Hedonic and Utilitarian Motivations behind Shopping and Research Behaviors: Theory and Evidence

Using a simple theoretical model, this paper demonstrates that an individual's behavior is greatly influenced by her hedonic and utilitarian values of a task. While hedonic value is the intrinsic benefit one receives from performing a task (e.g., having fun playing the game), utilitarian value is the tangible reward one obtains from performing the task (e.g., winning the prize). Utilitarian value of a task outlasts its hedonic value. An...