The Influence of External Constraints on Brand Choice: The Lone-Alternative Effect

Abstract

In an earlier Journal of Consumer Research article, Kahn, Moore, and Glazer examined the phenomenon of constrained choice in experimental settings and found empirical results that ran counter to generally accepted models of hierarchical choice (e.g., preference trees). In this article, we reexamine those findings. Specifically, our main purposes are (1) to provide an explanation for the deviations from accepted theoretical models, (2) to suggest operational measures for the new constructs identified by Kahn, Moore, and Glazer, and (3) to propose a modification of hierarchical models that improves choice prediction by adjusting for bias against lone alternatives.