Download duhachek-oct-07 - Journal of Consumer Research

For Immediate Release: October 1, 2007
Contact: Suzanne Wu / 773-834-0386 / [email protected]
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Negative Opinions Influence People More Than Positive Opinions
People Change Their Attitudes More When They Expect To Discuss Them
With Others
Authors: Adam Duhachek, Shuoyang Zhang, and Shanker Krishnan (all Indiana
University)
Main Points:
1. People often undergo an attitude shift after learning what others think
about a product. This research examines what conditions cause the
greatest attitude shift.
2. The authors found that people who initially formed a positive opinion of
the product then learned that others had a very negative opinion of the
product had the greatest attitude shift (from positive to negative).
3. This effect is called the negativity effect, in that negative information
influences attitudes more than positive.
4. However, the effect on participants expecting to have a group discussion
about their opinions was slightly different. Those who initially formed a
negative opinion of the product and then learned that others had a negative
opinion as well had the greatest attitude shift (from negative to even more
negative).
5. The stronger effect of anticipating a group discussion is due to people
mentally rehearsing what they’re going to say. Also, learning that others
share a negative view can reinforce and further strengthen that view,
making it more negative than it already was.
6. The authors explain that anticipating a group discussion with group
members of the opposite opinion is perceived as an attitude threat, which
causes the person to focus on defending his or her opinion.
Significance: This research integrates theories from different areas of consumer
research and tests new factors that can cause attitude shifts. The authors are able
to develop an explanation for how and why these factors affect attitude shifts.
The results suggest that marketers should pay more attention to how they handle
negative publicity about their product, particularly when there will be a forum for
discussing the product.
What they did: Undergraduate business students read a review about a fictitious
study guide; the review was either positive or negative. They rated their attitudes
about the study guide, then completed a 15 minute filler task. Next, they were
given information about how other students felt about the study guide (either
favorable or unfavorable reactions), and told that they could participate in a focus
group of fellow students. Then they were again asked about their opinions of the
study guide.
Quotes:
1. “Our research seeks to understand the conditions where group influence is
strongest.”
2. “We find that the opinions of others exert especially strong influence on
individual consumer attitudes when others’ opinions are negative rather
than positive.”
3. “Additionally, consumers that initially held positive attitudes toward the
product were influenced by negative group evaluations more than those
who held negative initial attitudes.”
4. “We also find that group influences on consumer attitudes are stronger
when individuals anticipate discussing their attitudes with others (as
opposed to merely learning the opinion of others without discussion).”
5. “Anticipating group discussion affects individual attitudes because
consumers mentally rehearse what they will say in the discussion.”
6. “…given the strong influence of negative information, marketers may
need to expend extra resources to counter-act the effects of negative word
of mouth in online chatrooms, blogs and in offline media.”
7. “Consumers should be aware that these social influence biases exist and
are capable of significantly impacting their perceptions.”
8. “…anticipating group discussion causes consumers to mentally prepare
for this discussion in order to justify their attitude.”
9. “…anticipating group discussion constitutes a significant attitude threat
for those who anticipate interacting with group members holding
incongruous attitudes.”
10. “In the anticipation case, consumers holding negative attitudes shift their
attitudes more in response to learning about the group’s negative attitude
in conditions of anticipated discussion due to negativity and social
validation effects.”
11. “One important finding of the current research is that greater attitude shift
occurs when consumers are exposed to incongruous negative attitudinal
group information.”
12. “…our findings indicate that consumers with initial negative attitudes,
when exposed to negative group information under anticipation conditions
demonstrate the greatest shift toward the group.”
Adam Duhachek, Shuoyang Zhang, and Shanker Krishnan. “Anticipated Group
Interaction: Coping with Valence Asymmetries in Attitude Shift” Journal of
Consumer Research: October 2007.