Summary Consumer Research
Inhoud
Week 1 – Introduction to (consumer) research......................................................................................2
Lynch 2012 – Knowledge creation in consumer research...................................................................2
Hudson 1988 – Alternative ways of seeking knowledge in consumer research..................................4
Week 2 – Qualitative research methods.................................................................................................8
Goulding 2005 – Grounded theory, ethnography and phenomenology (12)......................................8
Week 3 – Quantitative research methods............................................................................................11
Schwarz 1999 - Self-reports: How the questions shape the answers................................................11
Week 4 – Experiments in consumer research.......................................................................................14
Borneman 2018 – experiments in market research..........................................................................14
Morales 2017 – keeping it real in experimental research (Understanding when, where, and how to
enhance realism and measure consumer behavior).........................................................................17
Week 5 – Advanced methods is consumer research: Neuromarketing.................................................19
Harrel 2019 – What you need to know.............................................................................................19
Plassmann 2015 – consumer neuroscience: applications, challenges and possible solutions..........21
Week 6 – Ethics in (consumer) research...............................................................................................23
Tomaino 2025 - AI and the advent of the cyborg behavioral scientist..............................................23
John 2012 - Measuring the prevalence of questionable research practices with incentives for truth
telling................................................................................................................................................25
,Week 1 – Introduction to (consumer)
research
Lynch 2012 – Knowledge creation in consumer research
Main Contribution and Core Idea
The article's main contribution is a critique of the dominant methodological approach (the
hypothetico-deductive model). The authors propose a four-quadrant framework to categorize
research based on its philosophical orientation (theory-driven/deductive vs.
phenomenon-driven/non-deductive) and its intended contribution (building/expanding theory vs.
understanding a substantive phenomenon). The core argument is that different research styles
require distinct, appropriate evaluative criteria to properly assess their merit.
Key Concepts and Definitions
Hypothetico-deductive approach: involves using theory to formulate hypotheses that can be
falsified with observable data (experiments and statistics)
Non-deductive approach: starting with phenomenon driven observations
Dominant Approach: The standard scientific style is to deduce hypotheses from existing theory
about construct-to-construct links, test them experimentally, and show process evidence via
moderation and mediation.
Q-Quality (Importance Quality): Reflects the importance and relevance of a paper's main
contribution and the substantive insights it provides. The article argues this is often undervalued.
R-Quality (Rigor Quality): Reflects the technical aspects of quality, such as generalizability,
robustness checks, methodological rigor, and sophistication. This is often overemphasized by
reviewers.
Belief Shift: The degree to which research updates a reader's beliefs about something deemed
important. This is the chief criterion for contribution, but different research types shift beliefs
about different links (e.g., construct-to-construct, construct-to-phenomena, or observable-to-
observable).
Construct-to-construct: making a theoretical contribution
Intervention Falsification: A type of substantive deductive research where theory is used to
engineer important real-world interventions, with the goal of testing observable-to-observable
mappings (i.e., whether the intervention package works), rather than pinpointing the exact
reasons why it works.
Figure 1 Four categories of inquiry
2
, The Four Categories of Inquiry and Their Criteria
2 x 2 framework based on 2 questions to categorize research:
1. Philosophical approach: does the research start with Theory (Deduction) or Phenomena/Findings
(Non-Deduction)?
2. Intended Contribution: Does it aim to build Theory (Conceptual Domain) or explain a Real-World
Problem (Substantive Domain)?
1. Conceptual Contributions via Deduction (Concepts First, theory > theory)
What it is: the dominant style, using existing theory to test abstract construct-to-construct
links/relationships (e.g., how Brand Trust affects Loyalty).
The problem: Often shows a "distinct lack of emphasis on the substantive domain".
Researchers risk "losing the consumer"
Evaluation focus: Measures Belief Shift about construct links and the Importance of those
links for unifying theory. R-quality is key, but alternative explanations must be plausible and
parsimonious (able to explain all the data). The field risks "losing the consumer" due to
overemphasis on technical rigor at the expense of substantive relevance
2. Substantive Contributions via Deduction (Concepts First, theory > world)
What it is: Applying existing theory to explain real-world phenomena or create interventions
to change behavior.
Two Forms:
1. Explaining Phenomena: Mapping concepts onto everyday observations (e.g., explaining
why people seek variety in group dining).
2. Intervention Falsification: Testing if a theory-based "package" works to change behavior
(e.g., a plan to increase retirement savings). The focus is on observable-to-observable
links, not the psychological mechanism.
Evaluation Focus: Measures Belief Shift about the link between the substantive phenomenon
and concepts. For interventions, internal validity (proof the intervention caused the change)
and effect size/importance are prioritized. Interpretive ambiguity is acceptable (i.e., not
knowing exactly why the intervention worked is okay).
3. Conceptual Contributions via Non-Deductive Routes (Findings First, world > theory)
What it is: Starting with surprising findings or data (e.g., "hunches") and developing a
tentative theory later. This research is often incorrectly criticized as "atheoretical".
Evaluation Focus: The core criterion is whether the effect is real and important enough (high
Q-quality) that pinning down the exact underlying process (mediation/moderation) for initial
publication is not required. Robustness and replication are crucial.
4. Non-Deductive Substantive Contributions (Findings First, world > world)
What it is: Focusing on meticulously documenting and measuring a specific phenomenon to
establish accurate observable-to-observable links or "stylized facts" about the marketplace.
Evaluation Focus: Measures the degree to which the methods accurately capture the
phenomena (e.g., rigor in econometrics). The main belief shift is about relationships among
observables in a real-world system.
3
Inhoud
Week 1 – Introduction to (consumer) research......................................................................................2
Lynch 2012 – Knowledge creation in consumer research...................................................................2
Hudson 1988 – Alternative ways of seeking knowledge in consumer research..................................4
Week 2 – Qualitative research methods.................................................................................................8
Goulding 2005 – Grounded theory, ethnography and phenomenology (12)......................................8
Week 3 – Quantitative research methods............................................................................................11
Schwarz 1999 - Self-reports: How the questions shape the answers................................................11
Week 4 – Experiments in consumer research.......................................................................................14
Borneman 2018 – experiments in market research..........................................................................14
Morales 2017 – keeping it real in experimental research (Understanding when, where, and how to
enhance realism and measure consumer behavior).........................................................................17
Week 5 – Advanced methods is consumer research: Neuromarketing.................................................19
Harrel 2019 – What you need to know.............................................................................................19
Plassmann 2015 – consumer neuroscience: applications, challenges and possible solutions..........21
Week 6 – Ethics in (consumer) research...............................................................................................23
Tomaino 2025 - AI and the advent of the cyborg behavioral scientist..............................................23
John 2012 - Measuring the prevalence of questionable research practices with incentives for truth
telling................................................................................................................................................25
,Week 1 – Introduction to (consumer)
research
Lynch 2012 – Knowledge creation in consumer research
Main Contribution and Core Idea
The article's main contribution is a critique of the dominant methodological approach (the
hypothetico-deductive model). The authors propose a four-quadrant framework to categorize
research based on its philosophical orientation (theory-driven/deductive vs.
phenomenon-driven/non-deductive) and its intended contribution (building/expanding theory vs.
understanding a substantive phenomenon). The core argument is that different research styles
require distinct, appropriate evaluative criteria to properly assess their merit.
Key Concepts and Definitions
Hypothetico-deductive approach: involves using theory to formulate hypotheses that can be
falsified with observable data (experiments and statistics)
Non-deductive approach: starting with phenomenon driven observations
Dominant Approach: The standard scientific style is to deduce hypotheses from existing theory
about construct-to-construct links, test them experimentally, and show process evidence via
moderation and mediation.
Q-Quality (Importance Quality): Reflects the importance and relevance of a paper's main
contribution and the substantive insights it provides. The article argues this is often undervalued.
R-Quality (Rigor Quality): Reflects the technical aspects of quality, such as generalizability,
robustness checks, methodological rigor, and sophistication. This is often overemphasized by
reviewers.
Belief Shift: The degree to which research updates a reader's beliefs about something deemed
important. This is the chief criterion for contribution, but different research types shift beliefs
about different links (e.g., construct-to-construct, construct-to-phenomena, or observable-to-
observable).
Construct-to-construct: making a theoretical contribution
Intervention Falsification: A type of substantive deductive research where theory is used to
engineer important real-world interventions, with the goal of testing observable-to-observable
mappings (i.e., whether the intervention package works), rather than pinpointing the exact
reasons why it works.
Figure 1 Four categories of inquiry
2
, The Four Categories of Inquiry and Their Criteria
2 x 2 framework based on 2 questions to categorize research:
1. Philosophical approach: does the research start with Theory (Deduction) or Phenomena/Findings
(Non-Deduction)?
2. Intended Contribution: Does it aim to build Theory (Conceptual Domain) or explain a Real-World
Problem (Substantive Domain)?
1. Conceptual Contributions via Deduction (Concepts First, theory > theory)
What it is: the dominant style, using existing theory to test abstract construct-to-construct
links/relationships (e.g., how Brand Trust affects Loyalty).
The problem: Often shows a "distinct lack of emphasis on the substantive domain".
Researchers risk "losing the consumer"
Evaluation focus: Measures Belief Shift about construct links and the Importance of those
links for unifying theory. R-quality is key, but alternative explanations must be plausible and
parsimonious (able to explain all the data). The field risks "losing the consumer" due to
overemphasis on technical rigor at the expense of substantive relevance
2. Substantive Contributions via Deduction (Concepts First, theory > world)
What it is: Applying existing theory to explain real-world phenomena or create interventions
to change behavior.
Two Forms:
1. Explaining Phenomena: Mapping concepts onto everyday observations (e.g., explaining
why people seek variety in group dining).
2. Intervention Falsification: Testing if a theory-based "package" works to change behavior
(e.g., a plan to increase retirement savings). The focus is on observable-to-observable
links, not the psychological mechanism.
Evaluation Focus: Measures Belief Shift about the link between the substantive phenomenon
and concepts. For interventions, internal validity (proof the intervention caused the change)
and effect size/importance are prioritized. Interpretive ambiguity is acceptable (i.e., not
knowing exactly why the intervention worked is okay).
3. Conceptual Contributions via Non-Deductive Routes (Findings First, world > theory)
What it is: Starting with surprising findings or data (e.g., "hunches") and developing a
tentative theory later. This research is often incorrectly criticized as "atheoretical".
Evaluation Focus: The core criterion is whether the effect is real and important enough (high
Q-quality) that pinning down the exact underlying process (mediation/moderation) for initial
publication is not required. Robustness and replication are crucial.
4. Non-Deductive Substantive Contributions (Findings First, world > world)
What it is: Focusing on meticulously documenting and measuring a specific phenomenon to
establish accurate observable-to-observable links or "stylized facts" about the marketplace.
Evaluation Focus: Measures the degree to which the methods accurately capture the
phenomena (e.g., rigor in econometrics). The main belief shift is about relationships among
observables in a real-world system.
3
