TY - JOUR
T1 - Anger punishes, compassion forgives
T2 - How discrete emotions mitigate double standards in consumer ethical judgment
AU - Septianto, Felix
AU - Tjiptono, Fandy
AU - Kusumasondjaja, Sony
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2020/3
Y1 - 2020/3
N2 - Prior research has identified that consumers may judge similar unethical behaviors differently depending on the actor in such behaviors; a phenomenon called double standards. While some studies have examined why consumer double standards may occur, it is less clear how to mitigate their occurrence. The present study examines the role of different, discrete emotions – anger and compassion – in mitigating double standards using two experimental studies, involving a total of 562 participants from Indonesia. The results indicate the existence of double standards, in that consumers were harsher in their judgment of unethical conduct by prosperous (vs. non-prosperous) companies. More importantly, the findings establish that anger and compassion can diminish double standards in consumer ethical judgments. Furthermore, these emotion effects are explained by two distinct mechanisms. Specifically, anger reduces repurchase likelihood when mediated by perceived justice, while compassion mediated by forgiveness increases repurchase likelihood. The research limitations and implications are also discussed.
AB - Prior research has identified that consumers may judge similar unethical behaviors differently depending on the actor in such behaviors; a phenomenon called double standards. While some studies have examined why consumer double standards may occur, it is less clear how to mitigate their occurrence. The present study examines the role of different, discrete emotions – anger and compassion – in mitigating double standards using two experimental studies, involving a total of 562 participants from Indonesia. The results indicate the existence of double standards, in that consumers were harsher in their judgment of unethical conduct by prosperous (vs. non-prosperous) companies. More importantly, the findings establish that anger and compassion can diminish double standards in consumer ethical judgments. Furthermore, these emotion effects are explained by two distinct mechanisms. Specifically, anger reduces repurchase likelihood when mediated by perceived justice, while compassion mediated by forgiveness increases repurchase likelihood. The research limitations and implications are also discussed.
KW - Anger
KW - Compassion
KW - Double standards
KW - Ethical judgment
KW - Indonesia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074063388&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101979
DO - 10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101979
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85074063388
SN - 0969-6989
VL - 53
JO - Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
JF - Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
M1 - 101979
ER -