Product class effects on perceived risk: The role of emotion

The article investigates a model of perceived risk. Evidence for the model is presented using an aggregative data set of 89 product categories which were randomly selected from the SIC manual. Results indicate that luxuries and necessities are both significantly related to perceived risk but in very different ways. Tt is also demonstrated that positive and negative emotional factors make a substantial contribution as mediators of product class effects on perceived risk. Once again, the effects on perceived risk are very different for each of the mediating factors. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.