傳統上,消費者行為研究的主題多半偏重於一般正常的或功能性的探討,而忽略了負面消費者行為研究的重要性。由於負面行為研究過於敏感,以致於受測者大多會根據目前的文化規範,而不是依其本身實際的狀況來回答問題。這類問卷所產生的偏誤,心理學家稱之為「社會期望反應」偏差的謬誤。過去一些研究曾顯示以間接問卷方式可降低社會期望反應偏差的問題。因此,本研究以負面消費者行為中的物質主義為例,驗證物質主義的消費行為,是否會因社會期望反應偏差而引想研究的結果,並探討物質主義與強迫性購買的關係。本研究以北部某學校的學生為對象,分別以物質主義的直接具名、直接匿名、間接具名及間接匿名方式的四種問卷方式及二種量表來測量,並以多變量統計之LISREL,因素分析,ANOVA等分析方法進行實證。結果顯示,間接問卷方式不論匿名與否,都比直接問卷方式更能測出高物質主義者,顯示社會期望反應偏差確實會影響受測者的反應。另外,在不同的問卷方法下,物質主義消費行為研究的三個假設全部獲得支持。同時,物質主義與強迫性購買亦具有正向的關聯性。
This paper examined whether or not indirect questioning could be used to reduce social desirability bias. The effects of indirect (i.e., structured, projective) questioning in the case of materialism were compared with direct (i.e., structured, personal) questioning. In addition, whether or not respondents are anonymous is also used in the survey to control the side effect from respondents. This study surveyed college students, utilized four different questioning styles, and adopted several multivariate statistical methods for analysis. Findings indicate that indirect questioning could mitigate social desirability bias and support all of the three materialism hypotheses. The positive relationship between materialism and compulsive buying behavior is also verified.