A new study proposes that purchasing extraction rights for dirty fossil fuels in non-participating countries is a more effective way to combat climate change. By conserving these deposits, coalitions can reduce emissions and mitigate carbon leakage, allowing them to implement their ideal policy without fear of non-participating countri...
A new study suggests that climate change could impact Antarctic fur seals in their first few months of life by altering energy budgets. The research found that as pups get older, less energy is available for growth and development.
A new study offers a fresh perspective on the immune system's acute-phase response, which creates systemic stress that can harm both healthy cells and pathogens. By viewing this response as 'immune brinksmanship,' researchers argue that it may be beneficial for natural selection.
A study by Aaron R. Brough and Alexander Chernev found that consumers tend to perceive bundled products as 'moderately expensive', leading them to pay less. The authors suggest that managers should sell items from different price tiers separately to maximize revenue.
A new study found that using 'I don't' instead of 'I can't' when facing temptation can increase feelings of autonomy and empowerment, leading to positive behavioral change. The strategy was effective in promoting long-term adherence to healthy habits.
A new study reveals that consumers make choices based on their mood and level of emotional arousal. People in a positive mood prefer products matching their state, while those in a low-energy state seek reversals. The study finds that consumers consistently choose products promoting pleasant moods.
A new study explains why consumers agonize over minor decisions like toothbrushes and breakfast cereals. People assume difficult decisions are important, leading to increased time and effort spent on them.
A new study found that planning doesn't aid self-control for those who perceive themselves as overweight, leading to unhealthy choices. Conversely, confident savers were less likely to spend their tax rebate after planning, highlighting the importance of a positive self-view in goal attainment.
A new study found that consumers' search for individual products is influenced by the order of choices, with larger choice sets being more daunting when presented first. By presenting smaller choice sets before larger ones, retailers may make large selections less intimidating.
A new study found that consumers who lie during a service encounter are more satisfied when they get what they want. Lying is perceived as hard work, resulting in fewer mental resources for other tasks, including updating expectations about the conversation's progress. This leads to stronger reactions to outcomes.
Research finds that government spending in the form of earmarks and contracts can lead to businesses downsizing, while private sector growth is hindered. The study highlights the negative impact of powerful politicians on state economies, challenging conventional wisdom.
Recent studies suggest that prehistoric pastoralist societies in Eurasia developed distinct economies and triggered the formation of extensive networks of interaction. These 'nonuniform institutional complexity' models describe how small-scale institutions impact wider-scale political economies and shape the growth of great empires.
Scientists link periodic extinctions and increased strontium-87 in marine fossils to a 60-million-year cycle of continental uplift. This process may have reduced sea depth, leading to habitat loss and decline in marine biodiversity.
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that creating psychological distance can reduce cognitive difficulty and anxiety in choice situations. By manipulating abstract thinking and body postures, researchers discovered that leaning away from a screen or task can make decisions feel less difficult.
A new study from the University of Chicago Press Journals reveals that consumers' product choices are driven by their goals, which can be activated through subtle cues in the environment. The authors develop a model explaining why consumers change their minds or switch loyalties.
Research by Hong and Sun found that consumers prefer romance movies when they feel physically cold, as a need for psychological warmth is triggered. This association was confirmed in both laboratory studies and an analysis of movie rental data.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that repeating experiences can renew appreciation for both the object of consumption and oneself. Participants reported enhanced emotional lives and mental health benefits from re-consumption, with various motivations including self-reflection and social sharing.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people experience happiness through excitement and calmness, with younger individuals focusing on excitement and older individuals on calmness. Consumers' experiences of happiness drive their product choices, with marketers advised to consider individual differences.
A study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that consumers react differently to units of measurement depending on their mental state. Consumers tend to focus on numbers when in a concrete mindset, but shift to unitary comparisons when in an abstract mindset.
Global brands employ versioning to remove or reduce features in existing models, but consumers revolt and sue companies if perceived as unfair. Companies can mitigate negative reactions by reducing similarity between products and communicating with consumers about the practice.
A recent study published in Current Anthropology reveals that women who did not plan their pregnancies are more likely to stop breastfeeding within three months. The research suggests that unplanned pregnancy leads to emotional and physical discomfort, causing women to resist the close physical connection required by breastfeeding.
Research found a 9% increase in violent crime after unilateral divorce laws were enacted, primarily among young individuals and those experiencing economic hardship
A new study by Pankaj Aggarwal and Ann L. McGill found that humanizing brands can influence consumer behavior, with participants more likely to take the stairs if they imagined a healthy brand like Kellogg's and more likely to take the elevator if they thought of an unhealthy brand like Krispy Kreme. In contrast, participants who thoug...
A study found that consumers generally prefer more precise or granular information when making decisions. In product descriptions, choosing fine-grained units like '28 minutes' instead of coarse terms like 'half an hour' influences consumer perceptions.
During economic downturns, wealthy consumers tend to cut back on non-essential expenses like dining out or traveling, prioritizing essential goods. This shift is driven by a desire to maintain relative social status amidst reduced peer spending.
A study on post-Katrina New Orleans found that residents reject corporate gifts, viewing them as a threat to the community's cultural identity. The authors argue that corporations usurping community traditions erode the status and cohesiveness among community members.
A study found that messiness can lead consumers to prefer simpler products and think more clearly, particularly for conservative individuals. This effect is attributed to heuristic information processing, which simplifies product representations.
A study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that presenting item quantity before price can make a package appear more appealing, while presenting price first can have the opposite effect. This is especially true when packages are large and unit prices are difficult to calculate.
Researchers found that using high-contrast colors on plates reduced serving sizes by 21%, while changing tablecloth color had a smaller impact. The 'Delboeuf illusion' plays a role in this phenomenon, where people perceive larger portions when served on larger plates.
Multiple sclerosis may not be an autoimmune disease, but rather a metabolic disorder. This new framework could help guide researchers toward new treatments and ultimately a cure for the disease. The lipid hypothesis proposes that MS is caused by disruption of lipid homeostasis in the central nervous system.
A new study by Shane Frederick reveals that people overestimate the average willingness to pay for products, with a bias of +40% across various groups. This overvaluing bias may lead to sellers setting prices too high and difficulties in negotiation.
A study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that stating an intention to buy a product makes consumers more likely to choose their preferred brand. This motivation narrows their focus, pushing other well-liked brands to the back until the consumer has accomplished the intention.
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that crowding and accidental touch can negatively impact consumer behavior. Researchers found that customers who were brushed lightly or stood near others but not touched left stores with a negative view of products.
A new study in Journal of Consumer Research found that online brand comments impact consumer attitudes differently depending on the tone and number of comments. Promotion-focused individuals react to gain-related information, while prevention-focused ones respond to loss-related information.
A recent study found that nostalgia increases both tangible donations and global intentions for charity appeals, suggesting it can foster empathy and encourage charitable behavior. The researchers used five studies to investigate the relationship between nostalgia and charitable giving, with positive results.
Consumers tend to favor brands that appear on their own Facebook pages, even if they don't consciously notice it. This phenomenon, known as implicit self-referencing, is linked to high self-esteem and positive associations with one's online identity.
A study found that consumers expect communal principles in churches and pharmaceutical companies, but become outraged when they prioritize commercial interests. Organizations can communicate with consumers by framing their motives as part of their community's shared values.
A study found that supplemental reading programs work best when they mirror core curricula in scope and sequence, improving students' reading skills in comprehension, fluency, and word decoding. The aligned group showed greater progress, with 60% scoring above the 40th percentile.
Research by Northwestern University economist Jennifer Brown found that when Tiger Woods played in a tournament, other golfers' scores were substantially worse compared to tournaments where Woods did not play. This phenomenon, known as the 'superstar effect,' suggests that superstars can be a disincentive to competition.
A new study found that people in a good mood tend to use more direct language when thinking of pleasurable goods. Meanwhile, utilitarian consumption like banking and insurance is met with polite language, leading to higher compliance rates for assertive messages. The research has implications for campaigners and public message composers.
A study by Promothesh Chatterjee and Randall L. Rose found that consumers who use credit cards focus more on product benefits than those who pay cash, while cash users tend to prioritize costs.
Researchers found that metaphorical associations with weight are just as influential as physical weight on consumer judgments. In experiments, participants who were primed to think about weight responded similarly to those who physically carried heavy loads.
A study by LeBoeuf and Norton found that people tend to overemphasize the impact of events on their lives. In experiments, participants were more likely to attribute a large cause to an event when it led to significant consequences. This bias can lead to negative attitudes towards unrelated entities.
Doris Santoro argues that rigid curricula and high-stakes testing undermine a teacher's ability to respond to students' needs. The author emphasizes the distinction between burnout and demoralization, highlighting the need for policymakers to promote quality teaching.
Researchers Jordan Etkin and Rebecca K. Ratner found that consumers who believe they are close to their fitness goals prefer a limited variety of products. In contrast, those who feel further from their goals are more motivated by a larger selection of options.
Researchers found that people who use an actor's perspective experience stronger joy and excitement but greater pride and guilt when recalling past events. In contrast, observers experience heightened sadness and embarrassment. The study highlights the importance of perspective in shaping emotional experiences.
A study found that experts are more motivated by negative feedback than novices, while novices respond better to positive feedback. This suggests that marketers should target experts with negative feedback to promote motivation and change attitudes.
A new study by Jennifer J. Argo and Baba Shiv found that telling white lies can have negative repercussions for the people who tell them, including increased willingness to spend money on services or tips. Consumers who lie about their wait experiences evaluated these experiences more favorably than those who were honest.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that lonely individuals behave differently in the marketplace than people with strong social networks. Lonely people prefer minority-endorsed products, but only when their preferences are kept private.
A recent study published in Journal of Consumer Research found that consumers tend to choose products when marketers withhold some favorable information until late in the choice process. This approach can increase a product's overall probability of being chosen by shifting consumer priorities and creating a preference boost.