Consumo de Serviços Postais: uma Explicação Pautada nos Valores Humanos

Abstract

The current dissertation aimed at evaluating the influence of human values, judgment and meaning, and need for cognition in the choice and attributes of postal services. In accordance with these objectives, two studies were conducted. Study 1 aimed at knowing the psychometrics parameters of the Attributes of Postal Services Scale and the Judgment and Meaning Scale for services, and testing the theoretical model with a sample of students. Participants were 215 students of a public university in João Pessoa (PB), most of them females (61.40%), with mean age of 20 years old (sd = 3.79). A preliminary statistical analysis indicated that all items presented satisfactory discriminative power. Prior to performing the factor analysis, the suitability of using this technique was checked, and for both scales results were adequate: Attribute of Postal Services [KMO = 0.70, Bartlett‟s Sphericity Test, χ ² (210) = 1183.31 p <0.001], and Judgment and Meaning Scale [KMO = 0.75, Bartlett‟s Sphericity Test, χ ² (300) = 1210.93, p <0.001]. A PAF (Principal Axis Factoring) was conducted, without fixing the number of factors and rotation. According to what was expected, in both scales a two-factor solution emerged, and reliability indexes (Cronbach‟s Alpha) were 0.81 and 0.76, respectively. These results evince the factor validity and reliability for both instruments. The theoretical model was confirmed by the correlations found between the symbolic attributes of postal services with emotive judgment and meaning (r = 0.46, p <0.01); the normative (r = 0.24, p <0.01 ) and interactional subfunction of values (r = 0.23, p <0.01); and need for cognition (r = -0.15, p <0.05); as well as the correlation found between the utilitarian attributes of postal services with rational judgment and meaning (r = 0.28, p <0.01); and need for cognition (r = 0.14, p <0.05). This model fitted the empirical data [χ ² (7) = 17.77, p = 0.01, χ ² / df = 2.54, GFI = 0.98, AGFI = 0.91, CFI = 0.95 and RMSEA = 0.085 (0.03 - 0.14); PCLOS = 0.10]. The documents‟ importance and the services attributes were better predictors of the choice of postal services, and the mails‟ opening priority was influenced by the psychological variables measured. Study 2 aimed at testing the same theoretical model with a sample of postal service users. Participants were 238 clients of postal offices of João Pessoa (PB), 50.8% were female and the mean age was 32 years old (sd = 11.45). Findings were similar to Study 1 results, with the exception of the correlations hypothesized to need for cognition. The model also proved to be adjusted to the empirical data [χ ² (7) = 14.88, p = 0.04, χ ² / df = 2.13, GFI = 0.98, AGFI = 0.93, CFI = 0, 97 and RMSEA = 0.07 (0.02 - 0.11); PCLOS = 0.22]. The documents‟ importance and the services attributes were better predictors of choice of postal services and mails‟ opening priority. The psychological variables measured showed greater influence in this study. In conclusion, it is hoped that the aims proposed in this dissertation were reached. Therefore, it is likely it presents a contribution to this field in Social Psychology: the influence of psychological variables in the behavior of postal services‟ consumption.