Consumers Seeking Connection: Essays on When and Why Consumers Connect with Others
dc.contributor.advisor | Fitzsimons, Gavan J | |
dc.contributor.advisor | Etkin, Jordan F | |
dc.contributor.author | Howe, Holly Samantha | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2022-09-21T13:55:08Z | |
dc.date.available | 2022-09-21T13:55:08Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2022 | |
dc.department | Business Administration | |
dc.description.abstract | In this dissertation, I explore the relational consequences of humor in brand-to-consumer and consumer-to-consumer relationships. In the first essay, I demonstrate that the cleverness of a brand’s humor attempts affects consumers’ brand attitudes and engagement with the brand. This effect is mediated by perceptions of brand warmth and competence and moderated by consumers’ need for cognition. I demonstrate this effect in six studies including a field study (using data scraped from Twitter) and several lab experiments. In the second essay, I explore ways to make solitude feel less socially disconnecting. Across four studies, I show that people who experience solitary amusement feel less socially disconnected than people who experience solitary happiness. This effect is mediated by other-focus such that people who are amused (vs. happy) think more of others. Together, these two essays demonstrate that humor can be an effective way to foster both consumer-brand and consumer-consumer relationships. | |
dc.identifier.uri | ||
dc.subject | Marketing | |
dc.subject | Amusement | |
dc.subject | Brand Attitudes | |
dc.subject | Humor | |
dc.subject | Social Connection | |
dc.title | Consumers Seeking Connection: Essays on When and Why Consumers Connect with Others | |
dc.type | Dissertation |
Files
Original bundle
- Name:
- Howe_duke_0066D_16957.pdf
- Size:
- 971.16 KB
- Format:
- Adobe Portable Document Format