Data
Table 7-3: …………………………………………… 42
Structure and Levels of Feedback from the CEAS
Table 7-4: …………………………………………… 49
Overall Raw Sample Data for Levels of Feedback based on Expert

Scoring
Table 7-5: …………………………………………… 50
Individual Item Properties (Raw Scores)
Table 7-6: …………………………………………… 53
Correlations among Eight Tasks and Four Branches
Table 7-7: …………………………………………… 54
Reliability Estimates at the Branch and Task Level
Table 7-8: …………………………………………… 56
Fit Indices for a One- and Four-Factor Model of Emotional Intelligence
Table 7-9: …………………………………………… 57
Multi-Trait Multi-Method Matrix for Instruments
Table 7-10: …………………………………………… 59
Nomological Relations of the MSCEIT and CEAS on Known Outcomes
Table 8-1: …………………………………………… 62
Demographic Characteristics of Study Two
Table 8-2: …………………………………………… 68
Emotional Ability on Consumer Performance
Table 8-3: …………………………………………… 69
Effects of Emotional Ability Beyond the Cognitive Effects
Table 8-4: …………………………………………… 70
Cognitive Confidence on Consumer Performance
Table 8-5: …………………………………………… 70
Simple Effects of Cognitive Confidence as a Moderator of Ability and

Performance
Table 8-6: …………………………………………… 71
Emotional Confidence on Consumer Performance
Table 9-1: …………………………………………… 76
Demographic Characteristics of Study Three
Table 9-2: …………………………………………… 79
Emotional Abilities on Dyad Performance
Table 9-3: …………………………………………… 79
Emotional Ability Beyond the Effects of Cognitive Ability
Table 9-4: …………………………………………… 80
Averaged Cognitive Confidence on Dyad Performance
Table 9-5: …………………………………………… 81
Emotional Confidence on Consumer Performance
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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 6-1 …………………………………………… 28
Proposed Moderated Influences of Cognitive and Emotional Confidence

on Consumer Performance
Figure 6-2 …………………………………………… 31
Full Conceptual Model of Cognitive and Emotional Ability, Confidence

and Calibration on Consumer Performance
Figure 7-1 …………………………………………… 45
Proposed Multi-Trait Multi-Method Matrix
Figure 7-2 …………………………………………… 55
Four-Factor Confirmatory Model (Paths set to Full and Free)

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CHAPTER 1
1.1 Introduction
Emotion is an essential component of judgment and decision-making (Gohm and
Clore 2002; Schwarz and Clore 1996), in that it carries important information about who we
are and how we interact with others (Gohm 2003). Despite the importance of emotion in our
decisions, little is known about how emotions affect performance outcomes in marketing (see
Bagozzi, Gopinath and Nyer 1999; Brown, Cron and Slocum 1997; Richins 1997). This
research focuses on the role of emotional intelligence in the context of consumer decision
making. Consumers’ ability to recognize, understand, express, and manage emotions is
examined, along with their confidence in these emotional abilities, and the calibration
between confidence and accuracy of emotional abilities on behavioral performance.
1.2 Plan of Studies
Three studies are planned to examine the hypothesized relationships in the proposed
conceptual model (Figure 6-2). Study 1 involves development and psychometric validation
of a scale of emotional ability in consumer behavior (CEAS). Study 2 involves a test of
model components on consumer performance incorporating cognitive and emotional
influences of ability, confidence, and calibration in an individual consumer decision making
task. Study 3 involves a test of the conceptual model incorporating ability, confidence and
calibration in a group consumer decision making task.
1.3 Outline of the Literature Review
The role of emotion is pervasive in marketing, yet researchers are only beginning to
understand exactly how emotions can influence behavioral performance. Researchers
continue to pose questions for future research such as; what is the role of emotions in
1