Do size labels have a common meaning among consumers?

Abstract

The influence of language on perception and cognition has been observed for a long time. A number of studies have shown that labels influence visual perception (Lewis, 1963; O’Hare, 1987), sound recognition (Bartlett, 1977), music perception (Meyer, 1956), tactile simulation (Hoshikawa, 1991), color perception (Roberson, Davies, & Davidoff, 2000), and olfactory perception (Herz, 2003). However, the effects of labels on perception are relatively untouched within the domain of consumer behavior. In this chapter, we explore the effects of labeling on size perceptions of consumers. © 2010 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.