Abstract
This research uses consumer guilt narratives to identify a typology for consumption related guilt. Three major dimensions of guilt circumstances emerged involving other individuals, societal standards, and more specific situations related to oneself. The connection between categories of consumer guilt experience and the resulting consumer response is also explored, with resulting consumer actions involving amendment, rationalization, and/or denial to resolve guilt experienced. The findings are integrated into a general discussion of the theoretical and substantive implications and the potential avenues for future research in the area.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barrett, K. C. (1995). “A Functionalist Approach to Shame and Guilt.” In June P. Tangney and Kurt W. Fischer (eds.), Self-Conscious Emotions: The Psychology of Shame, Guilt, Embarrassment, and Pride. New York, NY: Guildford, 25–63.
Baumeister, Roy F., Harry T. Reis, and Philippe A. E. G. Delespaul. (1995). “Subjective and Experiential Correlates of Guilt in Everyday Life,” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 117, 1256–1268.
Baumeister, Roy F., Arlene M. Stillwell, and Todd F. Heatherton. (1994). “Guilt: An Interpersonal Approach,” Psychological Bulletin, 115, 243–267.
Bozinoff, Lorne and Morry Ghingold. (1983). “Evaluating Guilt Arousing Marketing Communications,” Journal of Business Research, 11, 243–255.
Bulmer, M. (1979). “Concepts in the Analysis of Qualitative Data,” Sociological Review, 27, 651–677.
Campos, Joseph J. and Karen C. Barrett. (1985). “Toward a New Understanding of Emotions and Their Development.” In Carroll E. Izard and Jerome Kagan (eds.), Emotions, Cognition, and Behavior. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 229–263.
Coulter, Robin. H. and Mary B. Pinto. (1995). “Guilt Appeals in Advertising: What Are Their Effects?” Journal of Applied Psychology, 80, 697–705.
Cunningham, Michael R., Jeff Steinberg, and Rita Grev. (1980). “Wanting to and Having to Help: Separate Motivation for Positive Mood and Guilt-Induced Helping,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 181–192.
Ferguson, Tamara J. and Hedy Stegge. (1995). “Emotional States and Traits in Children: The Case of Guilt and Shame.” In June P. Tangney and Kurt W. Fischer (eds.), Self-Conscious Emotions: The Psychology of Shame, Guilt, Embarrassment, and Pride. New York, NY: Guildford, 174–197.
Hoffman, M. L. (1982). “Development of Prosocial Motivation: Empathy and Guilt.” In N. Eisenberg-Bergs (ed.), Development of Prosocial Behavior. New York, NY: Academic Press, 281–313.
Huhmann, Bruce A. and Timothy Brotherton. (1997). “A Content Analysis of Guilt Appeals in Popular Magazine Advertisements,” Journal of Advertising, 26, 35–46.
Keltner, Dacher and Barbara N. Buswell. (1996). “Embarrassment: Its Distinct Form of Appeasement Functions,” Psychological Bulletin, 122, 201–223.
Keltner, Dacher and Jonathan Haidt. (1999). “Social Functions of Emotions at Four Levels of Analysis,” Cognition and Emotion, 13, 505–521.
Keltner, Dacher and James J. Gross. (1999). “Functional Accounts of Emotions,” Cognition and Emotion, 13, 467–480.
Kivetz, Ran and Itamar Simonson. (2002). “Earning the Right to Indulge: Effort as a Determinant of Customer Preferences Toward Frequency Program Rewards,” Journal of Marketing Research, 39(2), 155–170.
Lewis, Helen B. (1992). Shame: The Exposed Self. New York, NY: Free Press.
Lindsay-Hartz, Janice. (1984). “Contrasting Experiences of Shame and Guilt,” American Behavioral Scientist, 27, 689–704.
Lindsay-Hartz, Janice, Joseph De Rivera, and Michael F. Mascolo. (1995). “Shame and Guilt in Interpersonal Relationships.” In June P. Tangney and Kurt W. Fischer (eds.), Self-Conscious Emotions: The Psychology of Shame, Guilt, Embarrassment, and Pride. New York, NY: Guildford, 114–139.
Martin, Nicole. (2002). “The New Shopping Sickness,” London Daily Telegraph, (September 18).
Mauro, Robert, Kaori Sato, and John Tucker. (1992). “The Role of Appraisal in Human Emotions: A Cross-Cultural Study,” Journal of Personal and Social Psychology, 62, 301–317.
Miller, Rowland. (1992). “The Nature and Severity of Self-Reported Embarrassing Circumstances,” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18, 190–198.
O'Guinn, Thomas C. and Ronald J. Faber. (1989). “Compulsive Buying: A Phenomenological Exploration,” Journal of Consumer Research, 16, 147–157.
Paul, Franklin and Ben Berkowitz. (2001). “Guilt Could Dampen Sales of Consumer Electronics,” Reuters, (September 17).
Pirisi, Angela. (1995). “Addicted to the Urge to Splurge,” Maclean's, 108, 58–60.
Richins, Marsha L. (1997). “Measuring Emotions in the Consumption Experience,” Journal of Consumer Research, 24, 127–146.
Rook, Dennis W. (1987). “The Buying Impulse,” Journal of Consumer Research, 14, 189–199.
Ruth, Julie A. and Ronald J. Faber. (1988). “Guilt: An Overlooked Advertising Appeal,” The American Academy of Advertising Proceedings. Austin, TX: American Academy of Advertising, 83–89.
Smith, Craig A. and Phoebe C. Ellsworth. (1985). “Patterns of Cognitive Appraisal in Emotion,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 813–838.
Strahilevitz, Michal and John Myers. (1998). “Donations to Charity as Purchase Incentives: How Well They Work May Depend on What You are Trying to Sell,” Journal of Consumer Research, 24, 434–447.
Sugarman, Joseph. (1999). “Triggers: 30 Sales Tools You Can Use to Control the Mind of Your Prospect to Motivate,” Influence and Persuade. New York, NY: Delstar.
Tangney, June Price. (1992), “Situational Determinants of Shame and Guilt in Young Adulthood,” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18, 199–206.
Tangney, June Price. (1995). “Shame and Guilt in Interpersonal Relationships.” In June P. Tangney and Kurt W. Fischer (eds.), Self-Conscious Emotions: The Psychology of Shame, Guilt, Embarrassment, and Pride. New York, NY: Guildford, 114–139.
Tangney, June Price and Rhonda L. Dearing. (2002). Shame and Guilt. New York, NY: Guildford Press.
Tangney, June Price, Patricia Wagner, Carey Fletcher, and Richard Gramzow. (1992). “Shamed into Anger? The Relation of Shame and Guilt to Anger and Self-Reported Aggression,” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 62, 669–675.
Wicker, Frank W., Glen C. Payne, and Randall D. Morgan. (1983). “Participants Descriptions of Guilt and Shame,” Motivation and Emotion, 7, 25–39.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dahl, D.W., Honea, H. & Manchanda, R.V. The Nature of Self-Reported Guilt in Consumption Contexts. Marketing Letters 14, 159–171 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027492516677
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027492516677