A Descriptive Model of Consumer Information Search Behavior

An algebraic model of the consumer information search process is described. The model is one which seeks to describe the nature of decision making during search, including how consumers form expectations with respect to sets of potential choice alternatives, decide which alternatives to "focus in on" during the search, and update expectations in light of gathered information. A series of experiments are then reported in which several aspects of the model are tested empirically. Results uniformly support the predictions of the model. A discussion of the implications of the research for work in information search behavior is provided.