Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Could consumer choice be influenced by intertemporal factors? a study of consumer behavior in the Chinese theme park “S” in Chengdu

  • Empirical article
  • Published:
Service Business Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Experiments in this paper, which differ from virtual scenarios, are based on existing problems in the S amusement park. This paper also combines subjective and objective factors, time descriptions, and individual traits’ characterizations that are simultaneously controlled under different frames. Results indicate that time descriptions influence participants’ intertemporal choices whether presented in a positive or in a negative frame. The discounting rate under the “date” description is lower than that under the “days” description. The interaction of frame, time description, and the task difficulty is not significant, but the interaction of frame, time description, and self-control is significant.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bartels DM, Urminsky O (2015) To know and to care: how awareness and valuation of the future jointly shape consumer spending. J Consum Res 41(6):1469–1485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaiken S (1987) The effect of message framing on breast self-examination attitudes, intentions, and behavior. J Pers Soc Psychol 52(3):500–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frederick S, O’Donoghue T (2002) Time discounting and time preference: a critical review. J Econ Lit 40(2):351–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heatherton Todd F, Baumeister Roy F (1996) Self-regulation failure: past, present, and future. Psychol Inq 7(1):90–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holt DD, Green L, Myerson J (2003) Is discounting impulsive?: evidence from temporal and probability discounting in gambling and non-gambling college students. Behav Process 64(3):355–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laibson DI, Berns GS, Loewenstein G (2007) Intertemporal choice—toward an integrative framework. Trends Cogn Sci 11(11):482–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levin I, Schneider S, Gaeth G (1998) All frames are not created equal: a typology and critical analysis of framing effects. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 76(2):149–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mcclure SM, Ericson KM, Laibson DI, Loewenstein G, Cohen JD (2007) Time discounting for primary rewards. J Neuroscii 27(21):5796–5804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patton JH, Stanford MS, Barratt ES (1995) Factor structure of the barratt impulsiveness scale. J Clin Psychol 51(6):768–774

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Read D, Rahman J (2005) Four score and seven years from now: the date/delay effect in temporal discounting. Manag Sci 51(9):1326–1335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubinstein A (2003) “Economics and psychology”? the case of hyperbolic discounting. Int Econ Rev 44(4):1207–1216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubinstein A, Elorriaga N, Garay OU, Poggio R, Caporale J, Matta MG et al (2000) Modelos de elecciÓn discreta y coste del viaje. Los espacios naturales protegidos en mallorca. Revist De Economía Aplicada 8(9):181–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan S, Guo Y (2008) Revision of self-control scale for Chinese college students. Chin J Clin Psychol 16(5):468–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Tangney JP, Baumeister RF, Boone AL (2004) High self-control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades, and interpersonal success. J Personal 72(2):271–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tao S (2012) The effect of personality traits on intertemporal decision-making and its underlying neural basis. Doctoral Dissertation, Southwest University, pp 33–96

  • Tversky A, Kahneman D (1981) The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science 211(4481):453–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Urminsky O, Kivetz R (2011) Scope insensitivity and the ‘mere token’ effect. J Mark Res 48(2):282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wenjie D, Tingting LI, Yonghong Z (2011) Experimental study of personality, time pressure and impulse buying behavior. Paper presented at the 2nd conference on psychology & social harmony, Wuhan, China, 8–10 April 2011

  • Wittmann M, Leland DS, Paulus MP (2007) Time and decision making: differential contribution of the posterior insular cortex and the striatum during a delay discounting task. Exp Brain Res 179(4):643–653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zauberman G, Kim BK, Malkoc SA, Bettman JR (2009) Discounting time and time discounting: subjective time perception and intertemporal preferences. J Mark Res 46(4):543–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou L, Xiao S, He X, Li J, Liu H-M (2006) Reliability and validity of Chinese version of barratt impulsiveness scale-11. Chin J Clin Psychol 14(4):343–344

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grants No 71572154.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics and Management, SouthWest JiaoTong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Zhenzhong Guan, Na Zhao & Panpan Hao

Authors
  1. Zhenzhong Guan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Na Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Panpan Hao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Na Zhao.

Appendices

Appendix 1 (the body of experiment)

Please read the following instructions carefully:

Imagine today is March 1, 2014, “S” amusement park contains Paradise1 and Paradise2, the market positioning and the price of the two park are different, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan. Now, there are three ways of promotion: (1) Pay immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately; (2) You can make a choice between delayed consumption and discounted price; (3) The more evident discounted prices is, the longer time of delayed consumption.

Questions

Please pay attention: Don’t consider the relevance of question itself, just choose which one you prefer between the two options.

1. Today is March 1,2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥230 immediately, you can play both of these two paradises immediately.

B. Pay ¥220 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after March 20, 2014.

2. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥220 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after March 20, 2014.

B. Pay ¥210 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after April 9, 2014.

3. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥230 immediately, you can play both of these two paradises immediately.

B. Pay ¥210 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after April 9, 2014.

4. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥210 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after April 9, 2014.

B. Pay ¥190 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 20, 2014.

5. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥230 immediately, you can play both of these two paradises immediately.

B. Pay ¥200 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 1, 2014.

6. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥200 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 1, 2014.

B. Pay ¥170 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after July 1, 2014.

7. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥230 immediately, you can play both of these two paradises immediately.

B. Pay ¥190 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 20, 2014.

8. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥190 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 20, 2014.

B. Pay ¥150 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after August 10, 2014.

9. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥220 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after March 20, 2014.

B. Pay ¥150 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after August 10, 2014.

10. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 20, 2014, return ¥40 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after June 10, 2014, return ¥50 for you now if you pay ¥230.

11. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥210 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Friday to Sunday after April 9, 2014.

B. Pay ¥160 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Monday to Thursday after July 20, 2014.

12. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥190 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 20, 2014.

B. Pay ¥180 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after June 10, 2014.

13. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 1, 2014, return ¥30 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after July 1, 2014, return ¥60 for you now if you pay ¥230.

14. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after March 20,2014, return ¥10 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after August 10,2014, return ¥80 for you now if you pay ¥230.

15. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥200 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Friday to Sunday after May 1, 2014.

B. Pay ¥170 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Monday to Thursday after July 1, 2014.

16. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after April 9, 2014, return ¥20 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after July 20, 2014, return ¥70 for you now if you pay ¥230.

17. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Friday to Sunday after May 20, 2014, return ¥40 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Monday to Thursday after June 10, 2014, return ¥50 for you now if you pay ¥230.

18. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥220 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Friday to Sunday after March 20, 2014.

B. Pay ¥150 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Monday to Thursday after August 10, 2014.

19. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥210 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after April 9, 2014.

B. Pay ¥160 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after July 10, 2014.

20. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 from Friday to Sunday after April 9, 2014, return ¥20 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after from Monday to Thursday July 20, 2014, return ¥70 for you now if you pay ¥230.

21. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. Pay ¥200 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 1, 2014.

B. Pay ¥170 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after July 1, 2014.

22. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after March 20,2014, return ¥10 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after August 10,2014, return ¥80 for you now if you pay ¥230.

23. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

A. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 1, 2014, return ¥30 for you now if you pay ¥230.

B. You can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after July 1, 2014, return ¥60 for you now if you pay ¥230.

24. Today is March 1, 2014, original price of Paradise1 is 130 yuan, original price of Paradise2 is 100 yuan.

B. Pay ¥190 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after May 20, 2014.

B. Pay ¥180 immediately, you can play Paradise1 immediately and Paradise2 after June 10, 2014.

Appendix 2

See Table 7.

Table 7 (SCS)
Full size table

Appendix 3

See Table 8.

Table 8 (BIS-11)
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Guan, Z., Zhao, N. & Hao, P. Could consumer choice be influenced by intertemporal factors? a study of consumer behavior in the Chinese theme park “S” in Chengdu. Serv Bus 11, 741–766 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-016-0327-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-016-0327-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation