A structural equation modelling approach for assessing the dimensions of the optimum stimulation level

The current scales for assessing the exploratory tendency of consumers are mainly composite measures relied upon by the psychological characteristics of consumers with regard to their personality. At the present time, the available OSL (Optimum Stimulation Level) scales could be considered to be obsolete because they were devised and worded years ago. The cultural environment in which they were developed and tested is a major factor that could affect their validity across different cultural scenes. In addition to this, there is the lack of complete scientific rigor in some of the tests of these measures and, consequently, their reliability could be doubtful. The aim of this article is to review the relevant OSL measures and to test an exploratory behavior model based on the findings of this research. This paper is carefully structured into several sections: a review of the literature of the current OSL measures; an empirical test for identifying the OSL subscales in a different cultural scene and a test to verify these dimensions. Finally, and with the intention of shedding some light on this area of consumer behavior in marketing, an exploratory behavior model based on structural equations is posed and tested.