Worked example 1
A supermarket manager plays slow-tempo instrumental music. Average basket spend, originally $45, rises by 8%. A fast-food chain plays upbeat pop at high volume at lunch. Table turnover increases but customer satisfaction scores fall. Explain and evaluate these findings using research on sound and consumer behaviour.
Show solution outline
Supermarket — apply Milliman (1982): Slow tempo reduces walking pace → longer dwell time → more items seen and purchased. The 8% rise in basket spend from $45 is calculated as: $45 × 1.08 = $48.60 per basket. This supports Milliman's finding of higher sales volume. Low volume maintains comfortable arousal without triggering avoidance (Mehrabian-Russell pleasure-arousal model, 2.1.3).
Restaurant — apply Milliman (1986): Fast tempo increases eating speed → faster table turnover (more covers per hour). High volume raises arousal — may speed behaviour but exceed optimal arousal for some diners, lowering satisfaction.
Evaluate — strengths: Both changes align with replicated field studies — high ecological validity, measurable behavioural outcomes (time, spend, turnover).
Evaluate — limitations: Confounds — weekday afternoon shoppers may differ demographically from other periods. Individual differences — age, culture, and music preference moderate effects. Short-term only — habituation may reduce impact over weeks. Ethics — subconscious influence without consent raises manipulation concerns; customers cannot make fully informed choices. Reductionism — music is one atmospheric variable among many (lighting, scent, layout — 2.1.1, 2.1.3).