Shopping at www.libri.de - What keeps me there, what makes me leave? - A simulation-based investigation of the approach-avoidance conflict

Diploma Thesis from the year 2005 in the subject Psychology - Work, Business, Organisation, grade: 1, University of Vienna, language: English, abstract: Different motivation tendencies, aspirations and fears connected to the same action quite often happen to contradict each other. A person looks at the positive (= approaching) and negative (= avoiding) sides when aiming towards a goal or reaching a decision. For example, on the one hand a student wants to go swimming, as it is a nice warm summer day, but on the other hand the student should be studying for his upcoming exam. The student undergoes a conflict about what to do. The following work is based on this special kind of conflict called approach-avoidance conflict. In consumer behaviour literature (cf. Solomon, Bamossy, & Askegaard, 2001), this conflict is often mentioned regarding the general decision of whether or not a certain product will be bought. Positive as well as negative aspects of the product are judged and weighted when reaching a decision. Thus, it is assumed that this kind of conflict also occurs in the context of online shopping. Online shopping has both positive as well as negative aspects. It encompasses approaching (where beneficial rewards are expected) and avoiding tendencies (where harmful rewards are expected). In the context of online shopping, the approach tendency could be for example the convenience of shopping from home. It is possible to get a book ordered and delivered without even leaving the house. At the same time, potential online shoppers might worry about credit card fraud if payment is demanded by credit card. The latter would represent the avoidance tendency. Both tendencies are competing against each other. Which one is stronger? The consumer has to make a choice because the person cannot shop online to benefit from the convenience and at the same time not shop online to avoid possible credit card fraud. The two responses are incompatible.