CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC BARRIERS TO CONSUMER INFORMATION PROCESSING: INFORMATION OVERLOAD IN A HISPANIC POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES

CLAUDIA DOLINSKY, Purdue University

Abstract

This study investigated the phenomenon of information overload (confusion and less accuracy in decision making) on American and Hispanic consumers when they were exposed to information in their proficient but non-native language, Spanish and English respectively. A 2 x 2 x 4 between subjects factorial design was used. The subjects were 80 native Spanish speakers (Hispanics) and 80 native English speakers (Americans) attending Purdue University. Each subject received either an English or a Spanish version of equivalent questionnaires with one of four different levels of information (16, 64, 144 or 256 pieces of information) about houses. Subjects had to select the one house they would like to buy the most. Three methods were used to measure the amount of information overload: accuracy of choice, deviations between the #1 choice of house and "ideal" house and subjective psychological states such as the degree of satisfaction, risk, confidence, difficulty of decision, certainty, all found in past research to be related to information overload. The results of this study indicated that individuals were less likely to make the "best" choice as the amount of information increased (information overload) from 16 to 256 pieces. Further, subjects were more likely to make the "best" choice when the information was presented in their own language than in their non-native language. As predicted, there was evidence that information overload occurs in a non-native but proficient language speakers sooner than it would in native language speakers when the levels of information increases.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Marketing

COinS