Keywords

culture; web-design; Cultural aesthetics; User interface (UI) design; Cross-cultural design; Country-of-origin effect; Purchase intention; Cultural congruence

Abstract

This thesis investigates the influence of culture on a shopping site's perceived usability and trustworthiness through its visual design. In the context of increasing globalization, user interface (UI) design plays a significant role in shaping consumer behavior across diverse cultural backgrounds. Drawing from theories of cross-cultural human-computer interaction and country-of-origin (COO) bias, this study examines whether cultural cues, specifically color schemes and symbolic imagery embedded in UI design, influence perceptions of trust, usability, and purchase likelihood (Brand & Baier, 2022; Cheng, Wu, & Leiner, 2019; Coffey & Kabadayi, 2019).

Participants from the University of Central Florida were randomly assigned to view one of two shopping websites that were identical in content but differed in visual design to reflect either Asian or Western cultural aesthetics. Each participant was exposed to only one version of the website. After viewing the static site image, participants completed the System Usability Scale (SUS; Brooke, 1996), along with additional attitude measures to assess usability, trust, and likelihood of purchase.

Results revealed a significant difference in perceived usability, with participants rating the Western-style website as more usable than the Asian-style website. However, differences in perceived trustworthiness and purchase likelihood were not statistically significant. These findings emphasize the role of cultural representation in interface design and its implications for global e-commerce strategies. This research contributes to a growing understanding of how culturally informed visual design can enhance usability and promote effective user engagement in digital marketplaces (Chakraborty, 2009; Reinecke & Bernstein, 2013).

Thesis Completion Year

2025

Thesis Completion Semester

Summer

Thesis Chair

Thai, Crystal

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Thesis Discipline

Psychology

Language

English

Access Status

Campus Access

Length of Campus Access

3 years

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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Restricted to the UCF community until 8-15-2028; it will then be open access.

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Rights Statement

In Copyright