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Cross-Domain Effects of Guilt on Desire for Self-Improvement Products

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  • Thomas Allard
  • Katherine White

Abstract

This research examines the notion that guilt, the negative emotion stemming from a failure to meet a self-held standard of behavior, leads to preferences for products enabling self-improvement, even in domains unrelated to the original source of the guilt. Examining consumer responses to real products, this research shows that such effects arise because guilt—by its focus on previous wrongdoings—activates a general desire to improve the self. This increase in desire for self-improvement products is only observed for choices involving the self (not others), is not observed in response to other negative emotions (e.g., shame, embarrassment, sadness, or envy), and is mitigated when people hold the belief that the self is nonmalleable. Building on past work that focuses on how guilt often leads to the motivation to alleviate feelings of guilt either directly or indirectly, the current research demonstrates an additional, novel downstream consequence of guilt, showing that only guilt has the unique motivational consequence of activating a general desire to improve the self, which subsequently spills into other domains and spurs self-improving product choices. These findings are discussed in light of their implications for research on the distinct motivational consequences of specific emotions and on consumer well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Allard & Katherine White, 2015. "Cross-Domain Effects of Guilt on Desire for Self-Improvement Products," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 42(3), pages 401-419.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:42:y:2015:i:3:p:401-419.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jcr/ucv024
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Goff, Sandra H., 2021. "A test of willingness to pay as penance in the demand for ethical consumption," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. Reshadi, Farnoush, 2023. "Failing to give the gift of improvement: When and why givers withhold self-improvement gifts," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    3. Zheng, Xiaoying & Xu, Jing & Shen, Hao, 2022. "To be respected or liked: The influence of social comparisons on consumer preference for competence- versus warmth-oriented products," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 170-189.
    4. Didi Alaoui, Mohamed & Valette-Florence, Pierre & Cova, Véronique, 2022. "How psychological distance shapes hedonic consumption: The moderating role of the need to justify," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 57-69.
    5. Septianto, Felix & Chiew, Tung Moi & Thai, Nguyen T., 2020. "The congruence effect between product emotional appeal and country-based emotion: The moderating role of country-of-origin," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    6. Meng, Lu (Monroe) & Bie, Yongyue & Yang, Mengya & Wang, Yijie, 2024. "Watching it motivates me to become stronger: Virtual influencers' impact on consumer self-improvement product preferences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    7. Wang, Yaming & Wang, Xingyuan & Chen, Haipeng (Allan) & Ouyang, Qiang, 2024. "Effect of status threat on preference for cross-domain self-improvement products: The moderation of trade-off beliefs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    8. Fatima, Johra Kayeser & Di Mascio, Rita & Sharma, Piyush, 2020. "Demystifying the impact of self-indulgence and self-control on customer-employee rapport and customer happiness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).

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