The nature of vicarious embarrassment
Ziegler, Alexander H. Allen, Alexis M. Peloza, John Norris, J. Ian
Ziegler, Alexander H.
Allen, Alexis M.
Peloza, John
Norris, J. Ian
Other Names
Location
Time Period
Advisors
Original Date
Digitization Date
Issue Date
2022-08-31
Type
Article
Genre
Keywords
Vicarious embarrassment,Consumer-to-consumer influence,Retailing,Perspective taking
Subjects (LCSH)
Citation
Ziegler, A. H., Allen, A. M., Peloza, J., & Ian Norris, J. (2022). The nature of vicarious embarrassment. Journal of Business Research, 153, 355-364. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.08.038
Abstract
Extant literature suggests that a consumer who purchases a sensitive product will experience embarrassment if others, real or imagined, witness the purchase. However, the parallel embarrassment experienced by observers is largely absent in retailing and service literature. Across four studies, we validate the presence of vicarious embarrassment, as well as the underlying perspective-taking mechanism. The results show that observers experience embarrassment when imagining themselves as the actor. Furthermore, vicarious embarrassment leads to avoidance tendencies and negatively influences word of mouth toward retailers and service providers. Retailers can use interventions to restore both interactional and distributive justice to mitigate these consequences.
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Publisher
Elsevier
Journal
Book Title
Series
Journal of Business Research
Volume 153
Volume 153
Digital Collection
Finding Aid URL
Use and Reproduction
Archival Collection
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
0148-2963