The Ostrich effect: Feeling hidden amidst the ambient sound of human voices

Though traditionally researched as a way to enhance the in-person shopping experience, the role of atmospherics, specifically sound, and its impact on privacy has not been previously investigated. While prior research has found that perceived privacy has a number of positive outcomes in the retail environment, research has not examined the downside of perceived privacy. Here, we investigate how perceived privacy may encourage customer misbehavior through increased theft. Utilizing a series of experimental studies, our findings have noteworthy implications for theory and retailers, indicating how the presence of sound, specifically the sound of others talking, increases perceptions of privacy and ultimately creates opportunity for theft. We find that for embarrassing products, shoppers who hear others talking have a higher likelihood of stealing due to perceptions of increased privacy afforded to them. Implications and future research directions are discussed.