Consumer Guilt: A Model of Its Antecedents and Consequences

Abstract

Consumer guilt is a feeling which results from one’s recognition of having failed to achieve or violated internalized personal or social moral standards in the context of consumption. The present study aims to contribute to current knowledge of consumer guilt by offering a comprehensive structural model of consumer guilt, its antecedents and consequences. The findings reveal that regret due to action, regret due to inaction, transgression of norms, self-control failures and indulgence in hedonic desires are the antecedents that significantly explain consumer guilt. Among coping responses studied in literature, only the ones that relate to reparative action, psychological repair work and justification significantly loaded to coping responses factor. Comparison of respondents with high and low guilt scores revealed significant differences

Keywords

• Consumer guilt, regret, transgressions, self-control failures, indulgence, coping responses

Tüketicilerde Suçluluk Duygusu: Öncül ve Sonuçları Üzerine Bir Model

Abstract

Tüketicilerde suçluluk duygusu bireyin, tüketim bağlamında, içselleşmiş kişisel ya da sosyal ahlaki standartları ihlal ettiğini ya da bu standartlara erişemediğini fark etmesi sonucunda oluşmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, tüketicilerdeki suçluluk duygusu, öncül değişkenleri ve sonuçları üzerine geniş kapsamlı yapısal bir model ile ilgili literature katkıda bulunmaktır. Bulgular eylem veya eylemsizlik nedeniyle pişmanlık, normların aşılması, kendini kontrol hataları ve hedonik arzulara olan düşkünlüğün tüketicilerde suçluluk duygularını anlamlı bir şekilde açıkladığını ortaya koymaktadır. Literatürde incelenen başa çıkma tepkileri arasında sadece düzeltici eylem, psikolojik olarak kendini rahatlatma ve mazeret bulma gözlemlenmiştir. Yüksek ve düşük suçluluk skorlarına sahip katılımcılar anlamlı olarak farklılık göstermektedirler

Keywords

• Tüketicilerde suçluluk duygusu, pişmanlık, normların aşılması, kendini kontrol hataları, düşkünlük, başa çıkma tepkileri

References

1. Bagozzi, R. P., Baumgartner, H., Pieters, R., Zeelen- berg, M. (2000) “The Role Of Emotions in Goal-Direc- ted Behavior” S. Ratneshwar, D. G Mick, C. Huffman (eds.) The Why of Consumption: Contemporary Perspectives on Consumers Motives, Goals and Desires, London, Ro- utledge.
2. Baumeister, R.F. (2002) “Yielding to Temptation: Self-Control Failure, Impulsive Purchasing And Consu- mer Behavior” Journal of Consumer Research, 28(4):670- 676.
3. Baumeister, R.F., Stillwell, A.M., Heatherton, T.F. (1995) “Personal Narratives About Guilt: Role in Acti- on Control And İnterpersonal Relationships” Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 17(1/2): 173-198.
4. Bei, L. T., Lin, Y. T, Yu, C. M. (2007) “The Relati- onship Between Consumer Guilt And Shopping Beha- vior” in G. Fitzsimons, V. Morwitz (eds). Advances in Consumer Research, 34, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, 405-408.
5. Belk, R. W., Ger, G., Askegaard, S. (2003) “The Fire of Desire: A Multisided Inquiry into Consumer Passion” Journal of Consumer Research, 30(3):326-351.
6. Ben-Ze’ev, A. (2000) The Subtlety of Emotions, USA, MIT Press.
7. Bonsu, S, Main, K. (2006) “Consumer Guilt: Preli- minary Construct Assessment And Scale Development” M. C. Lees, T. Davis, G. Gregory (eds.) Asia-Pacific Ad- vances in Consumer Research, Sydney, Australia, Associati- on for Consumer Research.
8. Boujbel, L. (2008) “Never-Ending Desires: Assessing Consumers’ Propensity to Desire Consumption Objects” S. Borghini, M.A. McGrath, C. Otnes (eds.) European Advances in Consumer Research, Duluth, MN, Associati- on for Consumer Research.

9. Burnett, M. S, Lunsford, D. A. (1994) “Conceptua- lizing Guilt in The Consumer Decision-Making Process” Journal of Consumer Marketing, 11(3):33-43.
10. Cervone, D., Shadel, W. G., Smith, R. E, Fiori, M. (2006) “Self-Regulation: Reminders And Suggestions From Personality Science” Applied Psychology: An Inter- national Review, 55(3): 333–385.
11. Chun, H., Patrick, V. M, MacInnis, D. J. (2007) “Making Prudent Vs. Impulsive Choices: The Role of Anticipated Shame And Guilt on Consumer Self- Control” G. Fitzsimons, V. Morwitz (eds.) Advances in Consumer Research, Duluth, MN, Association for Con- sumer Research.
12. Connolly, T, Zeelenberg, M. (2002) “Regret in Deci- sion Making” Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(6):212-216.
13. Cooke, A. D. J., Meyvis, T., Schwartz, A. (2001) “Avoiding Future Regret in Purchase-Timing Decisions” Journal of Consumer Research, 27(4): 447-459.
14. Cotte, J, Ritchie, R. (2005) “Advertisers’ Theories of Consumers: Why Use Negative Emotions to Sell?” G. Menon, A.R. Rao (eds.) Advances in Consumer Research, Duluth, MN, Association for Consumer Research.
15. Dahl, D. W., Honea, H, Manchanda, R.V. (2003) “The Nature of Self-Reported Guilt in Consumption Contexts” Marketing Letters, 14(3):159–171.
16. Dahl, D. W., Honea, H, Manchanda, R.V. (2005) “Three Rs of Interpersonal Consumer Guilt: Relati- onship, Reciprocity, Reparation” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 15(4):307-315
17. Dedeoglu, A.O., Kazançoglu I. (2010) “The Feelings of Consumer Guilt: A Phenomenological Exploration” Journal of Business, Economics and Management, 11(3): 462–482.
18. Duhachek A. (2005) “Coping: A Multidimensional, Hierarchical Framework of Responses to Stressful Con- sumption Episodes” Journal of Consumer Research, 32 (1):41-53.
19. Elison, J. (2005) “Shame And Guilt: A Hundred Years of Apples and Oranges” New Ideas in Psychology, 23(1):5-32.
20. Eppright, D. R., Hunt, J. B., Tanner, J. F., Jr., Fran- ke, G. R. (2002) “Fear, Coping, And Information: A Pi- lot Study On Motivating A Healthy Response” Health Marketing Quarterly, 20(1):51-73.
21. Etxebarria, I. (2000) “Guilt: An Emotion Under Sus- picion” Psicothema, 12:101-108.
22. Faber, R. J. (2000) “The Urge to Buy: A Uses and Gratifications Perspective on Compulsive Buying” S. Ratneshwar, D. G Mick, C. Huffman (eds.) The Why of Consumption: Contemporary Perspectives on Consumers Motives, Goals and Desires, London, Routledge.
23. Godwin, B.F., Patterson, P.G., Johnson L.W. (1999) “Consumer Coping Strategies with Dissatisfactory Ser- vice Encounters: A Preliminary Investigation” Journal of Customer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior, 12:145-154.
24. Hassay, D. N, Smith, M. C. (1996) “Compulsive Buying: An Examination of the Consumption Motive” Psychology and Marketing, 13(8):741-752.
25. Hirschman, E. C, Holbrook, M. B. (1982) “Hedo- nic Consumption-Emerging Concepts, Methods and Propositions” Journal of Marketing, 46(3):92-101.
26. Huhmann, B. A, Brotherton, T. P. (1997) “A Con- tent Analysis Of Guilt Appeals in Popular Magazine Ad- vertisements” The Journal of Advertising, 26(2):35–45.
27. Khan, U., Dhar, R., Fishbach, A. (2009) “Guilt As Motivation: The Role of Guilt in Choice Justification” A.L. McGill, S. Shavitt (eds.) Advances in Consumer Rese- arch, Duluth, MN, Association for Consumer Research.
28. Keinan, A, Kivetz, R. (2008) “Remedying Hypero- pia: The Effects of Self-Control Regret on Consumer Behavior” Journal of Marketing Research, 45(6):676–689.
29. Kivetz, R, Keinan, A. (2006) “Repenting Hyperopia: An Analysis of Self-Control Regrets” Journal of Consumer Research, 33(2):273–282.
30. Kivetz, R., Simonson, I. (2002) “Self-Control for the Righteous:Toward a Theory of Precommitment to Indul- gence” Journal of Consumer Research, 29:199–217.
31. Lazarus, R.S. (1991) Emotion and Adaptation, New York, Oxford University Press.
32. Lazarus, R. S., Folkman, S. (1984) Stress Appraisal, and Coping, New York, Springer.
33. Lascu, D. N. (1991) “Consumer Guilt - Examining The Potential of A New Marketing Construct” R.H. Holman, M.R. Solomon (eds.) Advances in Consumer Research, Provo, UT, Association for Consumer Rese- arch.
34. Lin, Y.T., Xia, K.N. (2009) “The Relationship Bet- ween Consumer Guilt and Product Categories” S. Samu, R. Vaidyanathan, D. Chakravarti (eds.) Asia-Pacific Ad- vances in Consumer Research, Duluth, MN, Association for Consumer Research.
35. Luce M.F. (1998) “Choosing to Avoid: Coping with Negatively Emotion-Laden Consumer Decisions” Jour- nal of Consumer Research, 24(4):409-433
36. MacInnis, D. J, Patrick, V. M. (2006) “Spotlight on Affect: Affect and Affective Forecasting in Impulse Cont- rol” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 16(3):224–231.
37. Meyvis, T, Cooke, A. D. J. (2007) “Learning From Mixed Feedback: Anticipation of the Future Reduces Appreciation of the Present” Journal of Consumer Rese- arch, 34(2):200-211.
38. Miao, L. (2011) “Guilty Pleasure or Pleasurable Gu- ilt? Affective Experience of Impulse Buying in Hedonic- Driven Consumption” Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 35 (1):79-101.
39. Mukhopadhyay A., Johar G.V. (2007) “Tempted or Not? The Effect of Recent Purchase History on Respon- ses to Affective Advertising” Journal of Consumer Rese- arch, 33:445-453.
40. Norum, P. S. (2008) “The Role of Time Preference and Credit Card Usage in Compulsive Buying Behavio- ur” International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32(3):269– 275.
41. O’Guinn, T. C, Faber, R. J. (1989) “Compulsive Bu- ying: A Phenomenological Exploration” Journal of Con- sumer Research, 16(2):147-157.
42. Okada, E. M. (2005) “Justification Effects on Con- sumer Choice of Hedonic and Utilitarian Goods” Jour- nal of Marketing Research, 42(1):43-53.
43. O’Keefe D.J. (2002) “Guilt as a Mechanism of Per- suasion” J.P. Dillard and and M. Pfau (eds.) The Persua- sion Handbook: Developments in Theory and Practice, Ca- lifornia, USA, Sage Publucations.
44. O’Shaughnessy, J, O’Shaughnessy, N. J. (2002) “Marketing, The Consumer Society and Hedonism” Eu- ropean Journal of Marketing, 36(5/6):524-547.
45. Pieters, R., Zeelenberg, M. (2007) “A Theory of Regret Regulation 1.1”, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 17(1):29–35.
46. Puri, R. (1996) “Measuring and Modifying Consu- mer Impulsiveness: A Cost–Benefit Accessibility Frame- work” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 5(2):87–113.
47. Ramanathan, S, Williams, P. (2007) “Immediate and Delayed Emotional Consequences of Indulgence: The Moderating Influence of Personality Type on Mixed Emotions” Journal of Consumer Research, 34(2):212-223.
48. Rippetoe, P. A., Rogers, R.W. (1987) “Effects of Components of Protection Motivation Theory on Adap- tive and Maladaptive Coping with A Health Threat” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52:596–604.
49. Roese, N. J., Summerville, A., Fessel, F. (2007) Reg- ret and Behavior: Comment on Zeelenberg and Pieters, Journal of Consumer Psychology 17:25–28.
50. Rook, D. W. (1987) “The Buying Impulse” Journal of Consumer Research, 14(2):189-199.
51. Rook, D.W, and Fisher, R. (1995) “Normative Inf- luences in Impulsive Buying Behavior” Journal of Consu- mer Research, 22: 305-313.
52. Roseman , I. (1984) “Cognitive Determinants of Emotion: A Structural Theory” P. Shaver (eds.) Review of Personality and Social Psychology: Emotions, Relationships and Health, Beverly Hills, CA, Sage Publucations.
53. Saffrey, C., Summerville, A, Roese, N. J. (2008) “Pra- ise For Regret: People Value Regret Above Other Negati- ve Emotions” Motivation and Emotion, 32(1):46–54.
54. Saldanha, N, Williams, P. (2008) “Mixed Indulgen- ces: When Removing Sin May Backfire” A.Y. Lee, D. Soman (eds.) Advances in Consumer Research, Duluth, MN, Association for Consumer Research.
55. Sela A., Berger J., Liu W. (2009) “Variety, Vice, and Virtue: How Assortment Size Influences Option Choi- ce” Journal of Consumer Research, 35:941-951.
56. Sengupta, J., Zhou, R. R. (2007) “Understanding Impulsive Eaters’ Choice Behaviors: The Motivational Influences of Regulatory Focus” Journal of Marketing Re- search, 44(2):297-308.
57. Soscia, I. (2007) “Gratitude, Delight, or Guilt: The Role of Consumers’ Emotions in Predicting Post- consumption Behaviors” Psychology and Marketing, 24(10):871–894.
58. Soscia, I., Busacca, B, Pitrelli, E. (2008) “Guilt Dec- reasing Marketing Communication: An Unexplored Appeal” S. Borghini, M.A. McGrath, C. Otnes (eds., European Advances in Consumer Research, Duluth, MN, Association for Consumer Research.
59. Tangney, J. P. (2003) “Self-relevant Emotions” M. L. Leary, J. P. Tangney (eds.). Handbook of Self and Identity, USA, The Guilford Press.
60. Tangney, J. P. and Dearing, R.L. (2002) Shame and Guilt, New York, Guildford Press.
61. Tracy, J.L., Robins R.W., Tangney, J.P. (2007) Self- Conscious Emotions: Theory and Research, New York, Gu- ildford Press.
62. Tanner, J. F., Hunt J. B., Eppright D. R. (1991) “The Protection Motivation Model: A Normative Model of Fear Appeals” Journal of Marketing, 55:36-45.
63. Tsiros, M, Mittal, V. (2000) “Regret: A Model of its Antecedents and Consequences in Consumer Decision Making” Journal of Consumer Research, 26(4):401-417.
64. Umeh, K. (2004) “Cognitive Appraisals, Maladapti- ve Coping, and Past Behavior in Protection Motivation” Psychology and Health, 19(6):719–735.
65. Vincent, A., Dubinsky, A. J. (2005) “Impact of Fear Appeals in A Cross-Cultural Context” Journal of Euro- marketing, 14(1):145-167.
66. Watson, L., Spence, M. T. (2007) “Causes and Con- sequences of Emotions on Consumer Behaviour: A Revi- ew and Integrative Cognitive Appraisal Theory” Europe- an Journal of Marketing, 41(5/6): 487-511.
67. Xu, J, Schwarz, N. (2009) “Do We Really Need A Reason To İndulge?” Journal of Marketing Research, 46(1):25–36.
68. Yi, S, Baumgartner, H. (2004) “Coping with Nega- tive Emotions in Purchase-Related Situations” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 14(3):303–317.
69. Zeelenberg, M, Pieters, R. (2007) “A Theory of Regret Regulation 1.0” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 17(1):3–18.