A recent study suggests that a wine bottle's price tag may correlate with an enhanced perception of its taste.
The study, conducted by researchers from the California Institute of Technology and Stanford University, showed certain marketing ploys might influence consumers' liking of a product.
In the experiment, participants were given five "different" wine samples and asked to rank their enjoyment of the wines. Unbeknownst to the participants, there were only three types of wine out of the five samplings, with prices ranging from $5 to $90.
The study showed the $90 wine was enjoyed the most and the $5 was enjoyed the least. Brain scans of the volunteers yielded the same results; greater pleasure was experienced with the more expensive wines.
"Wine is very complex," said Margie Jones, an associate professor in the Collins School of Hospitality Management. "It is difficult to figure out what attributes should be used to measure quality. Price is one we all understand."
Had each participant in the study been knowledgeable in the wine field, the results may have been different.
But the study was relevant to consumers' purchasing habits and decisions in general, not only with wine.
Research has shown whether it is wine, jewelry, cars or inexpensive products such as bottled water and food, price is often equated with quality.
"People rely on the price of a product as a shortcut to determine its quality and value," said Bettina Casad, an associate psychology professor. "We get lazy on our thinking and rely on cues such as price to help make decisions even though the decision might be inaccurate."
Robert B. Cialdini, a social psychologist at Arizona State University, wrote in "Influence: Science and Practice," an academic journal, that people fall prey to "expensive equals good" as well as "inexpensive equals bad" mentalities.
"I'm confident that besides the 'expensive equals good' rule, there's a flip side, 'inexpensive equals bad' rule applies as well," said Cialidini in the article. "After all, the word cheap doesn't just mean inexpensive; it has come to mean inferior too."
The research shows the consumer assesses quality with cost. It is surprising to consider that countless individuals continually avoid products solely based on this assumption.
While this study merely mentions wine, it raises the questions about the extent to which this assumption is applicable. "[Consumers] are very brand- and label-conscious," said Jones. "We definitely have a big palette for luxury goods."
Another factor that may contribute to purchasing decisions is social desirability.
Possession and display of well-known and coveted products has value in and of itself. Individuals are able to gain acceptance and accolades from their peers through their purchases.
"If you can afford an expensive bottle of wine, it makes you look good," said Casad.
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