Informational Cascades, Herding Bias, and Food Taste Evaluations

Abstract

Herding behavior is observed when consumers simply replicate the behavior of others instead of making their own elaborate decision. This study contains two experiments in which participants are asked to evaluate how good different food products taste under different conditions of induced herding situations. The results of the first experiment show that simply convincing consumers that a herd exists (i.e., informing them of the behavior of others) will influence their judgment of how good the food product in question tastes, and also their purchase intentions and belief in future product success. Whether they are informed about the existence of the herd before or after they taste the product also affects their evaluations. In the second experiment, the characteristics of the herd (who it consists of) are manipulated along with the country from where the food product originates. Here, the characteristics of the herd have significant effects on the evaluation of taste, purchase intentions, and expectations of future product success, whereas country-of-origin has no significant main effects. Theoretical and managerial implications are offered.

Keywords:

• herding bias
• country-of-origin
• taste judgments
• consumer behavior

Notes

(r) denotes reversed items.

*Items are listed as used in the first study. The same items were used in study 2, but they were then adapted to the experimental context at hand (canned tuna in satay sauce).