Malleable Conjoint Partworths: How the Breadth of Response Scales Alters Price Sensitivity

Chakravarti, Amitav, Andrew Grenville, Vicki G. Morwitz, Jane Tang, and Gülden Ülkümen (2013), “Malleable Conjoint Partworths: How the Breadth of Response Scales Alters Price Sensitivity,” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 23 (October), 515-25.

11 Pages Posted: 6 Dec 2012 Last revised: 21 Sep 2020

See all articles by Amitav Chakravarti

Amitav Chakravarti

New York University (NYU) - Department of Marketing

Andrew Grenville

Vision Critical

Vicki Morwitz

New York University (NYU) - Department of Marketing

Jane Tang

Vision Critical

Gülden Ülkümen

University of Southern California

Date Written: 2013

Abstract

In one laboratory study and one field study conducted with a large, representative sample of respondents, we show that seemingly innocuous questions that precede a conjoint task, such as demographic and usage-related screening questions can alter the price sensitivities recovered from
the main conjoint task. The findings demonstrate that whether these prior questions use broad response categories (i.e., few scale points) or narrow response categories (i.e., many scale points) systematically influences consumers' price sensitivity in a CBC (Choice Based Conjoint) study. We
suggest that this may occur because the narrow (vs. broad) response categories in the prior questions lead to consideration of a greater (vs. fewer) number of attributes during the key conjoint task. Since both groups of consumers readily consider the naturally salient price attribute, responding to previous questions with narrow (vs. broad) response categories leads to a greater (vs. fewer) number of non-price attributes being considered, and consequently, decrease the weight afforded to price and reduce price sensitivity.

Keywords: Response scales, Number of scale points, Categories, Price sensitivity, Conjoint, Pricing

JEL Classification: M31

Suggested Citation

Chakravarti, Amitav and Grenville, Andrew and Morwitz, Vicki and Tang, Jane and Ulkumen, Gulden, Malleable Conjoint Partworths: How the Breadth of Response Scales Alters Price Sensitivity (2013). Chakravarti, Amitav, Andrew Grenville, Vicki G. Morwitz, Jane Tang, and Gülden Ülkümen (2013), “Malleable Conjoint Partworths: How the Breadth of Response Scales Alters Price Sensitivity,” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 23 (October), 515-25., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2185652

Amitav Chakravarti

New York University (NYU) - Department of Marketing ( email )

Henry Kaufman Ctr
44 W 4 St.
New York, NY
United States

Andrew Grenville

Vision Critical ( email )

200 Granville Street
Mezzanine Floor
Vancouver, V6C 1S4
Canada

Vicki Morwitz (Contact Author)

New York University (NYU) - Department of Marketing ( email )

Henry Kaufman Ctr
44 W 4 St.
New York, NY
United States

Jane Tang

Vision Critical ( email )

200 Granville Street
Mezzanine Floor
Vancouver, V6C 1S4
Canada

Gulden Ulkumen

University of Southern California ( email )

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