The Signature Effect: Signing Influences Consumption-Related Behavior by Priming Self-Identity

Signing one's name influences consumption-related behavior in a predictable manner. Signing acts as a general self-identity prime that facilitates the activation of the particular aspect of consumer self-identity that is afforded by the situation, resulting in behavior congruent with that aspect. Signing causes consumers to become more (less) engaged when shopping in a product domain they (do not) closely identify with, to identify more (less) closely with in(out)-groups, and to conform more with (diverge more from) in(out)-groups when making consumption choices in preference domains that are relevant to signaling one's identity.

Selected Media Mentions

The Toronto Star 

Helpful Hopefulness: The Effect of Future Positive Emotions on Consumption

Although positive affect may enhance self-control, some research suggests that this is not always the case. To clarify this relationship, the authors investigated the role of temporal focus on the effect of specific positive emotions on self-control dilemmas in snack consumption. Consumers experiencing a future-focused positive emotion such as hopefulness consume less unhealthy food and have lower preferences for unhealthy snacks than those in a past- or present-focused emotional state such as pride or happiness. The role of temporal focus is demonstrated through its natural occurrence in emotion-induction essays, chronic temporal focus, and manipulation of anticipated versus retrospective emotional states. Self-control benefits do not arise from future-focused negative emotions (such as fear) as they do from future-focused positive emotions. These results suggest that consumers may benefit from adapting the temporal focus of positive emotions to the future.

Selected Media Mentions

Medical Daily   

Psychological Distance and the Dual Role of Price

When evaluating a product, consumers may interpret price information as either an indicator of quality or an indicator of monetary sacrifice. Psychological distance alters the weight consumers attach to these opposing roles of price. From both a temporally and a socially distant perspective, the price-perceived quality relationship is more pronounced. From a temporally proximal perspective, the price-perceived sacrifice relationship is more pronounced. These effects stem from differences in the way consumers mentally construe price information. When consumers initially use price to judge a product for distant future consumption, it receives less attention as an indicator of sacrifice in a later evaluation for near future consumption. These findings have implications for prelaunch communication activities and preference elicitation methods such as conjoint analysis.

Selected Media Mentions

Science Daily 

Predicting Consumption Time: The Role of Event Valence and Unpacking 

How much time do consumers predict they will spend on using a product or service when they have control over the usage time? Predicted consumption time is systematically influenced by the valence and the representation of the target event. Consumers predict spending more time on a pleasant event when it is unpacked into several subactivities and spending less time on an unpleasant event when it is unpacked. Consumers have a lay belief that they spend more (less) time on more (less) pleasant events and that unpacking increases the intensity of predicted consumption experience. These changes in time predictions influence consumption decisions and address alternative explanations, including mood, mood regulation, and attention.  

Selected Media Mentions

Phys.Org