Question
(a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about retail atmospherics:
• model of effects of ambience: Mehrabian and Russell’s pleasure‑arousal‑dominance
(PAD) model, and
• the effects of odour on shopper pleasure‑arousal‑dominance. [6]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about retail atmospherics:
• model of effects of ambience: Mehrabian and Russell’s pleasure‑arousal‑dominance
(PAD) model, and
• the effects of odour on shopper pleasure‑arousal‑dominance, including a discussion of quantitative and qualitative data.
Evaluation in your answer can include strengths, weaknesses and a discussion of issues and debates. [10]
Section C: Health Psychology
Answer all questions.
Mark scheme
8(a) Describe what psychologists have found out about retail atmospherics: 6 Award up to 4 marks where the response
• model of effects of ambience: Mehrabian and Russell’s pleasure- has described only part of the question
arousal-dominance (PAD) model, and even if the response otherwise meets the
• the effects of odour on shopper pleasure-arousal-dominance. criteria for Level 3.
Use Table A: AO1 Knowledge and understanding to mark candidate
responses to this question.
Candidates must discuss the Mehrabian and Russell pleasure-arousal-
dominance (PAD) model and the effects of odour on shopper pleasure-
arousal-dominance. A mention of a study does not need to be Chebat and
Michon (2003)
Syllabus content
Retail atmospherics
• Model of effects of ambience: Mehrabian and Russell’s pleasure-arousal-
dominance (PAD) model.
• The effects of odour on shopper pleasure-arousal-dominance, including a
study, e.g., Chebat and Michon (2003)
Possible content:
The Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance (PAD) model
The Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance model by Mehrabian and Russell is a
model developed to describe and measure emotional states. PAD uses 3
numerical dimensions – Pleasure, Arousal and Dominance to represent all
emotions. The theory was originally developed for physical environments but
has been widely applied elsewhere. The core idea is that physical
environments influence people through their emotional impact.
8(a) All emotions can be reduced down to 3 dimensions and measured on a scale.
The Pleasure-Displeasure scale measures how pleasant or unpleasant
someone feels. For example, anger is an unpleasant emotion, scoring on the
displeasure side, but joy is a pleasant emotion. The Arousal-Nonarousal
Scale measures how energised someone feels. For example, both rage and
euphoria would score highly for arousal but boredom would mean nonarousal.
The Dominance-Submissiveness Scale represents how controlling and
dominant versus controlled or submissive one feels. For instance, while both
fear and anger are unpleasant emotions, anger is a dominant emotion, while
fear is a submissive emotion.
When applied to the effects of ambience, the PAD model means that emotion
or mood is a mediating factor between environmental cues and behaviour
(Mehrabian & Russell, 1974). We react to the environment with approach or
avoidance. Our emotional response can be measured according to the 3
dimensions. A positive response to music, smell, etc. increase length of time a
consumer spends in a shop, increasing the amount of money spent.
Effects of odour on shopper pleasure-arousal-dominance
Environmental psychologists propose that individuals react to their
environment with two contrasting forms of behaviour: approach and
avoidance, where approach is a desire to stay, and explore. Much of the
research on store atmospherics has presumed a mediating effect of mood on
customer behaviour. This would support the PAD model.
Chebat and Michon (2003)
The researchers aimed to investigate if the PAD model accounted for the
behaviour of participants or whether a cognition-arousal model better
accounted for their behaviour.
8(a) Field experiment in a shopping mall in Canada over two weeks. Week 1 was a
control week/group where no scent was put into the mall. In the second week
a pleasing scent (citrus) was put into the mall’s main corridor. 145 participants
during the scent week (447 in the control week). Self-administered
questionnaire given to participants by graduate marketing students not
wearing any perfume. This questionnaire asked the participants about their
shopping trip on product quality, the shopping environment, and the pleasure
and arousal felt while shopping. Found a more favourable perception of the
product quality and shopping environment when citrus scent in mall.
Results seemed to suggest more support for the cognition-arousal model than
pleasure-arousal-dominance model.
Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
8(b) Evaluate what psychologists have found out about retail atmospherics: 10
• model of effects of ambience Mehrabian and Russell’s pleasure-
arousal dominance (PAD) model
• the effects of odour on shopper pleasure-arousal-dominance
including a discussion of quantitative and qualitative data.
Evaluation in your answer can include strengths, weaknesses and a
discussion of issues and debates.
Use Table B: AO3 Analysis and evaluation to mark candidate responses to this
question.Depending on the examples studied by candidates their answers
may vary.
A range of issues could be used for evaluation.
• Named issue – quantitative and qualitative data – PAD model does
include the measurement of the emotions on the Pleasure-displeasure,
arousal-nonarousal and Dominance-submissiveness dimensions.
Although a number of scales are available, all will be quantitative. Chebat
and Michon collected a lot of quantitative data including product quality,
shopping environment, pleasure and arousal. Quantitative data allows
comparisons to be drawn and results analysed easily to make
conclusions about control and experimental groups (conditions) in
research. No qualitative data collected so there is a lack of highly valid
data where participants can express views in their own words.
• Application to everyday life – PAD model can be applied to situations
where effect of ambience on behaviour can be investigated. Chebat and
Michon found that the PAD model is not supported and suggested that
the process is more compatible with a cognition-arousal model. This has
potential useful applications when environmental researchers are making
predictions for how ambient characteristics may affect shopper behaviour.
• Cultural differences – the PAD model was developed in the West but it
could be applied to other cultural groups. The dimensions of emotion
could be universal. However, the way the specific emotions are viewed
8(b) may be culturally diverse e.g., anger may not be viewed so negatively in
some cultures. Chebat and Michon was carried out in a shopping mall in
Canada. Cultures that shop in different ways e.g., open air markets
typically, may find that the results do not apply. Views of different
fragrances as appealing may also be culturally diverse.
• Questionnaires – Chebat and Michon collected data via questionnaire. A
variety of items were asked and often on forced choice scales. Such
items will tend to be reliable so questionnaires can be repeated with
different conditions. Questionnaires can be subject to demand
characteristics and question items need to be worded carefully to avoid
leading questions in order to make sure that the responses are valid.
However, they also lend themselves to a large collection of data as they
can be administered quickly. Use of questionnaire also meant that
consent could be gathered easily.
• Objective and subjective data – Chebat and Michon collected data that
can be seen as objective (gender, age) and subjective (product quality,
arousal). Objective data can be seen as more scientific as not left to
interpretation. Subjective data is personal as it is the view of the individual
participant.
Additional issues candidates may use include:
• Ecological validity
• Generalisations
• Control of variables
• Reliability
• Ethics
Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
Many of the above issues have been applied to the Chebat and Michon study.
It is important to remember that candidates do not have to use this study but
they will need to refer to a study.