Definition
Choice involves evaluating alternative actions or behaviors and forming a behavioral intention or plan to engage in the selected behavior. Choice is the outcome of purchase decision making.
Choice criteria are the specific attributes or consequences used by consumers to evaluate and choose from a set of alternatives.
Choice rule describes the method by which an individual is hypothesized to make choices or decisions. A choice rule specifies the manner in which the individual evaluates each alternative under consideration.
Choice alternatives are the different available options considered by consumers in decision making – usually the products or brands considered for purchase.
In evaluating alternatives, the Compensatory Rule suggests that a consumer will select the alternative with the highest overall evaluation on a set of choice criteria. Criteria evaluations are done separately and combined arithmetically such that positive evaluations can offset or balance (compensate for) negative evaluations. This is also called compensatory integration procedure, compensatory model, and compensatory process.
Noncompensatory rules suggest that positive and negative consequences of alternatives do not compensate for each other. These include:
The Conjunctive Rule – suggests that consumers establish a minimum acceptable level for each choice criterion and accept an alternative only if it equals or exceeds the minimum cutoff level for every criterion.
The Disjunctive Rule – suggests that consumers establish acceptable standards for each criterion and accept an alternative if it exceeds the standard on at least one criterion.
The Lexicographic Rule suggests that consumers rank choice criteria from most to least important and choose the best alternative on the most important criterion.
Choice heuristic is a proposition that connects an event with an action. Heuristics usually simplify decision making – or the “rules of thumb” by which decisions are made. For example, Buy the cheapest brand is a choice heuristic that would simplify purchase.
See also
Brand preference/brand choice
Extensive problem solving
Habitual buying behavior
Routinized choice behavior
References
- American Marketing Association, AMA Dictionary.
- Universal Marketing Dictionary Project, 2024.