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magnitude in SE and JE modes, but also were consistent with the results of Study 1.
3.4.4 Response Time
In order to measure the differences in cognitive effort between SE and JE modes, Study
4 recorded the response time following the studies of Garbarino and Edell (1997), and
Thomas and Morwitz (2005). Comparisons among each group were then made. For example,
the total response time shown in Table 5 of S and K (
M
S
= 13.1 sec,
M
K
= 12.6 sec,
M
Total
=
25.7 sec) was compared with the response time of S-K in JE (
M
S-K
= 33.5 sec), yielding a
difference in response time of 7.8 sec. The curve plotted by the difference of response time
in each group is shown in Figure 2, and the results indicate a decreasing curve that is
proportionate to task complexity.
3.4.5 Discussion
As predicted, the results from Study 4 proved a boundary condition of the nine-ending
effect that presented a decreasing curve of the difference in perceived price magnitude
between SE and JE modes. That is, increasing degrees of task complexity in different
evaluation modes influenced individuals to use a heuristic or systematic process to estimate
the nine-ending prices. Furthermore, the results of the differences in response time showed a
consistent decreasing curve that followed the difference in perceived price magnitude. More
precisely, Study 4 indicated that people may tend to use a heuristic process to evaluate prices
when the higher complexity of the JE condition requires more cognitive effort exceeding
one’s limited cognitive capacity and less response time; by contrast, they tend to use a
systematic process to estimate nine-ending prices when the complexity of the condition does
not exceed their cognitive capacity.
Table 4 Results in Study 4
Modes Mean of Perceived Price Magnitude
Interaction
c
Nine-Ending Zero-Ending Diff.
a
Diff.
b
F
(1, 38) P-value
S-K
SE
3.16
4.19
1.03
0.90 32.916 0.000***
JE
3.73
3.96
0.23
S-K-R-T
SE
3.25
4.16
0.91
0.67 15.344 0.000***
JE
3.81
4.05
0.24
S-K-R-T-P-U SE
3.27
4.17
0.90
0.13
0.468 0.498
JE
3.62
4.39
0.77
a
Diff.: Difference of mean of perceived price magnitude between nine- and zero-ending price
b
Diff.: Difference of mean of perceived price magnitude between SE and JE modes
c
Interaction: Interaction among evaluation modes and the difference of nine- and zero-ending prices
*** Significant at 0.01 significance level.