How Can Psychological Contagion Effect be Attenuated? The Role of Boundary Effect on Menu Design

Abstract

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The Impact of Ethnic Restaurant Menu Visual Appeal and Informativeness on Customers’ Desire to Order

“…Based on Mehrabian and Russell's (1974) Stimulus-Organism-Response model (S-O-R), this study tests a conceptual framework to predict customers' perceived authenticity, quality, and desire to order in ethnic restaurants. Although several hospitality scholars have studied menu designs in restaurants (e.g., Bowen & Morris, 1995;Hou et al, 2015), studies of the influence of ethnic restaurants' menus' visual appeal and informativeness on customers' perceived authenticity are scarce. The relationship between customers' perceived authenticity, their perceived quality, and their desire to order needs more insightful investigation.…”

The Presence of a Visual Dividing Line Increases Consumer Memory Through Attention Grabbing

“…Likewise, a product’s novel shape or bright color can also capture consumers’ attention ( Folkes and Matta, 2004 ; Hagtvedt and Brasel, 2017 ). In line with these prior findings, we draw on the literature on dividing lines (e.g., Burris and Branscombe, 2005 ; Cutright, 2012 ; Hou et al, 2018 ) to propose that a dividing line can draw consumers’ attention to the left/top side of the line.…”

The effects of a dividing line in a product assortment on perceived quantity, willingness to buy, and choice satisfaction

“…Moreover, a logo that is circled by dividing lines can be perceived as either protecting or confining, depending on the level of risk associated with a purchase (Fajardo et al, 2016). Another line of research, however, suggests that dividing lines can serve as a visual stop–start boundary and thereby can separate things into different categories (Burris & Branscombe, 2005; Hou et al, 2018; Irmak et al, 2011; Mishra & Mishra, 2010; Myrseth & Fishbach, 2009; Tu & Soman, 2014; Tversky, 1981; Zhao et al, 2012). For example, people consider two adjacent locations to be parts of different nations/states if the locations are divided by a nation/state border (Burris & Branscombe, 2005; Mishra & Mishra, 2010).…”

“…For example, people consider two adjacent locations to be parts of different nations/states if the locations are divided by a nation/state border (Burris & Branscombe, 2005; Mishra & Mishra, 2010). Likewise, consumers consider two dishes to belong to different categories when a dividing line is placed between them (Hou et al, 2018).…”

“…Our research departs from the previous research as it focuses on the potential impact of dividing lines on consumer attention and subsequently on quantity perception and decision making. Specifically, drawing from prior research on dividing lines (e.g., Cutright, 2012; Hou et al, 2018) and on consumer attention (e.g., Desimone & Duncan, 1995; Janiszewski et al, 2012; Luck et al, 1997), we discuss below, how a dividing line that separates a set of items can reduce consumers' perceived quantity of the items through its impact on consumers' attentional bias.…”