IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v200y2025ics0148296325004011.html

Interpersonal guilt and shame appeals in health advertising: the role of self-construal and autonomous motivation

Author

Listed:
  • Pounders, Kathrynn
  • Lee, Seungae
  • Stafford, Marla Royne

Abstract

This research examines match effects between interpersonal guilt appeals, shame appeals, and self-construal. Across two experimental studies within the context of health advertising, findings reveal a match effect between an interpersonal guilt appeal and an ad that evokes an interdependent self-construal and a match effect between a shame appeal and an ad that evokes an independent self-construal. Study 1 examines these relationships in the context of promoting the flu vaccine and finds positive persuasion outcomes in the form of attitude toward the message, message persuasiveness, and behavioral intention to get the flu vaccine. Study 2 replicates these findings in the context of binge drinking and examines two different motivational mediating processes, relationally and personally autonomous motivation, to better understand these effects. This research offers both theoretical contributions and managerial implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Pounders, Kathrynn & Lee, Seungae & Stafford, Marla Royne, 2025. "Interpersonal guilt and shame appeals in health advertising: the role of self-construal and autonomous motivation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:200:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325004011
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115578
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296325004011
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115578?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee, Angela Y. & Aaker, Jennifer L. & Gardner, Wendi L., 2000. "The Pleasures and Pains of Distinct Self-Construals: The Role of Interdependence in Regulatory Focus," Research Papers 1577r, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    2. O'Guinn, Thomas C & Faber, Ronald J, 1989. "Compulsive Buying: A Phenomenological Exploration," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 16(2), pages 147-157, September.
    3. Aaker, Jennifer L & Williams, Patti, 1998. "Empathy versus Pride: The Influence of Emotional Appeals across Cultures," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 25(3), pages 241-261, December.
    4. Zeelenberg, Marcel & Nelissen, Rob M. A. & Breugelmans, Seger M. & Pieters, Rik, 2008. "On emotion specificity in decision making: Why feeling is for doing," Judgment and Decision Making, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 18-27, January.
    5. Nguyen, Hoang Sinh & Laufer, Daniel & Krisjanous, Jayne, 2020. "The effectiveness of guilt and shame appeals on health communications: The moderating role of self-construal and personal cultural orientation," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 310-324.
    6. Marcel Zeelenberg & Rob M. A. Nelissen & Seger M. Breugelmans & Rik Pieters, 2008. "On emotion specificity in decision making: why feeling is for doing," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 3, pages 18-27, January.
    7. DaHee Han & Adam Duhachek & Nidhi Agrawal, 2014. "Emotions Shape Decisions through Construal Level: The Case of Guilt and Shame," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 41(4), pages 1047-1064.
    8. Yanyan Chen & Dirk C. Moosmayer, 2020. "When Guilt is Not Enough: Interdependent Self-Construal as Moderator of the Relationship Between Guilt and Ethical Consumption in a Confucian Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(3), pages 551-572, January.
    9. Nidhi Agrawal & Durairaj Maheswaran, 2005. "The Effects of Self-Construal and Commitment on Persuasion," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 31(4), pages 841-849, March.
    10. DaHee Han & Adam Duhachek & Nidhi Agrawal, 2014. "Emotions Shape Decisions through Construal Level: The Case of Guilt and Shame," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 41(4), pages 1047-1064.
    11. Lee, Seungae & Pounders, Kathrynn R., 2019. "Intrinsic versus extrinsic goals: The role of self-construal in understanding consumer response to goal framing in social marketing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 99-112.
    12. Gerri Spassova & Angela Y. Lee, 2013. "Looking into the Future: A Match between Self-View and Temporal Distance," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 40(1), pages 159-171.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chan, Eugene Y. & Septianto, Felix, 2024. "Self-construals and health communications: The persuasive roles of guilt and shame," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    2. Nguyen, Hoang Sinh & Laufer, Daniel & Krisjanous, Jayne, 2020. "The effectiveness of guilt and shame appeals on health communications: The moderating role of self-construal and personal cultural orientation," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 310-324.
    3. Saintives, Camille, 2020. "Guilt online vs. offline: What are its consequences on consumer behavior?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    4. Kareklas, Ioannis & Muehling, Darrel D. & King, Skyler, 2019. "The effect of color and self-view priming in persuasive communications," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 33-49.
    5. Tejaswi Patil & Zillur Rahman, 2023. "A bibliometric analysis of scientific literature on guilt in marketing," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(3), pages 1385-1415, September.
    6. Lee, Byung-Kwan & Lee, Wei-Na, 2016. "The effect of structural alignment on choice-process satisfaction and preference formation: The moderating role of self-construal," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 2747-2755.
    7. Felix Septianto & Billy Sung & Yuri Seo & Nursafwah Tugiman, 2018. "Proud volunteers: the role of self- and vicarious-pride in promoting volunteering," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 501-519, December.
    8. Saleem Rahman & Agnieszka Chwialkowska & Nazim Hussain & Waheed Akbar Bhatti & Harri Luomala, 2023. "Cross-cultural perspective on sustainable consumption: implications for consumer motivations and promotion," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 997-1016, February.
    9. Ku, Hsuan-Hsuan & Shang, Rong-An & Fu, Yi-Fan, 2021. "Social learning effects of complaint handling on social media: Self-construal as a moderator," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    10. Cesare Amatulli & Matteo Angelis & Alessandro M. Peluso & Isabella Soscia & Gianluigi Guido, 2019. "The Effect of Negative Message Framing on Green Consumption: An Investigation of the Role of Shame," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(4), pages 1111-1132, July.
    11. Bu, Kyunghee & Kim, Donghoon & Son, Jungmin, 2013. "Is the culture–emotion fit always important?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 983-988.
    12. Herter, Márcia Maurer & Borges, Adilson & Pinto, Diego Costa, 2021. "Which emotions make you healthier? The effects of sadness, embarrassment, and construal level on healthy behaviors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 147-158.
    13. Zhang, Yun & Li, Xia & Liu, Rongqin & Shuai, Qinghong & Huang, Caiyan, 2025. "How facial cues of streamers drive purchase intention in live streaming commerce: Based on a lens model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    14. Fernando Santini & Wagner Junior Ladeira & Diego Costa Pinto & Márcia Maurer Herter & Claudio Hoffmann Sampaio & Barry J. Babin, 2020. "Customer engagement in social media: a framework and meta-analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 1211-1228, November.
    15. Li, Fangxuan (Sam) & Su, Qianqian, 2024. "Influence of awe on tourism activity preferences," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    16. Zhimei Zang & Xiaoyan Wang & Hairu Yang & Chuanming Chen, 2022. "“Be myself” or “Be friends”? Exploring the mechanism between self-construal and sales performance," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(1), pages 82-105, February.
    17. Yinlong Zhang & L.J. Shrum, 2008. "The Influence of Self-Construal on Impulsive Consumption," Working Papers 0006, College of Business, University of Texas at San Antonio.
    18. Vivek Astvansh & Anshu Suri & Hoorsana Damavandi, 2024. "Brand warmth elicits feedback, not complaints," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1107-1129, July.
    19. Louro, M.J.S., 2005. "Leaving pleasure : Positive emotions and goal-directed behavior," Other publications TiSEM a8907dd8-8fb1-45c9-b72d-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    20. Anubhav Mishra & Satish S. Maheswarappa, 2019. "How Content Valence and Online Impression Influence Goal Achievement in Social Media Environment?," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 20(5), pages 1267-1281, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:200:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325004011. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.