Scholarly Interests

My expertise lies in product and marketing research with an applied emphasis on the apparel industry. My research program has focused on the social-psychological and cultural aspects of consumer behavior and preference formation for products. Current research topics include product preference analysis, ethnic (Hispanic) consumer behavior, and emerging technologies (virtual reality) and consumer behavior.  My research integrates both qualitative and quantitative methodologies including focus group interviews, experimental designs, surveys, and case studies, among diverse consumer segments.

• Chattaraman, V., Rudd, N. A., & Lennon, S. J. (In Press). The malleable bicultural consumer: Effects of cultural contexts on aesthetic judgments. Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
• Chattaraman, V., Lennon, S. J., & Rudd, N. A. (In Press). Social identity salience: Effects on identity-based brand choices of Hispanic consumers. Psychology & Marketing.
• Chattaraman, V., Rudd, N. A., & Lennon, S. J. (In Press). Identity salience and shifts in product preferences of Hispanic consumers: Cultural relevance of product attributes as a moderator. Journal of Business Research.
• Chattaraman, V., & Lennon, S. J. (2008). Ethnic identity, consumption of cultural apparel and self-perceptions of ethnic consumers. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 12(4), 518-531.
• Chattaraman, V., & Rudd, N. A. (2006). Preferences for aesthetic attributes in clothing as a function of body image, body cathexis and body size. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 24(1), 46-61.
• Chattaraman, V., Rudd, N.A., & Lennon, S.J. (In Press). Cultural Priming and Shifts in Product Preferences of Hispanic Consumers: Cultural Relevance of Product Attributes as a Moderator. Proceedings of the 65th Annual Conference of the International Textiles and Apparel Association, November 5-8, 2008, Schaumburg, Illinois.
• Halepete, J. & Chattaraman, V. (In Press). Apparel Preferences and Perceptions of International Apparel Brands among Indian Women in IT: An Exploratory Study. Proceedings of the 65th Annual Conference of the International Textiles and Apparel Association, November 5-8, 2008, Schaumburg, Illinois.
• Chattaraman, V., Lennon, S.J., & Rudd, N.A. (In Press). Enduring and Momentary Mechanisms of Social Identity Salience: Combinatorial Effects on Identity-Based Apparel Brand Choices of Hispanic Consumers. Proceedings of the 64th Annual Conference of the International Textiles and Apparel Association, November 7-10, 2007, Los Angeles, CA
• Chattaraman, V. & Rudd, N. A. (In Press). A meta-analytic comparison of preference- and perception-based studies in the aesthetics of clothing. Proceedings from the 63rd Annual Conference of the International Textiles and Apparel Association, November 1-6, 2007, San Antonio, TX.
• Chattaraman, V. & Kandampully, J. (2006). Core and peripheral retail service framework for targeting ethnic consumer groups. Proceedings of the 13th International Conference of the European Institute of Retailing and Services Studies, July 9-12, 2006, Budapest, Hungary.
• Chattaraman, V. & Rudd, N.A. (2005). Aesthetic attribute preferences in clothing as a function of body image, body cathexis, and body size. Proceedings from the 62nd Annual Conference of the International Textiles and Apparel Association, November 2-5, 2005, Alexandria, VA.
• Chattaraman, V. (2005). Attitudes toward purchase of artisan-produced cultural apparel products of socially responsible businesses in India. Proceedings of the First Virtual Conference of the Global Symposium for Consumer Sciences, April 2005.
• Chattaraman, V., & Lennon, S. J. (2004). Ethnic identity, use of ethnic and ethnic-inspired dress and self-perceptions of individuals belonging to minority ethnic groups in the US. Proceedings from the 61st Annual Conference of the International Textiles and Apparel Association, November 3-7, 2004, Portland, OR.

Selected Research Projects

• Chattaraman, V., Gilbert, J. E., & Kwon, W.S. (2008). AU Competitive Outreach Scholarship Grant, Auburn University, “Bridging the Digital Divide to Enhance Technology Use Among the Elderly.”
• Chattaraman, V. (2008). AU Competitive Research Grant, Auburn University, “Embodied Conversational Agents in E-Commerce.”
• Simmons, K.P., Chattaraman, V., & Ulrich, P.V. (2008). AU Faculty Mentoring Grant, Auburn University, “Analysis of Body Shape and Apparel Fit Preferences of Male Consumers.”
• Connell, L.J., Ulrich, P.V., Simmons, K.P. & Chattaraman, V. (2006-9). National Textile Center, Department of Commerce, “Apparel Product Development for the Plus-Sized Teen and Tween Boy Markets.”

Courses Taught

Undergraduate:

• CAHS 2740 Aesthetics for Apparel Design
• CAHS 4500 Portfolio Development for Apparel Designers
• CAHS 4970 Advanced Illustration Techniques/Problems in Design
• CAHS 3900 Directed Studies
• CAHS 4960 Special Problems

Graduate:

• ITAS 7200 Integrated Textile and Apparel Complex
• CAHS 7670 Clothing and Behavior
• CAHS 7900 Independent Study
• CAHS 7910 Supervised Teaching
• CAHS 7930 Advanced Design Projects
• CAHS 7980 Graduate Project
• CAHS 7990 Research and Thesis
• CAHS 8990 Research and Dissertation

Honors and Awards

• Outreach Scholarship Grant (recognized with research team), Auburn University, April 2008
• Competitive Research Grant, Auburn University, April 2008
• Faculty Mentoring Grant (recognized with research team), Auburn University, April 2008
• Proposal Development Grant from the Research Institute for the Study of Diversity (recognized with research team), Auburn University, April 2008
• Fairchild Publications Faculty Grant, the International Textile and Apparel Association, November 2007
• New Faculty Scholars Certificate of Achievement, Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, Auburn University, May 2007
• The Grant Institute Certificate of Achievement, Institute for Communication Improvement, March 2007
• 2nd Place Poster in Systems Category (recognized with research team), National Textiles Center Forum, February 2007
• Selected Candidate for Best Paper Award in the Social/Psychological Track for the 2006 International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference, November 2006
• Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Teaching, Department of Consumer Sciences, The Ohio State University, May 2006
• ITAA Fellowship, the International Textile and Apparel Association, November 2005
• Consumer Sciences Graduate Research Award, Lois E. Dickey & Ester A. Meacham Endowment, College of Human Ecology,  The Ohio State University, November 2005
• Alumni Grants for Graduate Research and Scholarship Award, Graduate School, The Ohio State University, September 2005
• Ethel L. Parker International Fellowship,American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, June 2005
• University Fellow, Graduate School, The Ohio State University, 2003-2004

Professional Affiliations

• International Textile and Apparel Association
• American Collegiate Retailing Association