Understanding the role of lighting and curvature on size perceptions in retail marketing. A gestalt perspective

Abstract

One stream of marketing literature states that the dimensions of a product shape influence its perceived size. Recent evidence suggests that the saturated colour is more likely to increase the size of the product regardless of its physical shape. And yet, another evidence indicates that the product's surrounding environment influences its perceived size. Despite the remarkable research in perceived product size, it is still not known how the shape, colour and product's environment, in combination, impact size perceptions. The contradiction among research studies on visual perception of size has occurred because it has ignored the central idea of Gestalt theory of visual perception. Gestalt theory is defined as the relationship between individual elements (parts) and the whole that forms the visual perception (Koffka, 1935, p. 176). The central Gestalt idea is that the dominance in perceptual processing emerges from interactions between stimulus parts resulting in perceived wholes (Wagemans et al., 2012). Research on consumer perceptual processing of an object regarding its perceptual size has ignored that it is the interaction among stimulus parts that result in perceived wholes. For example, shape, colour and environment have not been researched together in examining the combined effect on the perceptual size. Neither, has it incorporated lighting, which is an essential tool used in the retail store to grab attention for the products in today's retail world.

This thesis posits that in the competition between colour and shape, there is yet another phenomenon in the product's environment that visually alter these dimensions. The fundamentals of light and its reflection on the saturated-object may change the perceived size depending upon the surface curvature (convex and concave) of the product. For example, one cannot negate the possibility of light influencing a saturated object to the extent that the object appears to have different levels of saturation. However, this cannot be fully confirmed until or unless the curvature of the product's surface is taken into consideration. This is because light may cause a disparity in visual perceptions through light and shade effects on the product's surface. According to the theory of gestalt, it is the interrelation among visual cues (bright lighting, surface curvature and colour saturation) that impacts the object's visual perception. Thus, the central research question of the thesis is whether the impact of bright lighting would alter the perceived size of the product. Since lighting cannot exist without considering colour, thus, the thesis aims to explore second research question which is whether the effect of bright lighting cause the product to lose its colour-saturated constancy, to influence size perceptions.

The thesis further argues that the reason why an illuminated surface curvature of a product would alter the visual size perceptions because it might capture more attention than a product that has colour saturation only. This is supported by the gestalt principle of ''global precedence'' where one of the visual cues (bright lighting) receives advantage over other cues based on the interrelation that bright lighting has with both colour and curvature of an object. Thus, the third research question of the thesis is if visual attention is the reason why an illuminated (versus saturated) surface curvature of the product would influence size perceptions. Another problem that is associated with the research on bright lighting is that it only has examined its influence on the sense of touch and behaviour, ignoring that our vision cannot function properly in the absence of illumination. Therefore, the fourth research question of the thesis is to examine the effect of bright lighting on consumer's approach behaviour, for example, willingness to pay and purchase intentions. The research design of the thesis is experimental research. Show more