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Why Consumers Don't Always Accurately Predict Their Own Future Behavior

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Abstract

There is much theoretical and empirical evidence that consumers' predictions of their future behavior are positively correlated with their actual subsequent behavior. However, consumers are not perfectly calibrated in predicting what they will do in the future. This article examines several factors that moderate the link between consumers' stated purchase intentions and their subsequent purchase behavior. Specifically, we examine how the relationship between purchase intentions and purchase behavior is moderated by (1) factors that affect how accurately respondents can represent their current intentions and (2) factors that affect how accurately respondents can predict whether and how their intentions will change over time. The article summarizes the extant literature and develops propositions for future research.

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MORWITZ, V. Why Consumers Don't Always Accurately Predict Their Own Future Behavior. Marketing Letters 8, 57–70 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007937327719

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