4. Di Muro & Murray (2012): An arousal regulation explanation of mood effects on consumer choice

Question 1

RQ

Answer 1

: How consumers’ preferences are affected by the interplay between their level of arousal and the valence of their current affective state

Question 2

Arousal:

Answer 2

subjective experience of energy mobilization (compared to objective/physiological)

Question 3

Arousal ranging from

Answer 3

sleepy to frantic excitement

Question 4

When deciding about a product, consumers might ask themselves: ‘what would I feel better about?’. Their answer will depend on:
3

Answer 4

their current level of arousal
their mood valence
the level of arousal with which the product is associated

Question 5

Mood regulation: valence and arousal
hypothesis:

Answer 5

people rely on their current affective state as information about their preferences:
consumers in a positive mood are more likely to prefer products that are congruent with both the level of arousal and the valence of their current mood
but, consumers in a negative mood tend to prefer products that are incongruent with both the level of arousal and the valence of their current affective state > unpleasant low arousal moods lead to pleasant high arousal products

Question 6

study 1 design

Answer 6

2 (level of arousal: low vs. high) x 2 (mood valence: positive vs. negative) between subjects design plus a control condition

Question 7

study 1 conditons had to choose between

Answer 7

iced tea drink (low arousal) vs. energy drink (high arousal product)

Question 8

study 1 results

Answer 8

positive mood:
high arousal > preferred energy drink
low arousal > preferred iced tea
negative mood:
high arousal > iced tea
low arousal > energy drink

Question 9

differece study 1 and 2a

Answer 9

different atmospheric prime
in this study, the different mood states were induced using music
fast tempo = high arousal, slow tempo = low arousal, major key = positive valance, minor key = negative valence
results were the same

Question 10

study 2b what did they want to know?

Answer 10

what if people are aware of the source of their affect?

Question 11

study 2b how did they do that

Answer 11

‘it is important to note that the music you have listened to may have affected your current feelings. Please give impartial answers to the following questions’
prior research: making people aware of the source of their affected mood, impact on their preferences should be eliminated

Question 12

study 2b underlying mechanism

Answer 12

affect as information, system 1 vs. system 2 thinking

Question 13

study 2b results

Answer 13

the observed effects disappear when the source of their mood is made salient to consumers

Question 14

Can positive and negative emotions co-exist?

Answer 14

example: ‘imagine that your uncle, who has just been diagnosed with a very serious illness, unexpectedly gives you a cash gift of €20,000 for your high school graduation’