Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for June 2, 2005


Vanilla vs. rocky road

A study by Elizabeth Miller and Barbara Kahn found that consumers prefer atypical and unspecific names to common descriptives. The results suggest that color names can impact purchase propensity, with more ambiguous names leading to increased consumer appeal.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Benefits of continuous NSAID use in ankylosing spondylitis

The study found that patients with ankylosing spondylitis who took NSAIDs continuously experienced less spinal joint damage than those who only used them for pain management. This suggests that inflammation and progression of joint damage may be separate processes in AS, and NSAIDs may have unexplored disease-controlling properties.

SourceWiley·JournalArthritis & Rheumatism·DateJun 2, 2005

Dealing with dying

Researchers analyzed how mortality salience affects consumer behavior, particularly in food choice and charitable donations, highlighting the role of self-esteem as a buffer against existential anxiety. The study concludes that individuals respond differently to mortality salience based on their sources of self-esteem.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Protease inhibitors reach beyond HIV

Researchers found that HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) can inhibit programmed cell death in mouse models with hepatitis, shock, and stroke. PIs maintain mitochondrial integrity to prevent apoptosis, suggesting potential uses for related compounds in non-HIV disorders.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJun 2, 2005

Making up your mind

Research suggests that consumers rely on quick thinking and knowledge accessibility when making judgments, with retrieval ease playing a dominant role in moderately accessible situations. The study found that content-based judgments occur when relevant knowledge is highly inaccessible or easily retrievable.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Consumer literacy

Research reveals that consumerism is a social practice of identity maintenance and management, driving low-literate individuals to employ coping strategies. The study identifies the importance of developing consumers' confidence and abilities to engage socially when needs are denied or thwarted.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

The consumer's cache

This study reveals that consumers store and camouflage brand products in their households, creating a new understanding of American consumerism. The findings challenge traditional assumptions about the significance of brands, highlighting the importance of household processes over individual identity.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Vaccine targets tumors where they live

Researchers developed a vaccine targeting the local tumor environment to improve systemic anti-tumor immunity in melanoma patients. The study showed that the vaccine was safe and feasible, with partial responses and stable lesions observed in some patients.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJun 2, 2005

Crazed by consumption!

Researchers Adam Duhachek analyzed two studies on consumer stress, creating a multidimensional scale to measure coping mechanisms. He found that consumers employ various strategies to cope with stress, including avoiding purchases, seeking social support, and using relaxation techniques.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Branded young

Researchers discovered that children begin incorporating brands into their self-concepts around age 10. As they move into adolescence, these connections evolve qualitatively, reflecting shared personality traits and user characteristics.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Penny pinching

Researchers found that introducing a nine-ending price causes a change in the left-most digit can affect perception of price. The study also found that nine-ending prices are more likely to be perceived as lower when close to the comparison standard price.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

JCI table of contents July 1, 2005

Researchers develop vaccine targeting the local tumor microenvironment to improve systemic anti-tumor immunity in metastatic melanoma patients. The study shows promising results with partial responses and improved survival rates in some patients.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJun 2, 2005

A radical solution for environmental pollution

Scientists at the University of Michigan have discovered a bacterium that can live on toluene as its sole source of carbon and energy. This discovery holds promise for cleaning up environmental pollutants, particularly in oxygen-scarce environments where toluene can cause problems.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJun 2, 2005

Good, bad and indifferent

A study published in Journal of Consumer Research reveals how consumers evaluate an experience by drawing connections between positive and negative events. The research suggests that people find comfort in ambivalence when a bad experience is compared immediately to a good one, providing valuable insights for marketing professionals.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Higher medicaid payments are good, but not great

States that set higher Medicaid payment rates can enhance the program's attractiveness to potential employees, but moderate rate increases have a limited impact on access and use. Reducing fees by five to ten percent may also be an option when state budgets tighten without serious negative consequences.

SourceBlackwell Publishing Ltd.·JournalHealth Services Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Millennium simulation

The Millennium Simulation uses sophisticated modeling techniques to recreate evolutionary histories for 20 million galaxies and supermassive black holes. The simulation demonstrates that a few massive black holes can form early enough to account for rare quasars, and provides a new tool for understanding the nature of dark energy.

Charge it!

Researchers found that credit card practices define consumption lifestyles and facilitate their attainment through consumption. However, some practices impede consumers from achieving desired lifestyles.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Love thy stuff

Researchers explore how consumers construct their perceptions of self through loved possessions and activities. These objects play a crucial role in creating a coherent identity narrative, as they symbolically demarcate boundaries between the self and rejected identities.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005

Cueing in on quality

This study found that consumers overestimate the impact of negative external cues and underweight positive cues when they are inconsistent. The relationship between positive and negative product cues is strongest when abundant intrinsic attribute information is present, suggesting a moderating effect on consumer judgments.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJun 2, 2005