Author: Johan Hallen

Publisher: GRIN Verlag

Published: 2016-09-07

Total Pages: 49

ISBN-13: 3668293554

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2016 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: A (5,0), Stockholm University (Department of Computer and Systems Sciences), course: Bachelor thesis in computer and systems sciences (IB015F), 15 hec, language: English, abstract: Within the topic of Internet of Things (IoT) smart objects are a key concept. The concept of making everyday objects smart. Smart objects that can understand and react to their environment, creating a smart environment. However, with the fast technological development leading to more smart environments in the physical world, not much research has been done on how this will influence users from an Environmental Psychology perspective. Earlier research on smart technologies has shown that users who received real-time feedback on their behavior got their attitude influenced and also changed their behavior, creating an interest to further explore the possibilities and impact of this technology. Marketing researchers have done Environmental Psychology studies for a long time to examine how other environmental stimuli (light, music, scents and digital signage etc.) influence people’s perception, emotions and behaviors using the Mehrabian-Russell model to build stimulating environments also known as atmospherics. This study aims to solve the lack of research on how the emerging smart environments will influence consumers. With the following research question: “How will a retail example of a smart environment influence consumers from an environmental psychology perspective?” The research strategy was a scenario-based case study, where the participants got to experience a retail scenario with a simulated smart environment. The data collection method were in-depth semi-structured interviews that was conducted on 10 participants, randomly selected. Thereafter a thematic analysis was conducted as a data analysis method. Data extracts were theory driven coded and categorized under the environmental psychology themes.