Telescoping
DESCRIPTION
Among individuals asked to place the time of a past event, the systematic tendency for individuals to recall that recent events occurred farther back in time and distant events occurred more recently than is actually the case.
Among individuals asked to place the time of a past event, the systematic tendency for individuals to recall that recent events occurred farther back in time and distant events occurred more recently than is actually the case.
KEY INSIGHTS
Telescoping, where individuals systematically err in their recall and reporting of the timing of events, is a generally pervasive phenomenological tendency among individuals. Backward telescoping is where individuals recall that recent events occurred farther back in time than is actually the case. Forward telescoping is where individuals recall that distant events occurred more recently in time than is actually the case. An example of forward telescoping is when a respondent who is asked if she had purchased an expensive pair of shoes in the past year recalls and reports on an expensive shoe purchase that actually occurred eighteen months prior.
Telescoping, where individuals systematically err in their recall and reporting of the timing of events, is a generally pervasive phenomenological tendency among individuals. Backward telescoping is where individuals recall that recent events occurred farther back in time than is actually the case. Forward telescoping is where individuals recall that distant events occurred more recently in time than is actually the case. An example of forward telescoping is when a respondent who is asked if she had purchased an expensive pair of shoes in the past year recalls and reports on an expensive shoe purchase that actually occurred eighteen months prior.
KEYWORDS Event recall, reporting, time
IMPLICATIONS
Telescoping has important implications for marketing researchers concerned with accurately understanding and predicting consumer behavior. For example, research by Morwitz (1997) suggests that on average, consumers underestimate the time since purchasing a durable good. Further, findings by Morwitz (1997) suggest that the magnitude of forward telescoping errors increases and the propensity to make backward telescoping errors decreases with the time since the purchase of a good. Marketing researchers should be cognizant of telescoping errors in recall and reporting since telescoping can have a significant effect on future purchase intentions. At the same time, marketing researchers should also consider that telescoping biases are observed to vary across different demographic segments.
Telescoping has important implications for marketing researchers concerned with accurately understanding and predicting consumer behavior. For example, research by Morwitz (1997) suggests that on average, consumers underestimate the time since purchasing a durable good. Further, findings by Morwitz (1997) suggest that the magnitude of forward telescoping errors increases and the propensity to make backward telescoping errors decreases with the time since the purchase of a good. Marketing researchers should be cognizant of telescoping errors in recall and reporting since telescoping can have a significant effect on future purchase intentions. At the same time, marketing researchers should also consider that telescoping biases are observed to vary across different demographic segments.
APPLICATION AREAS AND FURTHER READINGS
Marketing Research
Cook, W. A. (1987). ‘Telescoping and Memory’s Other Tricks,’ Journal of Advertising Research, 27, February–March, RC5–RC8.
Cook, W. A. (1987). ‘Telescoping and Memory’s Other Tricks,’ Journal of Advertising Research, 27, February–March, RC5–RC8.
Morwitz, V. G. (1997). ‘Why Consumers Don’t Always Accurately Predict their own Future Behavior,’ Marketing Letters (New York), 8(1), 57–70.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Morwitz, Vicki G. (1997). ‘It Seems like Only Yesterday: The Nature and Consequences of Telescoping Errors in Marketing Research,’ Journal of Consumer Psychology, 6(1), 1–29.
Morwitz, Vicki G. (1997). ‘It Seems like Only Yesterday: The Nature and Consequences of Telescoping Errors in Marketing Research,’ Journal of Consumer Psychology, 6(1), 1–29.