Abstract

The authors examine how consumers react to online prosocial advertising reminding them that they have violated ethical standards. Findings show that consumers feel ethical dissonance when recognizing that they have made uncivil online comments or have stood by while others did so. To alleviate the discomfort, they are likely to support a subsequent although unrelated environmental campaign. The effect is contingent upon whether the second message indicates that the advocated actions will benefit others or consumers alone. Specifically, ethical dissonance in one domain motivates consumers to adopt ethical behaviours in another domain, but only when the second domain appears to benefit others. In contrast, self-benefit appeals may cause ethical dissonance to backfire, so that consumers reject the subsequent environmental campaign. Mediational analyses show that heightened guilt (shame) drives the positive (negative) effects of other (self)-benefit appeals. Theoretical implications and ideas for future research are discussed.

摘要

作者研究了消费者对提醒他们违反道德标准的在线亲社会广告的反应。调查结果表明，当消费者意识到他们发表了不文明的在线评论或在其他人这样做时袖手旁观时，他们会感到道德上的不协调。为了减轻这种不适，他们可能会支持随后进行但不相关的环保运动。其效果取决于第二条信息是否表明所倡导的行动将仅惠及他人或消费者。具体来说，一个领域的道德不和谐会激励消费者在另一个领域采取道德行为，但只有当第二个领域似乎有利于他人时。相比之下，自我利益诉求可能会导致道德不和谐适得其反，从而使消费者拒绝随后的环保运动。中介分析表明，强烈的内疚感（羞耻感）会推动其他（自我）利益诉求的积极（消极）影响。讨论了未来研究的理论意义和想法。