Determinants of country-of-origin evaluations

Two experiments examined the factors that influence and the psychological processes that underlie country-of-origin evaluations. Subjects received attribute information that was either condensed in a single product or dispersed across several products manufactured in a country with relatively unfavorable associations. When consumers use country of origin as a basis for judgment under low motivation, or when the processing goal is to evaluate the country of origin, they focus on the country-of-origin information. Under such conditions, relevant evidence about the country of origin provided by dispersed information is likely to affect country-of-origin evaluations. In contrast, if consumers do not focus on the country of origin, such as under high motivation, or if their processing goal directs their attention away from country-of-origin information, any evidence about the country of origin is less likely to be utilized in their judgments. Findings from two experiments are consistent with this theorizing and highlight the central role of motivational intensity and direction in moderating the effect of information type on country-of-origin evaluations.