Consumer behaviors in the context of emotional processes: A research on young consumers' use of technological products

The purpose of this research is to determine the relationships between technological product features such as performance (usefulness, ease of use), design (visual appeal, prototypicality) and communication (inner self, social self) and consumer emotions: arousal and pleasure, and how these emotions affect the consumer behaviors: satisfaction, loyalty and word of mouth. A conceptual research model has been developed within the framework of Stimulus-Organism-Response Theory (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974). In the research model, technological product features are the stimulus, consumer emotions are the organism, and consumer behaviors are the response. According to this theory, cognitive and emotional states are mediators between the environmental stimulus human and behaviors. The data was collected through the quota sampling technique during the academic year 2012-2013 via surveys answered by 491 students studying at Dokuz Eylul University, Yasar University and Adnan Menderes University who owned smart phones. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral students were asked whether they owned smart phones or not. The ones who owned smart phones were interviewed face to face. They answered the questionnaire which included the scales of the research variables used in the study. Research results show that there are significant relationships between technological product features, consumer emotions and consumer behaviors. The results are thought to provide guidance for technological product/service companies, especially smart phone companies, for their marketing strategies by revealing young consumers? attitudes, emotions, and behaviours toward technological products.