The Repeated Evaluation Technique (RET). A method to capture dynamic effects of innovativeness and attractiveness

Author(s)
Claus-Christian Carbon, Helmut Leder
Abstract

Innovativeness is defined as 'originality by virtue of introducing new ideas'. Thus, innovative designs often break common visual habits and are evaluated as relatively unattractive at first sight (Leder & Carbon, 2005). In most empirical studies, attractiveness is measured only once. These measures do not capture the dynamic aspects of innovation. This paper presents a dynamic procedure, the Repeated Evaluation Technique (RET), that improves the validity of attractiveness evaluations. RET simulates time and exposure effects of everyday life. Using RET, we investigated the appreciation of different car designs varying in innovativeness and curvature. While the mere exposure theory (Zajonc, 1968) would predict a general increase of liking in increasing exposure, RET revealed dissociate effects depending on innovativeness. Only innovative designs showed an increase in attractiveness. Low innovative designs were rated as being relatively attractive in the beginning, but did not profit from elaboration due to RET. Copyright Π2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Organisation(s)
External organisation(s)
Freie Universität Berlin (FU)
Journal
Applied Cognitive Psychology
Volume
19
Pages
587-601
No. of pages
15
ISSN
0888-4080
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1098
Publication date
2005
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
5010 Psychology
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/the-repeated-evaluation-technique-ret-a-method-to-capture-dynamic-effects-of-innovativeness-and-attractiveness(f4488aeb-6421-4e9e-8d83-1cf8dee3a7c4).html