Defog Buying Effects of Air Pollution

About 90% of the world’s population is breathing polluted air. That World Health Organization estimate is noted by researchers at Renmin University of China, a country troubled by extremely dirty air in major cities.
     The researchers summarize a range of study results which show potential air pollution effects on consumer behavior. These include sharpened attention by shoppers to environmentally friendly purchases and comparatively lower product ratings of all products. But of interest to the researchers was the effect of a particular characteristic of air pollution—reduced visibility.
     In a study, consumers were asked to select between descriptions of common behaviors, such as eating, washing clothes, and caring for houseplants. One set of descriptions was abstract, such as, for eating, “getting energy and nutrition.” The other set of descriptions was concrete, such as “chewing, tasting, or swallowing.” The task was administered to some of the consumers on a day with high outdoor visibility. The other consumers were administered the task on a day with visibility highly impaired, such as by heavy air pollution.
     Compared to the “high visibility” participants, the “low visibility” participants were more likely to select abstract definitions. Subsequent studies showed the same types of effects, plus a related one: During days with poor outdoor visibility, consumers placed higher importance on product quality features, such as high ranking of a movie. Quality ranking is an abstract characteristic. During clear-visibility days, consumers placed relatively higher importance on feasibility features, such as the convenience of getting to the movie theatre. Feasibility is a concrete characteristic.
     The Renmin researchers explain these results in terms of the clarity of objects seen through the fog of air pollution. When objects appear fuzzy, our brains default to more general impressions. We consider the general, the abstract, instead of the details, the concrete.
     Based on these results, the researchers suggest retailers highlight feasibility features on clear days and quality features on polluted days. Ghent University research indicates the position of the product on the shelf can assist with this. Shoppers are relatively more interested in concrete features when gazing down at the merchandise and relatively more interested in abstract claims when peering up.
     The Ghent researchers say that we’re more attentive to details when our heads are facing downward because we’re accustomed to items below us being closer, and therefore of potentially greater danger, than items we look up to see.

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