Cognitive Style and Personal Involvement as Explicators of Innovative Purchasing of ″Healthy″ Food Brands

Abstract

In an earlier study, concerned with the innovative purchasing of “healthy” food products, the largest volume of innovations were purchased unexpectedly by adaptors. It was subsequently argued that adaptors who were highly involved personally with the product field would exhibit such behaviour. The empirical investigation of female consumers′ (n = 151) self‐reported innovative purchasing described here tests that hypothesis, examining the interactive relationship between two independent variables, scores on the Kirton Adaption Innovation Inventory and on Zaichkowsky′s Personal Involvement Inventory, and the volume of purchases of innovative brands of “healthy” food brands. Results indicate that the market for new food brands comprises three psychographically‐defined segments, and have far‐reaching implications for adoption decision models and for marketing strategies for innovations.