IKEA effect

As IKEA effect is referred to in behavioral economics, the growth of appreciation, which is met with self-designed, or at least self-assembled objects compared to ready -selling mass products. The designation by the furniture manufacturer IKEA and its products to be assembled by the customer was coined by the economist Michael Norton, 2009. Quantitatively achieved the increased appreciation by the self- performed installation of a mass article almost an appreciation for individually crafted by artisans single piece.

Precursors in the research

An early description of the IKEA effect can be found in the study of the rejection of cake - baking mixes by American housewives in the 1950s. Sales of these mixtures stagnated because they were perceived by the housewives to be too simple: your work force and their skills in food preparation were no longer needed. Only when the manufacturer changed their advertising to the effect that the inherent power of the housewife, was emphasized by elaborate decoration around the finished cake, the cake mixes were able to enforce final.

Study by Norton and colleagues

Through the work of Norton and colleagues at the IKEA effect has been scientifically confirmed and quantified: The subjects had to inspect it, and then assemble the appropriate furniture for guidance even pre-selected, assembled furniture. Then they could submit bids for both furniture. It shows a preference for the self-assembled furniture. The results were confirmed with origami figures and assembling of simple kits with partners. Through the use of ready-made kits without the possibility of modification could be excluded that the increased appreciation of their own work is based on an individualization of mass product.

Furthermore, it was hypothesized that the occurrence of the IKEA effect the successful completion of their own work is a prerequisite to be confirmed: Did the subjects decompose before bidding the self-assembled objects again, no statistically significant increase in the appreciation showed. Allowed the participants to assemble IKEA furniture only half, so the IKEA effect failed to materialize: Your bids were less than half of those who were able to build their furniture finish.

Further research

In a laboratory study published in 2010 found a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University found that a similar effect was also observed in mice. In the experiment, laboratory mice were given a choice between two food sources: In order to get the sugary liquid with the flavor A, they had to press one of two levers. To get the sugary liquid with the flavor B, they had to press the other lever. Gradually, one of the two flavors of the workload increased, ie the mice had to press up to 15 times the corresponding lever. For each different flavor of expenses remained the same. After returning to the home cage, the mice showed a significant preference for that flavor for which they had to work harder.