Liking and Disliking Household Objects: An Empirical Study of Value

Abstract

The judgment of like/dislike may be an initial judgment in a hierarchy of criteria used to assign value to everyday objects. The finding implies that this subjective judgment, in turn, constrains succeeding value judgments, such as the perception of an object's utility and stylish ness. Forty‐one subjects responded to two instruments: pair comparisons of 16 objects on a nine‐point scale of similarity of value, and judgment of like/dislike of the same objects. The matrix of similarities was subjected to cluster analysis, producing a dendrogram for each indi vidual. Each dendrogram was compared to all others using an objective criterion. The data matrix of comparisons which resulted was subjected to principal component analysis. Like/dislike decisions were compared with both the dendrograms of each individual and the scatter diagrams summarizing the group. The judgment of like/dislike is discussed in relation to a conceptual framework based on the concepts of inherent and instrumental value.

Aesthetic and Utilitarian Qualities of Clothing: Use of a Multidimensional Clothing Value Model

“…Based on analysis of the dollar amounts, the hypotheses have been confirmed. These research findings tend to agree with Boyd and Allen's (1981) suggestion that Lewis' concept of inherent extrinsic value (aesthetics) may be the central evaluation around which other evaluations (such as utility) are made. The importance of the aesthetic clothing value as cited by Lapitsky (1961, p. 47), Creekmore (1963, p. 65), Altpeter (1963, p. 67), and Mendoza (1965, p. 218) are in agreement with the findings of this study.…”

“…Using objects from the material environment such as chairs, mailboxes, etc., Boyd found the multidimensional model to be a means of assessing how individuals value their material environments (Boyd, 1976, p. 131). In a later study, Boyd and Allen (1981) suggest that the liking of an object can be associated with Lewis' concept of inherent extrinsic value and may be the central evaluation around which other evaluations (such as utilitarian) are made. Clothing researchers such as Lapitsky (1961, p. 47), Creekmore (1963, p. 65), Altpeter (1963, p. 67), and Mendoza (1965, p. 218) have found the aesthetic clothing value to be an important value in the American clothing purchaser's value scale.…”