Center for Behavioral Decision Research

CBDR : Seminar Series : Seminar by Cait Poynor

When Does the Green-Eyed Monster Bite? Understanding the Ups and Downs of Consumer Envy

	presented by Cait Poynor (University of Pittsburgh)


	Thursday, September 3	link to paper
	12pm
	PH 223D	link to Speaker's Site

	Abstract:

	Envy has been widely used in advertisements, product names and other marketing communications to prompt purchase, suggesting that marketers intuit strong positive effects by motivating consumers to envy product owners or social position. At the same time, a wealth of research suggests that envy can create severely damaging societal, interpersonal and item-related effects. When and how can marketers expect or, possibly, offset envy's damage to consumers and their product offerings? Three studies show that though all consumers will report roughly equivalent levels of envy in a given situation, their individual self-esteem, perceived similarity to the envied individual, and sense of control over future opportunities interact to explain the extent to which it generates interpersonal hostility and product devaluation. Further, we show that the provision of a consolation good may not always mitigate envy’s negative consequences, but that the effects of such interventions are again contingent on consumer self-esteem.

	Host at CMU: Morewedge