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Back in Touch with Contagion: Some Essential Issues

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  • Carol Nemeroff
  • Paul Rozin

Abstract

Since the introduction of contagion theory to the psychological literature in the 1980s and 1990s, research and interest in the topic have proliferated, especially as related to consumer perceptions and preferences. In this article we review current conceptual issues in contagion theory, including the nature of essence and its relation to conceptions of the soul and self, backward contagion, the process of transmission and whether contact is necessary or sufficient for it to occur, the relation between positive and negative contagion, the status of the eight originally proposed defining features of psychological contagion, and the companion “law of similarity.” We conclude with a discussion of sustainability-relevant applications of contagion theory in the public interest, such as food and water supply and safety, ownership and the sharing economy, and health care. Future research should devote increased attention to cultural differences in psychological contagion and begin to explore emerging impacts of virtual environments on the extended sense of self, reality, and attendant contagion-based thinking.

Suggested Citation

  • Carol Nemeroff & Paul Rozin, 2018. "Back in Touch with Contagion: Some Essential Issues," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(4), pages 612-624.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jacres:doi:10.1086/699971
    DOI: 10.1086/699971
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    Cited by:

    1. Larissa Diekmann & Claas Christian Germelmann, 2021. "Leftover Consumption as a Means of Food Waste Reduction in Public Space? Qualitative Insights from Online Discussions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-30, December.
    2. Lauren Lutzke & Joseph Árvai, 2021. "Consumer acceptance of products from carbon capture and utilization," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-20, May.

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