Conceptualizing Guilt in the Consumer Decisionmaking Process

• Published in: The Journal of consumer marketing Vol. 11; no. 3; pp. 33 - 43
• Main Authors: Burnett, Melissa S., Lunsford, Dale A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MCB UP Ltd 01.09.1994
• Subjects: Advertising; Consumer behaviour; Decision making; Ethics; Focus groups; Marketing strategy; Psychology; Social responsibility
• ISSN: 0736-3761; 2052-1200
• DOI: 10.1108/07363769410065454

Consumer purchase decisions can be influenced by many emotions, including guilt. Guilt which enters into the consumer purchase decision is identified as consumer guilt and may provide opportunities for marketers to influence the consumer decision process. A negative emotion which results from a consumer decision that violates ones values or norms, explores the consumer guilt construct in a series of focus groups. The groups were composed of subjects representing various age, religious affiliation, occupation, and income groups. Four types of consumer guilt were identified financial health moral and financial responsibility. Consumer guilt is further classified in terms of anticipatory and reactive states, occurring in both decisions to purchase as well as not to purchase, and as it relates to focus on oneself or others.