(Press-News.org) Consumers have negative reactions to flattery by salespeople, even if they think the compliments are sincere, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. But disliking a salesperson doesn't mean a customer won't buy from the store.
"Imagine overhearing a conversation in which a salesperson profusely compliments a nearby customer on the elegance of her outfit," write authors Elaine Chan (Tilburg University) and Jaideep Sengupta (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology). The customer has already paid for her purchase, and she looks elegant to you, so you assume the compliment is sincere.
The authors conducted four experiments in clothing stores to investigate consumers' reactions to salespeople's flattery. In each case, participants heard salespeople making flattering comments about other customers' sense of style. Then researchers asked various questions about their opinions of the salespeople. The authors focused on flattery that could be judged sincere, although they also examined reactions to flattery that observers would judge insincere, like when a salesperson offers profuse compliments before a customer makes a purchase.
"We found robust evidence that observers form both positive and negative reactions towards a purveyor of sincere flattery," the authors write. When participants had time to form thoughtful, deliberate responses they tended to have positive opinions of the flatterers. But gut reactions to flattery were far more negative. "These implicit reactions towards seemingly sincere flattery are as negative as when the observer has good reason to believe that flattery is actually insincere," the authors write.
The authors found that observing someone else being flattered causes people to compare themselves to that person, which leads to feelings of envy. Another experiment showed that participants experienced more envy when the target of flattery was a peer (a student at the same university).
The authors also found that consumers were motivated by envy to choose an expensive, stylish pair of jeans over a cheaper standard pair. "Over time, envy-based hostility towards the salesperson is no longer a part of the purchase decision; instead, this decision is influenced primarily by the wish to reduce envy—by appearing stylish oneself," the authors conclude.
###
Elaine Chan and Jaideep Sengupta. "Observing Flattery: A Social Comparison Perspective." Journal of Consumer Research: December 2013. For more information, contact Elaine Chan (y.l.chan@uvt.nl) or visit http://ejcr.org/.
The price of envy: How do consumers react to flattering salespeople?
2013-09-10
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Why are consumers more likely to participate in online gaming than gambling?
2013-09-10
Consumers are more likely to participate in online betting if it's called "gaming" rather than "gambling," according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
"Changing an industry label from gambling to gaming affects what consumers, especially non-users, think of betting online," write authors Ashlee Humphreys (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University) and Kathryn A. LaTour (Cornell University). "A label like gaming prompts all sorts of implicit associations like entertainment and fun, while a label like gambling can prompt seedier implicit associations ...
Does entering the lottery affect consumers' self-control?
2013-09-10
A simple action like buying a lottery ticket can trigger materialistic thoughts, which cause consumers to lose self-control, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
"Materialism, a set of beliefs about the importance of possessions in a consumer's life, is associated with a host of negative outcomes," writes author Hyeongmin (Christian) Kim (Johns Hopkins University). "Some examples include impulsive buying and excessive debt, both of which can be viewed as manifestations of poor self-control."
The author investigated why materialism leads to poor ...
Wordplay persuades for customer reviews of truffles, but not laundry detergent
2013-09-10
Ads or consumer reviews that use metaphors and wordplay can be effective, but it depends on the product, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
"The use of figurative language in advertising (such as metaphor or word play) has a generally positive effect on attitudes toward the ad and the product," write authors Ann Kronrod (Michigan State University) and Shai Danziger (Tel Aviv University). "But today, much of the information consumers get about a product comes from reviews written by other consumers. Does the effect of figurative language on attitudes ...
Working-class consumers: A look at the complex social system of a trailer park
2013-09-10
Contrary to stereotypes, low-income trailer park residents form distinct groups with different visions of morality, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
"These findings emphasize the multiplicity and richness of social identities that exist within the same social class of the working poor," write authors Bige Saatcioglu (Ozyegin University) and Julie L. Ozanne (Virginia Tech).
The authors conducted an ethnographic study within a trailer park community in the United States. They examined the ways low-income consumers negotiate their social status ...
How do consumers compare prices? It depends on how powerful they feel
2013-09-10
Your reaction to the price on a bottle of wine or another product is partly a response to how powerful you feel, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
"The degree to which one feels powerful influences which type of price comparison threatens their sense of self-importance and, in turn, affects the perception of price unfairness," write authors Liyin Jin, Yanqun He (both Fudan University), and Ying Zhang (University of Texas, Austin).
Variations in price are common in today's market, the authors explain, but companies risk consumers' wrath when ...
Older adults gauge their partner's feelings through knowing, not seeing
2013-09-10
Compared to younger adults, older people are less adept at reading emotion in their spouse's face. But when their spouse isn't present, older and younger adults are equally able to discern their significant others' moods.
These findings, published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggest that older adults retain the ability to make accurate judgments about others emotions using their acquired knowledge, but not sensory cues.
"When judging others' emotions in real life, people do not exclusively rely on emotional expressions," ...
Changing part of central line could reduce hospital infections
2013-09-10
VIDEO:
Simply replacing the connector in the IV system in patients with central lines could help reduce deadly bloodstream infections, researchers at Georgia Regents University have found.
Dr. Cynthia C. Chernecky, a...
Click here for more information.
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Simply replacing the connector in the IV system in patients with central lines could help reduce deadly bloodstream infections, researchers at Georgia Regents University have found.
A central line or central ...
Study: Racial, ethnic differences in outcomes following stroke known as subarachnoid hemorrhage
2013-09-10
TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2013—Race or ethnicity can be a significant clue in the United States as to who will survive a kind of stroke known as a subarachnoid hemorrhage and who will be discharged to institutional care, a new study has found.
Compared to Caucasians, Asian/Pacific Islander patients were more likely and Hispanic patients less likely to die of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, or SAH, while in the hospital.
African-American patients were more likely than Caucasians to require institutional care following discharge from the hospital, although their risk of death while ...
MSU lands first drone
2013-09-10
Farmers can now get a birds-eye view of their fields – in full HD – thanks to Michigan State University landing its first drone.
MSU researchers are using its first unmanned aerial vehicle to help farmers maximize yields by improving nitrogen and water management and reducing environmental impact such as nitrate leaching or nitrous oxide emissions.
For this initiative, MSU's UAV measures how crops react to stress, such as drought, nutrients deficiency or pests. The drone flies over the field documenting the field's status – down to centimeters. The portrait gives ...
African-American study identifies 4 genetic variants associated with blood pressure
2013-09-10
Case Western Reserve University is part of a landmark study that has discovered four novel gene variations which are associated with blood pressure. The 19-site meta-analysis, involving nearly 30,000 African-Americans, also found that the set of genetic mutations are also associated with blood pressure across other populations.
Epidemiology and biostatistics professor Xiaofeng Zhu, PhD, is co-senior author of the paper, which appears in The American Journal of Human Genetics. The Continental Origins and Genetic Epidemiology Network (COGENT) consortium conducted the ...