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

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 selfimprovement, 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 non-malleable. Building on past work that focuses on how guilt often leads to the motivation to either directly or indirectly alleviate feelings of guilt, 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.

When are Consumers Motivated to Connect with Ethical Brands? The Roles of Guilt and Moral Identity Importance

“…In particular, the studies herein find that consumers are motivated to connect with ethical brands as a way to alleviate their personal feelings of guilt, thus allowing them to regulate their affective experiences in a more short‐term manner. This is important because prior research has explored the effect of guilt on consumers’ preferences for ethical products (Allard & White, ; Antonetti & Maklan, , ; Peloza et al., ), but not on consumers’ connections with ethical brands. Next is a discussion of the effects of guilt on consumers.…”

“…In addition to these findings showing how emotion regulation in general and attempts to avoid or repair guilt more specifically guide consumption behavior, two other findings are particularly germane to the current research. First, Allard and White () find that guilt increases preference for self‐improvement products, even when the domain of the guilty action is unrelated to the product domain. Second, Peloza et al.…”

Sadly, you made me earn it: The effect of responsibility attributions for sadness on food indulgence

“…On the other hand, negative emotions that involve a sense of self-responsibility, such as guilt (Dahl, Honea, & Manchanda, 2003;Peloza, White, & Shang, 2013), have been associated with avoidance of indulgent consumption and preference for useful products. For example, people were more likely to purchase a pack of sticky notes, which were framed as facilitating knowledge retention, following a guilt prime, compared with a neutral prime (Allard & White, 2015). Guilt reduction also played an important role in Kivetz and Simonson's (2002) effect of loyalty-program requirements on preference of luxurious rewards.…”

Consumer-brand relationships under the effect of consumer dishonest behavior

“…When one believes that s/he has done something wrong, guilt becomes in charge of her/his affective status. That belief and accordingly, the feelings of guilt trigger a general desire to improve the self (Allard and White, 2015). Even though both sides of the consumer-brand relationship have damaged the bond, the recent harm belongs to the consumer and that causes distressed for that consumer.…”

“…the stimuli that triggers dishonest behavior) may not feel a sense of guilt in ambiguous situations while engaging in dishonest acts (Pittarello et al, 2015), but when this ambiguity disappears, s/he may realize what just happened therefore the consumer may feel guilty about his/her act. This contradiction may cause a psychological imbalance, which activates a general desire to improve the self (Allard and White, 2015). Accordingly, this paper posits that guilt-based desire to self-improvement may lead consumers to develop a stronger relationship with the brand that was initially in the wrong to them.…”