Consumers (and Consumer Researchers) Need Conscious Thinking in Addition to Unconscious Processes

A Call for Integrative Models, A Commentary on Williams and Poehlman

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11624377
AutoresRoy F Baumeister (0000-0003-1413-3296, Department of Psychology at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA, autor de correspondencia), Cory J Clark (0000-0002-9959-5221, Department of Psychology at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA), Connie J Clark (0000-0002-3083-9179, Department of Psychology at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA), Jonghan Kim (0000-0001-8226-7427, Carolina Coastal University, Conway, South Carolina 29528, USA), Stephan Lau (0000-0002-5952-0516, Department of Psychology at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA)
EditoresDarren Dahl, Eileen Fischer (0000-0002-8212-0414), Gita Johar, Vicki Morwitz
Año2017
Volumen44
Número2
Páginas252-257
Fecha de publicación2017-02-17
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Consumer Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0093-5301 • E-ISSN: 1537-5277
EditorialOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/jcr/ucx042
OpenAlexW2596514388
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas12

We suggest consumer research develop an integrative approach that favors neither unconscious nor conscious processes but rather appreciates the contributions and limitations of both, and how they work together. We agree that unconscious processes precede all conscious ones, but we argue that conscious thinking plays a prominent and likely indispensible role in much of consumer behavior. Conscious thought is particularly useful for logical reasoning, quantification (including about money), and communication, all of which are relevant to consumer behavior. We argue that most human behavior is produced by an interactive combination of conscious and unconscious causes and that favoring one over the other will yield an overly simplistic understanding of consumer behavior. Pragmatic and ethical concerns also argue for retaining a strong interest in conscious processes among consumers

Cognitive psychology · Cognitive science · Consciousness · Consumer behaviour · Epistemology · Psychoanalysis · Unconscious mind · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics · Neuroscience · Philosophy · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology