COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN AND PERCEPTIONS OF PRODUCT QUALITY - AN INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE PERSPECTIVE

High and low self-monitors tasted and evaluated a sample of cheese. Some participants were led to believe that the cheese was made in France, whereas others were led to believe that it was made in Kansas. In addition, the taste of the cheese was varied. For some, the cheese was relatively pleasant tasting; for others, it was less so. High self-monitors' evaluations were a function of country of origin. Regardless of its actual taste, high self-monitors evaluated the cheese more favorably when they believed it came from France than when they believed it was made in Kansas. In contrast, the evaluations of low self-monitors were a function of the cheese's actual taste. They evaluated the pleasant-tasting cheese more favorably than the less pleasant-tasting cheese regardless of its purported country of origin.