The effect of distraction on visual attention in consumers' decision-making
(R2022-111779)

AUTHORS

Simona Bažantová, Faculty of Management, Prague University of Economics and Business; Michal Novák, Faculty of Management, Prague University of Economics and Business

ABSTRACT

There is an endless battle between companies for customers' attention. The study investigates the effect of a distraction on gaze behavior and visual attention towards a preferred product in consumer decision-making. It was achieved through an eye-tracking experiment with 2-AFC questions related to product choice. The results showed no significant difference in eye-tracking fixations in the distracting condition compared to the non-distracting condition. However, interesting differences emerged at the individual respondent level. Further, the study suggested the impact of consumer distraction on the strength of the relationship between visual attention and preferred product variant. The results of this research point to the importance of further developing theories of attention in the context of consumer decision-making concerning essential attention characteristics such as divided attention and selective attention with respect to distractors in the form of the mobile phone.