Neural Correlates of Pre-Dispositions in Innovation Adoption Research: Evidence from an fMRI Study

Successfully bringing new products to market remains a critical challenge for companies. Previous
literature states high failure rates for innovations, ranging between 50% and 90%. In investigating the cause
for this phenomenon, past research focused on innovation-specific factors, neglecting other determinants
such as the individual’s inclination to change or the individual’s satisfaction with the status quo. Since the
investigation of such determinants are limited by traditional techniques (surveys or behavioral observation),
a multi-method fMRI study has been conceptualized. The aim of this study is to empirically explore neural
correlates of psychological constructs that are traditionally used in adoption theory. The focus lies on
consumer predispositions like innate innovativeness and how consumers differing in these predispositions
also differ in their neural reactions to incremental and radical product innovations.