The influence of positive affect on consideration set formation in memory-based choice

Although prior research has examined whether positive affect can impact consideration set size in stimulus-based choice, unknown to this point is whether affective influences also characterize memory-based consideration processes. This distinction is important insofar as consideration in memory-based choice entails psychological processes (including those involving the accessibility of brands) that are unique to choice undertaken in memory-based settings. Experiment 1 provides an initial demonstration of positive affect’s ability to shape memory-based consideration by documenting that positive (versus neutral) affect leads to larger consideration sets. Two additional experiments extend these findings by showing that the influence of positive affect on consideration set size is moderated by characteristics of brands (typicality) and consumers (regulatory focus). Experiment 2 demonstrates that this increase in memory-based consideration set size is attributable to a greater number of atypical, but not typical, brands being considered under positive affect. Experiment 3 documents the moderating effect exerted by consumers’ regulatory focus by showing that the ability of positive affect to increase consideration set size is more likely for consumers high (but not low) on promotion focus. The theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed as are suggestions for future research.