New model predicts when people are willing to try new things
A new model to predict when people are most likely to try different products has been developed by scientists. The research could help to direct public health interventions aimed at encouraging healthier choices Ref. Source 5k.
It doesn't sound so much like they developed a model as they identified one or two key indicators of when someone is about to change. I am not a sociologist or psychologist, but in the physical sciences a model has to explain (Or at least predict) all relevant parts of the system. This 'model' they developed only says that people who are explorers in one type of product tend to be explorers in all types of products and that they identified when people are most likely to change, not what drives the change or how this prediction can be used to target people more effectively. The article mentions this study was done to see when people will choose healthier options, but then doesn't make any more mention of how health plays a roll at all. As a scientist, I would like more information about the study and its findings to be in the article.
As far as the topic itself, I find that I am willing to try new things and instead of being loyal to a brand, I am loyal to the most cost-effective option. For most food that just means cheapest, but I do find that there are some really bad options out there that it is worth spending a few extra cents to get the better known products. But for electronics (Or things I plan to use long-term) I tend to weigh the pros and cons of spending a little more and getting something with a warranty or better components or what-have-you. For cell phones I tend to be more loyal, but for computers it changes over years as some companies use better parts one year or are more cost-effective a different years. I switch between 3 or 4 different computer makers. I know a lot of my friends are fiercely loyal to brands and will only buy from someone they have already had a good experience with until they have a bad experience with that product.