Consideration set measurement

Recent research on choice modeling has used the evoked set construct, usually labeling it the consideration set, as an integral component to specify the relevant pool of brands from which choice is made. There is no consistently used or commonly accepted conceptual definition for, or operational method of assessing, consideration sets. A total of 114 undergraduates participated in an experiment in which they completed 2 questionnaires. Usable data consist of 113 observations for fast food restaurant, 110 for soft drink, and 98 for gasoline. Situation-specific definitions resulted in smaller sets with greater correspondence with reported purchases. Semantic variations within definition type had no substantial impact. Prior research is extended by demonstrating the impact of type of definition on reported consideration set composition, and by expanding the examination of consideration set composition beyond size, to include correspondence to awareness and purchase as well. No association between consideration set size and frequency of purchase was found.