Analysis of skin conductance response during evaluation of preferences for cosmetic products

Abstract

We analyzed skin conductance response (SCR) as a psychophysiological index to evaluate affective aspects of consumer preferences for cosmetic products. To examine the test-retest reliability of association between preferences and SCR, we asked 33 female volunteers to complete two experimental sessions approximately 1 year apart. The participants indicated their preferences in a typical paired comparison task by choosing the better option from a combination of two products among four products. We measured anticipatory SCR prior to expressions of the preferences. We found that the mean amplitude of the SCR elicited by the preferred products was significantly larger than that elicited by the non-preferred products. The participants' preferences and corresponding SCR patterns were well preserved at the second session 1 year later. Our results supported cumulating findings that SCR is a useful index of consumer preferences that has future potential, both in laboratory and marketing settings.

How Different Patterns Affect in Feelings of Goodness

“…The results of skin conductance implied that skin conductance tended to increase when people evaluated stimuli as good. These results support Ohira & Hirao's research [16] which found that the mean amplitude of skin conductance response elicited by preferred cosmetic products was larger than that elicited by non-preferred cosmetic products. This result was contradictory to a study by Walla et al [11] and another research.…”

“…This result was contradictory to a study by Walla et al [11] and another research. As Ohira & Hirao already mentioned in their paper [16], the difference of the evaluation method could cause this contradictory. The level of forced to evaluate stimuli trial might be affected this result.…”

“…In contrast, Ohara & Hirao asked participants to evaluate cosmetic products by a paired comparison method [16]. Then, they found that the mean amplitude of the skin conductance response elicited by the preferred products was significantly larger than that elicited by the non-preferred products [16]. This result was contradictory to a study by Walla et al [11] and another research.…”

“…They found that mean amplitude of skin conductance related to a visual presentation of like brand names was smaller than that of dislike brand names. In contrast, Ohara & Hirao asked participants to evaluate cosmetic products by a paired comparison method [16]. Then, they found that the mean amplitude of the skin conductance response elicited by the preferred products was significantly larger than that elicited by the non-preferred products [16].…”

“…Overall, skin conductance can be regarded as one of the affective indexes that can reflect people's feelings during their evaluation of objects [11,16]. However, the question that the characteristics of autonomic activity when people evaluate pattern as good has remained undetermined.…”