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Exploring the Impact of Fear Appeals on the Prevention of Shoplifting

Author

Listed:
  • T. DE BOCK
  • I. VERMEIR
  • M. PANDELAERE
  • P. VAN KENHOVE

Abstract

The present study investigates the effectiveness of fear appeals in preventing shoplifting among adolescents. We study the effects of type of punishment (social disapproval versus fines), probability of getting caught when shoplifting and severity of the punishment. Results show that social punishment messages should stress severe levels of social disapproval when the chance of getting caught is low. When social disapproval messages imply a high probability of apprehension, the severity of social rejection makes no difference for the shoplifting intentions. Finally, messages focusing on fines should depict large instead of small fines, irrespective of the communicated probability of getting caught

Suggested Citation

  • T. De Bock & I. Vermeir & M. Pandelaere & P. Van Kenhove, 2010. "Exploring the Impact of Fear Appeals on the Prevention of Shoplifting," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 10/668, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    • Handle: RePEc:rug:rugwps:10/668
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    File URL: http://wps-feb.ugent.be/Papers/wp_10_668.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Yaniv, Gideon, 2009. "Shoplifting, monitoring and price determination," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 608-610, August.
    4. Tunner, John Jr. & Day, Ellen & Crask, Melvin R., 1989. "Protection motivation theory : An extension of fear appeals theory in communication," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 267-276, December.
    5. Cox, Dena & Cox, Anthony D & Moschis, George P, 1990. "When Consumer Behavior Goes Bad: An Investigation of Adolescent Shoplifting," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 17(2), pages 149-159, September.
    6. Fullerton, R. A. & Punj, G., 2004. "Repercussions of promoting an ideology of consumption: consumer misbehavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(11), pages 1239-1249, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

    demography prediction; demographic targeting; web advertising; Random Forests; web user profiling; clickstream analysis;
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