Scientists at Pennsylvania State University and at Tilburg University in the Netherlands say extraneous emotions can affect consumer purchases.
"Although previous studies have shown that people in a positive mood evaluate products more favorably than people in a negative mood, little is known about how specific extraneous emotions impact evaluations," write the authors of the study, Anick Bosmans of Tilburg University and Hans Baumgartner from Penn State. "This research demonstrates consumers are more likely to rely on their specific extraneous emotions while evaluating products when these emotions 'match' with their salient goals."
The researchers also noted a discernable difference between two types of emotions: achievement vs. protection. The former relates to feelings of cheerfulness or dejection, while the latter to quiescence and agitation.
"That is, people who were confronted with an achievement appeal evaluated the advertised product as more positive when they felt cheerful (because they previously described a life event which made them feel cheerful), whereas people who were confronted with a protection appeal evaluated the product as more positive when they felt quiescent (because they previously described a life event which made them feel quiescent)," the researchers said.
The study appears in the Journal of Consumer Research.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International
Related stories:
This is your brain on politics
U.S. presidential candidates have been stumping for nearly two years with their every move being analyzed and reported ad nauseum. Logically, voters should be able to tap into lots of information when they make their decisions come November. But it turns out there's a lot more going on when we step behind the curtain to cast our ballot.
Neuroscientists Identify Brain Regions Responsible for Warding off Negative Emotion
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of cognitive neuroscientists from Columbia University has identified the brain pathways responsible for the body's emotional defense against gruesome and other aversive forms of imagery. The study, published today in the journal
Neuron, could lead to better understanding of psychological diseases, improve behavioral therapies and spawn new federal policies for hospitals and treatment centers.
Independent brain pathways generate positive or negative reappraisals of emotional events
Scientists now have a better understanding of how the human brain orchestrates the sophisticated pathways involved in the regulation of emotions. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 25th issue of the journal
Neuron, identifies brain pathways that underlie reinterpretation of aversive images in ways that reduce or enhance their negative emotional intensity.
Collaboration helps police address job stress
Mangled bodies, gunfire, high-speed chases and injured children are just a few events witnessed by police officers and soldiers serving in dangerous hot spots around the world. These traumas take a high toll on the police officers and soldiers, who suppress human emotions to get the job done and can be reluctant to share their experiences in an effort to spare others from their ordeals, according to a September
Police Quarterly article (published by SAGE).
As good as it gets?
Albert Einstein once quipped, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." The famous scientist might have added that the illusion of reality shifts over time. According to a new Brandeis University study in the September issue of
Psychological Science, age influences how we perceive the future. When thinking about the future, some people seem pessimistic, while others' optimism seems to border on fantasy. Whether a person is naturally a pessimist or an optimist, the study suggests there are other factors at work in determining the way people consider how satisfying their future lives may be.
New study finds caregivers of spouses with dementia enjoy life less
Spouses of husbands and wives with dementia pay an emotional toll as they care for their ailing spouse. This has prompted a call for new interventions and strategies to assist caregivers in coping with the demands of this difficult time, according to a study from Case Western Reserve University's Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.
Positive parenting associated with less aggression in early-maturing teen girls
Adolescent girls who go through puberty early and have parents who do not nurture them, communicate with them or have knowledge of their activities appear more likely to display aggressive behavior, according to a report in the August issue of
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Reflecting on values promotes love, acceptance
No one enjoys being told that their behavior is harmful to themselves or others. In fact, most people respond defensively when confronted with evidence that their behavior is irrational, irresponsible, or unhealthy. Fortunately, research has shown that just a few minutes of writing about an important value can reduce defensiveness. Previous research by David Sherman at the University of California at Santa Barbara and his collaborators have shown that coffee drinkers are more willing to accept information that drinking coffee harms their health if they first write a few sentences about their most important value.