CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT - HOW PRODUCT EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF BRANDS, ATTRIBUTES, AND FEATURES AFFECTS WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW

Results of a study conducted to understand the knowledge assessment process indicate that information ranging from specific knowledge about the product (e.g., brand names, attributes, and features), to memory for experience events (e.g., ownership, usage, and search), to statements about involvement with the product category are used in making knowledge assessment judgements. In addition, experience-related information (ownership, usage, search) was found to dominate consumers' responses in the knowledge assessment process. Finally, tentative results suggest that attribute and brand information may not be used as a cue to infer actual knowledge even when this information is available in memory. Implications of these results for future research in knowledge assessment are discussed.