Prepurchase Information Seeking Behavior of New Car Purchasers—The Learning Hypothesis

This article reports the results of an empirical test of hypotheses derived from learning theory in an attempt to explain prepurchase information seeking behavior in terms of repeat purchase data. Experience alone, measured by the number of times the choice decision has been faced, appears not to affect information seeking behavior. Positively reinforced past choices, measured in aggregate or in sequence, decrease the amount of prepurchase information seeking in which consumers engaged.