Cognitive impact on fashion preference

Abstract

This paper examined the nature and extent of cognitive impact on fashion preferences of young Sri Lankans. The paper focused on fashion consumer behavior from two perspectives: fashion as a display of Socioeconomic Status, and a way for Erode Exposure. The sample of the study consisted of 60 Sri Lankan students in the age between 17 and 25. The data for the survey were collected through the interviews based on a formal questionnaire. Likert Scale anchored with seven scales (1= strongly disagree to 1— strongly agree) were used to record respondents' fashion preferences and cognition. Mann-Whitney test statistics were used to examine the cognition of fashions and fashion preference between male and female respondents. Study results showed that cognition of fashions as a means to show the socio-economic status is not different between males and females. However, it was evident that females highly believe that fashions reflect the collective choice of a social group. Further, young fashion consumers equally believe that fashion is a means to show the commitment towards the modern values of the society. However, females highly prefer free and independent fashions, and the fashions expected by the modern society. Findings also indicated that youngsters attempt to express their gender through the fashions. According to the test results, the cognition of males is tended towards the view that fashionable clothes create sexual attraction. The results showed that young males tend more towards having sexual attraction through fashions than women.