FALTAS DE BLOQUEO

Our results thus far indicate that consumers’ privacy-related decision-making in BNDE settings is driven by their immediate affective reactions rather than

cognitive elaborations. We argue that (a) consumers perceive negative immediate affective reactions and (b) use these affective reactions to inform their decision- making (i.e., reliance on the affective system) because of uncertainty perceptions. Specifically, BNDE-evoked uncertainty triggers negative immediate affective reactions and fosters consumers’ reliance on affective processing by reducing consumers’ opportunity for cognitive evaluations (Acquisti & Grossklags, 2005). With study 3a we seek to further investigate this mechanism underlying the relationship between BNDE-evoked uncertainty, the resulting hindrance of cognitive processing and immediate affective reactions: To do so, we investigate consumers’ natural predisposition to engage in cognitive processing, which is denoted as consumers’ need for cognition (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982; Cohen, Stotland, & Wolfe, 1955; Verplanken, 1993). Consumers with a high need for cognition seek as much relevant information as possible to come to a conclusion (i.e., rely on cognitive system) (Cohen et al., 1955). They prefer structured, transparent situations to ambiguous situations (Cohen et al., 1955). By investigating BNDE disclosure settings, our study limits the chance to engage in cognitive efforts, leading to perceptions of deprivation for consumers high in need for cognition (Cohen et al., 1955). Hence, we expect consumers with a high need for cognition (i.e., with the wish to process cognitively) to perceive the hindrance of their cognitive processing to be especially severe. That is, their immediate affective reaction to BNDE will be especially strong. In contrast, consumers with a low need for cognition have less desire to engage in cognitive elaboration in the first place and therefore do not perceive BNDE-evoked hindrances to their cognitive processing to be as severe, so they might develop less negative immediate affective reactions.

3.3.5.1 Design, participants, and procedure.

As in the previous studies, participants saw a fictional online shop,

sample reflects data from 306 respondents (MAge = 31.87 years, SDAge = 7.59, 51%

women). We measured all the constructs from the dual-processing framework, as well as age, gender and perceived sensitivity of the requested data as covariates (see study 1), but we also included a measure of need for cognition (four items from Cacioppo, Petty, and Kao (1984)) to employ a 2 (dyadic vs. BNDE)  continuous (need for cognition) design.

3.3.5.2 Results of study 3a.

Employing the PROCESS macro for SPSS, we calculated moderation effects (Model 1; 5,000 bootstrapping samples; 95% bias-corrected CI; Age, gender, and perceived sensitivity of the requested data were covariates) (Hayes, 2017). In line with our expectations, the conditional effects show that the negative effect of BNDE on immediate affective reactions is stronger for consumers high in need for cognition (β | (W = 5.25) = -.84, t(299) = -5.84, p < .001) than for consumers low in need for cognition (β | (W = 3.25) = -.49, t(299) = -3.61, p < .001).

To account for the well-established effect of need for cognition on cognitive elaborations (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982; Cohen et al., 1955; Nair & Ramnarayan, 2000), we also tested moderating effects of need for cognition on the effect of BNDE on perceived loss of control and perceived ad-intrusiveness respectively (Model 1; 5,000 bootstrapping samples; 95% bias-corrected CI; Age, gender, and perceived sensitivity of the requested data were covariates) (Hayes, 2017). In line with prior literature, conditional effects show that the effect of BNDE on perceived control is stronger for consumers high in need for cognition (β | (W = 5.25) = -.65, t(299) = - 4.18, p < .001) than for consumers low in need for cognition (β | (W = 3.25) = -.29, t(299) = -1.97, p = .049). The interaction of BNDE and need for cognition on

perceived ad-intrusiveness revealed conditional effects such that the negative effect of BNDE on perceived ad-intrusiveness is only significant for consumers with high levels of need for cognition (β | (W = 5.25) = .47, t(299) = 3.12, p = .002) but not for

consumers with low levels (β | (W = 3.25) = .06, t(299) = .43, p = .67). Figure 3.6 provides group means for perceived control, ad-intrusiveness and immediate affective reactions for low and high levels of need for cognition.

Figure 3.6. Effect of BNDE on cognitive and affective processing at low vs. high levels of need for cognition.

3.3.5.3 Discussion of study 3a.

In study 1 we argued and empirically demonstrated, that consumers’ data disclosure intentions in BNDE settings are based on their immediate affective reactions rather than purely cognitive evaluations. With study 3a we now provide further insight into how this effect is triggered because BNDE-evoked uncertainty reduces consumers’ opportunity for cognitive evaluations (Acquisti & Grossklags, 2005). By investigating consumers’ need for cognition in a decision-making setting characterized by a high degree of uncertainty (BNDE), our study limits the chance that participants can engage in cognitive evaluations. This hindrance leads to a perception of deprivation for consumers high in need for cognition (Cohen et al., 1955). We show empirically that BNDE has a stronger influence on the immediate affect expressed by consumers who demonstrate a high need for cognition.

Specifically, consumers with a high need for cognition want to use a cognitive approach to form their disclosure intentions, but they cannot, due to the uncertainty of risks and benefits in BNDE settings. The effect of BNDE on their immediate affective reaction thus is especially strong. This finding is in line with prior research that argues that consumers with a high need for cognition experience tension when they are unable to make sense of a decision situation (Cohen et al., 1955). In BNDE settings this tension takes the form of negative immediate affective reactions.