The placebo effect in marketing: Motivational underpinnings.
Item
-
Title
-
The placebo effect in marketing: Motivational underpinnings.
-
Identifier
-
AAI3278418
-
identifier
-
3278418
-
Creator
-
Irmak, Caglar.
-
Contributor
-
Advisers: Sankar Sen | Lauren Block
-
Date
-
2007
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Business Administration, Marketing
-
Abstract
-
The purpose of this research is to investigate the underlying mechanism of the placebo effect, which is defined as a genuine physiological effect that is attributable to receiving a substance or undergoing a procedure, but is not due to the inherent powers of that substance or procedure (Stewart-Williams and Podd 2004). Much research demonstrated the role of expectations in the placebo effect (Kirsch 1997). Adding on the prior research, the first goal of the present research is to demonstrate the role of motivation in the placebo response. Second, as expectations were shown to be another important factor in producing the placebo effect, this research investigates the interactive effect of motivation and expectations to shed light into the process of the placebo response. Finally, it shows that marketing actions (e.g., couponing, branding) can increase individuals' motivation to consume a product and enhance consumer expectations about product effectiveness, which, in turn, lead to the placebo effect.;Three studies consistently show that motivation to experience the benefits of a consumed product is one of the most important factors in the placebo effect. The first study shows that consumers' desire to experience the benefits of an energy drink results in increased blood pressure and task performance regardless of their expectations about experiencing product's benefits. The second study investigates the relationship between motivation and expectations by manipulating both of these factors and by collecting information-processing measures during consumers' exposure to the stimulus. Results show that the placebo effect can be observed when consumers have high product efficacy expectations and high motivation to experience the benefits of the consumed product. The third study lends further support that motivation is one of the key factors in the placebo response by manipulating motivation and expectations in different ways and showing the motivational nature of the process.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
