Evaluation of IT research articles which apply stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model in conducting user behavior or perceptions

Name of Theory

• Stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model

Brief description of theory

• The SOR model is overarching in environmental psychology to understand 
• the formation of emotions when Individuals are exposed to various environmental stimuli
• cognitive reactions of individuals that influence privacy decision making
• the impacts these two factors have on consumers’ privacy behavioural intention (Li, Sarathy, & Xu, 2011). 

Paper 1: The role of affect and cognition on online customers' decision to disclose personal information to unfamiliar online vendors

Independent constructs (independent variables) 

• Joy
• Fear
• Perceived relevance of information
• Awareness of privacy statement
• General privacy concern
• Privacy protection belief
• Privacy risk belief

Dependent constructs (dependent variables)

• Behavioural intention

What is the paper about?

• To identify affective and cognitive reactions of online customers by using both the privacy calculus framework and the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model
• To investigate privacy belief that is concerned with exchanging customers' information to online vendor for each transaction
• To measure initial emotions obtained from an overall impression of a website

How it uses the theory?

• The paper apply S-O-R model where:
• Online privacy content, characteristics of website, the types of information surfed by the customers from website and privacy policy on the website represented as Stimuli
• Emotional responses are represented as affective reactions
• Customers' opinion upon website's privacy are represented as cognitive reactions

Research method(s) used in the paper

• Survey (using experiment website)

Paper 2: The impact of online store environment cues on purchase intention

Independent constructs (independent variables) 

• Technical adequacy
• Content quality
• Special content
• Appearance
• Web site awareness
• Web site image

Mediating variables

•  Trust
•  Perceived risk

Dependent constructs (dependent variables) 

• Website brand
• Website quality
• Purchase intention (response)

Control variables

• Trust propensity
• Risk propensity

Extraneous variables

• Web Quality
• Users' internet experience
• Type of web site 
• Incentive programmes

What is the paper about?

• To assess how the a website's quality and brand will influence a customer's risk aversion towards an online shopping site and if this is derived from the buyers' trust and perceived risk. 
• To identify which aspects of the website has a greater impact on affecting consumers' trust and perceived risk. 
• To determine the extent to which consumers' trust and perceived risk influences the online shopping business.

How it uses the theory?

                                                 (Hsin Hsin & Su Wen, 2011) 
The paper apply S-O-R model where:

• Stimulus refers to the online environmental ques taken from Website quality and Website brand (e.g. Website design, layout, hyperlinks, icons, color scheme, etc.)
• Organism refers to the cognitive and affective state of the user which relates to trust and perceived risk
• Response refers to the outcome which leads to purchase intention

Research method(s) used in the paper

• Web-based Survey 
• Correlational 
• Questionnaires
• Pilot Test
• Internet/Web-based Survey

References

Li, H., Sarathy, R., & Xu, H. (2011). The role of affect and cognition on online consumers' decision to disclose personal information to unfamiliar online vendors. Decision Support Systems, 51(3), 434-445. doi:10.1016/j.dss.2011.01.017
Available full research article at: http://bit.ly/1MnCDrQ

Hsin Hsin, C., & Su Wen, C. (2008). The impact of online store environment cues on purchase intention: Trust and perceived risk as a mediator. Online Information Review, 32(6), 818-841.
Available full research article at: http://bit.ly/1V7kXTp