When Temptations Come Alive

How Anthropomorphism Undermines Self-Control

Bibliographic Data

ID2237338
AuthorsJulia D Hur (0000-0003-3551-600X, Sungkyunkwan University), Minjung Koo (0000-0002-0215-0251), Wilhelm Hofmann (0000-0003-0295-4679)
Year2015
Pagesucv017
Publication date2015-05-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Consumer Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0093-5301 • E-ISSN: 1537-5277
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/jcr/ucv017
OpenAlexW2116681652
LanguageEN
Citations received40
References cited72

We examine how anthropomorphizing a temptation impacts consumer self-control. Six studies show that anthropomorphizing a tempting product impairs self-control not by boosting desire strength but by decreasing consumers’ experience of conflict toward consuming the product—an alarm that signals a need for self-control. As a result, consumers are less likely to initiate self-control and are more likely to indulge in the product. This process occurs because an anthropomorphized product acts as another agent in the self-control dilemma, which decreases the extent to which consumers attribute the cause of and responsibility for their consumption to themselves (i.e., internal attribution).

Control (management) · Economics · Graduate students · Library science · Management · Pedagogy · Sociology · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Computer Science · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Psychology

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