Mobilní telefon jako zdroj rozptýlení při spotřebitelském rozhodování: perspektiva vizuální pozornosti

Visual attention, characterized by its limited capacity, is considered a scarce resource that plays a critical role in consumer decision-making. The extensive integration of mobile phones into daily activities, coupled with the multitasking they facilitate, has the potential to disrupt attention. It poses an important factor in the effort to capture consumer attention. This dissertation examines mobile phones' role as a distraction source in the context of visual attention and gaze behaviour during consumer decision-making. An experimental eye-tracking screen study was used to achieve the goal of this dissertation thesis. A screed-based eye-tracker recorded respondents' eye fixations during decisions between two product alternatives in the non-alcoholic beverages category (2-AFC tasks), simulating the context of consumer decision-making. The experiment included both distraction conditions (including mobile phone communication) and non-distraction conditions. A complementary questionnaire survey was also used. The research sample comprised 70 respondents, with 840 observations analysed (2 experimental conditions × 6 choices × 70 respondents). First, the validity of eye-tracking as a tool for measuring cognitive load based on eye fixations was confirmed. The results indicate that mobile phone use for activities unrelated to shopping decisions cannot be unequivocally classified as a cognitive distractor. However, higher levels of cognitive distraction were observed among older individuals and men. Although mobile phone conversations during decision-making did not exhibit signs of cognitive distraction (as evidenced by statistically insignificant changes in gaze behaviour), they influence the relationship between consumer preferences and visual attention. Specifically, the study identified a weakening of the gaze bias effect (preference at the product level) and a strengthening of the impact of internal factors (represented by preferences at the product-alternative level) on visual attention. This thesis contributes novel insights to reevaluating the role of mobile phones as distractors in consumer decision-making. It advances the understanding of the mechanisms of consumer visual attention related to theories of selective attention in the context of multitasking with mobile technologies during in-store decision-making. The results suggest an increased influence of internal factors (top-down processes) at the expense of external stimuli (bottom-up processes) and highlight the significance of value-based attention. Despite the experimental limitations, the findings highlight the importance of optimizing visual strategies at the point of sale and emphasize the importance of effective communication with consumers before their shopping experience.