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Shifting Signals to Help Health: Using Identity Signaling to Reduce Risky Health Behaviors

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  • Jonah Berger
  • Lindsay Rand

Abstract

This research examines how identity-based interventions can improve consumer health. Results of laboratory and field experiments reveal that associating risky health behaviors with a social identity people do not want to signal can contaminate the behaviors and lead consumers to make healthier choices. College freshman reported consuming less alcohol (experiment 2), and restaurant patrons selected less fattening food (experiment 3), when drinking alcohol and eating junk food were presented as markers of avoidance groups. These findings demonstrate that identity-based interventions can shift the identities associated with real-world behaviors, thereby improving the health of populations. (c) 2008 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

Suggested Citation

  • Jonah Berger & Lindsay Rand, 2008. "Shifting Signals to Help Health: Using Identity Signaling to Reduce Risky Health Behaviors," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 35(3), pages 509-518, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:35:y:2008:i:3:p:509-518
    DOI: 10.1086/587632
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    Cited by:

    1. MacFarlane, Douglas & Hurlstone, Mark J. & Ecker, Ullrich K.H., 2020. "Protecting consumers from fraudulent health claims: A taxonomy of psychological drivers, interventions, barriers, and treatments," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    2. Morris, Michael W. & Hong, Ying-yi & Chiu, Chi-yue & Liu, Zhi, 2015. "Normology: Integrating insights about social norms to understand cultural dynamics," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1-13.
    3. Wendy Attaya Boland & Ingrid M. Martin & Marlys J. Mason, 2020. "In search of well‐being: Factors influencing the movement toward and away from maladaptive consumption," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 1178-1194, December.
    4. Hanimann, Raphael & Vinterbäck, Johan & Mark-Herbert, Cecilia, 2015. "Consumer behavior in renewable electricity: Can branding in accordance with identity signaling increase demand for renewable electricity and strengthen supplier brands?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 11-21.
    5. Patrick, Vanessa M. & Hagtvedt, Henrik, 2012. "How to say “no”: Conviction and identity attributions in persuasive refusal," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 390-394.
    6. Lili Wang & Maferima Touré-Tillery & Ann L. McGill, 2023. "The effect of disease anthropomorphism on compliance with health recommendations," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 266-285, March.
    7. Bao Jiayi & Ho Benjamin, 2015. "Heterogeneous Effects of Informational Nudges on Pro-social Behavior," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 15(4), pages 1619-1655, October.
    8. repec:oup:jconrs:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:926-939. is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Manika, Danae & Dickert, Stephan & Golden, Linda L., 2021. "Check (it) yourself before you wreck yourself: The benefits of online health information exposure on risk perception and intentions to protect oneself," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    10. Yang, Linyun W. & Chartrand, Tanya L. & Fitzsimons, Gavan J., 2015. "The influence of gender and self-monitoring on the products consumers choose for joint consumption," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 398-407.
    11. Liu, Peggy J. & Campbell, Troy H. & Fitzsimons, Gavan J. & Fitzsimons, Gráinne M., 2013. "Matching choices to avoid offending stigmatized group members," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 122(2), pages 291-304.
    12. Haiyang Yang & Ziv Carmon & Barbara Kahn & Anup Malani & Janet Schwartz & Kevin Volpp & Brian Wansink, 2012. "The Hot–Cold Decision Triangle: A framework for healthier choices," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 457-472, June.
    13. Jiaqi Ge & Andrea Scalco & Tony Craig, 2022. "Social Influence and Meat-Eating Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-23, June.
    14. Catherine A. Hess & Tamar M. J. Antin & Rachelle Annechino & Geoffrey Hunt, 2017. "Perceptions of E-Cigarettes among Black Youth in California," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, January.
    15. Brennan Davis & Cornelia Pechmann, 2023. "When Students Patronize Fast-Food Restaurants near School: The Effects of Identification with the Student Community, Social Activity Spaces and Social Liability Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-24, March.
    16. Olajide Williams & Ewelina M. Swierad, 2019. "A Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model for Diverse Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-17, March.
    17. Charry, Karine & Tessitore, Tina, 2021. "I tweet, they follow, you eat: Number of followers as nudge on social media to eat more healthily," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    18. Xia Jiang & Fengyi Deng & Qing Yao & Defeng Yang, 2024. "Better or different? How mimicry by social groups shapes consumers’ preference for differentiated brands," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(5), pages 502-515, September.

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