A Study on the Influence of the Physical Environment of a Bakery Cafe on Customers' Behavioral Responses: Focusing on the Moderating Effect of Emotional Responses

This study empirically investigated the relationship between the physical environment of bakery cafes and behavioral responses and analyzed whether customers’ emotions play a moderating role in this relationship. The results of a survey of 327 respondents who have visited bakery cafes were used for statistical analysis, and frequency analysis, reliability analysis, and factor analysis were performed to identify demographic characteristics. Multiple linear regression analysis and moderated regression analysis were performed to verify the research hypothesis. The analysis results showed that indoor environment (β=.397), convenience (β=.296), and aesthetics (β=.292) all had significant effects on behavioral responses (p<.001), and the regression model explained 43.3% of the behavioral response with R2=.433. The results of the multicollinearity check confirmed the validity of the analysis as VIF < 10 and Tolerance > 0.1 for all variables. The physical environment of bakery cafes was derived from three factors: indoor environment, convenience, and aesthetics, one factor for behavioral responses, and three factors for emotional responses: positive, arousal, and negative. In the relationship between the indoor environment of the physical environment and behavioral responses, emotional responses were found to have an influential relationship. In the relationship between the factors of indoor environment, convenience, and aesthetics and behavioral responses, positive emotions were found to have a greater influence than arousal or negative emotions. This shows that it is necessary to configure the environment so that consumers who use bakery cafes can feel positive emotions about the physical environment.