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Description:
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Consumer evaluation of apparel is believed to be affected by three factors : the aesthetic quality of apparel , personal characteristics of the viewer , and the environment . The majority of empirical studies document design factors influencing the aesthetic quality of apparel . A limited number of investigations have focused on individual characteristics of the viewer . Since individual subjectivity may influence the aesthetic evaluation process , this research investigated consumer characteristics in relation to aesthetic preference of apparel , the business jacket in particular .
A national cross -section of 1 ,500 working women was drawn for the study through a random sampling technique by National Demographics & Lifestyles . Nine hypotheses were formulated to address the relationships between consumer design preference and : (a ) design attributes , (b ) personal characteristics , (c ) psycho -social identity , (d ) job -specific -situational characteristics , and (e ) physical characteristics . The research instrument consisted of two parts : visual stimuli and a self -administered questionnaire . Visual stimuli were 18 black -and -white computer -generated drawings of business jackets developed to measure design preference . The questionnaire assessed design attributes and preferences utilizing Likert -type scales adapted from previous investigations . Questions were developed to determine physical characteristics , demographics , and consumer characteristics . Dillman's mail survey technique was utilized for collection of the research data . The final data base was comprised of 265 female respondents who wore business jackets to work at least once a week . |