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European Journal of Marketing 35,11/12 1340
Received January 2000 Revised May 2000

A motivational process model of product involvement and consumer risk perception
State University of New York ± University at Buffalo, New York, New York, USA
Keywords Motivation, Consumer's risk, Perception, Consumer behaviour, Involvement Abstract Within consumer psychology, both product involvement and perceived risk are viewed to be motivational constructs, influencing subsequent consumer behaviors such as information search and dissemination, as well as extensiveness of the decision-making process. While these constructs are closely related, extant research reveals considerable ambiguity regarding the psychological mechanisms by which components of these two constructs influence one another. This article presents a conceptual motivational process model, explicating the processes by which involvement and consumer risk perceptions are caused, and influence one another, as well as subsequent behavioral responses of consumers. An empirical study, carried out to test the motivational process model and the hypothesized causal relationships finds overall support. Implications of this research for marketers and consumer psychologists are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.

Utpal M. Dholakia

European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 35 No. 11/12, 2001, pp. 1340-1360. # MCB University Press, 0309-0566

Introduction A considerable amount of research has examined the relationship between product involvement and consumer risk perception (see for example, Richins et al., 1992; Venkatraman, 1989). This interest stems from the important role played by these motivational constructs as explanatory as well as moderating variables with regard to various facets of