Journal of Social Systems and Policy Analysis | Volume 3, Issue 3: 143-154, 2026 | DOI: 10.62762/JSSPA.2026.729628
Abstract
This study moves beyond average price effects to examine systematic heterogeneity in how consumers cognitively construct meaning from ambiguous prices in credence-based professional services. We propose a dual-anchor framework---comprising the External Normative Reference Anchor (ENRA) and the Internal Value Identification Anchor (IVIA)---and validate it using survey data from 676 psychological counseling consumers. Factor and cluster analyses identify three distinct segments: Normative Anchors, Value Identifiers, and Cognitively Ambivalent consumers. These segments differ significantly in price-quality beliefs and selected perceived barriers (stigma and price sensitivity) but not in short-t... More >
Graphical Abstract