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Memories as Assets: Strategic Memory Protection in Choice over Time

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  • Gal Zauberman
  • Rebecca K. Ratner
  • B. Kyu Kim

Abstract

We present five studies supporting our strategic memory protection theory. When people make decisions about experiences to consume over time, they treat their memories of previous experiences as assets to be protected. The first two studies demonstrate that people tend to avoid situations that they believe will threaten their ability to retrieve special (rather than merely pleasant) memories. The next three studies demonstrate that people seek to obtain memory pointers to help them cue special memories at a later time when they anticipate interference from subsequent events. These preferences are driven by people's lay theories about the importance and difficulty of obtaining and retrieving special memories. (c) 2008 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

Suggested Citation

  • Gal Zauberman & Rebecca K. Ratner & B. Kyu Kim, 2009. "Memories as Assets: Strategic Memory Protection in Choice over Time," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 35(5), pages 715-728, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:35:y:2009:i:5:p:715-728
    DOI: 10.1086/592943
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    Cited by:

    1. Schindler, Robert M. & Minton, Elizabeth A., 2022. "What becomes sacred to the consumer: Implications for marketers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 355-365.
    2. Rong Hai & Dirk Krueger & Andrew Postlewaite, 2020. "On the welfare cost of consumption fluctuations in the presence of memorable goods," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 11(4), pages 1177-1214, November.
    3. Stan Miles & Peter Smoczynski, 2016. "Optimal Intertemporal Consumption and Involuntary Memories of Consumption," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 251-273, September.
    4. Joseph K. Goodman & Selin A. Malkoc & Brittney L. Stephenson, 2016. "Celebrate or Commemorate? A Material Purchase Advantage When Honoring Special Life Events," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 1(4), pages 497-508.
    5. Byrom, John & Light, Duncan & Medway, Dominic & Parker, Cathy & Zenker, Sebastian, 2024. "Post-holiday memory work: Everyday encounters with fridge magnets," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    6. Wilson Bastos & Merrie Brucks, 2017. "How and Why Conversational Value Leads to Happiness for Experiential and Material Purchases," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(3), pages 598-612.
    7. Gilboa, Itzhak & Postlewaite, Andrew & Samuelson, Larry, 2016. "Memorable consumption," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 414-455.
    8. Ünal Caner & Dursun Aslıhan & Caber Meltem, 2017. "A study of domestic honeymoon tourism in Turkey," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 8(1), pages 65-74, May.
    9. Agapito, Dora & Pinto, Patrícia & Mendes, Júlio, 2017. "Tourists' memories, sensory impressions and loyalty: In loco and post-visit study in Southwest Portugal," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 108-118.
    10. Lee, Seonjeong Ally & Oh, Haemoon, 2017. "Sharing travel stories and behavioral outcomes: A case of travel," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 147-158.
    11. Kao Si & Xianchi Dai, 2022. "The memory-search frame effect: impacts on consumers’ retrieval and evaluation of consumption experiences," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 5-17, March.
    12. Jinfeng (Jenny) Jiao & Fang‐Chi Lu & Nuoya Chen, 2022. "Deriving happiness through extraordinary or ordinary brand experiences in times of COVID‐19 threat," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 1392-1419, September.
    13. Jurewicz., Zuzanna & Goode, Miranda R. & Thomson, Matthew, 2024. "A tonic for the highly stressed: Memories of extraordinary group experiences lead to greater cohesion and well-being," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    14. Feurer, Sven & Haws, Kelly L., 2022. "Justifiable justifications in sequential indulgent choice situations: A framework for future research based on perceived exceptionality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 630-639.
    15. Rong Hai & Andrew Postlewaite & Dirk Krueger, 2013. "On the Welfare Cost of Consumption Fluctuations in the Presence of Memorable Goods, Second Version," PIER Working Paper Archive 14-012, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania, revised 15 Apr 2014.
    16. Davis, Andrew, 2017. "It wasn't me, it was my festival me: The effect of event stimuli on attendee identity formation," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 484-500.
    17. Rogelio Puente-Díaz & Judith Cavazos-Arroyo, 2022. "Experiential gifts and the construal of meaningful consumption episodes," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
    18. Jain, Varsha & Merchant, Altaf & Roy, Subhadip & Ford, John B., 2019. "Developing an emic scale to measure ad-evoked nostalgia in a collectivist emerging market, India," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 140-156.
    19. Li, Fangxuan (Sam) & Ryan, Chris, 2018. "Souvenir shopping experiences: A case study of Chinese tourists in North Korea," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 142-153.
    20. Hungenberg, Eric & Slavich, Mark & Bailey, Andrew & Sawyer, Taylor, 2020. "Examining Minor League Baseball Spectator Nostalgia: A Neuroscience Perspective," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 824-837.
    21. Rubin, Dan & Mohr, Iris & Kumar, V., 2022. "Beyond the box office: A conceptual framework for the drivers of audience engagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 473-488.
    22. Taufer Barbara & Steffen Angela & Steffen Dagmar, 2016. "Souvenirs „made in Switzerland“: Eine Nachfrageanalyse in der Destination Graubünden," Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 123-144, May.
    23. Priya Narayanan, 2023. "Not All Gold Glitters the Same: Unpacking Investment and Sentiment for Effective Persuasion to Drive Gold Monetization in India," Working papers 581, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.
    24. Xun (Irene) Huang & Zhongqiang (Tak) Huang & Robert S. Wyer, 2016. "Slowing Down in the Good Old Days: The Effect of Nostalgia on Consumer Patience," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 43(3), pages 372-387.

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