A Dynamic Attribute Satiation Model of Variety Seeking Behavior* a Dynamic Attribute Satiation Model of Variety Seeking Behavior* a Dynamic Attribute Satiation Model of Variety Seeking Behavior

This paper presents a model of individual consumer choice behavior for separate choice occasions. Contrary to the popular notion that each choice is essentially independent of its predecessors, that very dependence is proposed as the key to variety seeking behavior. From the consumption history one can infer which valued attributes the subject has recently consumed and in what quantities. Comparing this to the ideal amount of each attribute for that subject gives an indication of the attribute combination that would be most preferred by that subject at that point in time. As the consumption history evolves, the pattern of attribute accumulations will change, leading to preference for items rich in different attributes at different points in time. The model is operationalized and specific parameterizations are inferred from a collection of soft-drink consumption diaries. The proposed model is shown to predict choices better than a model which ignores the dependence among choices.