Seminars on Management – Dr. Didem Gamze Işıksal

Seminars on Management series, organized by Kadir Has University Department of Business Administration, is hosting Dr. Didem Gamze Işıksal on Wednesday, November 16. You can follow Dr. Işıksal’s talk titled “Guilty or Not Guilty, That is the Question: Effect of Guilt Relieving Opportunity on Consumer-Brand Relationships” on Zoom.

Abstract: This research focuses on guilt as a post-feeling of dishonest consumer behavior. It tests whether exposure to the guilt stimulus and guilt-relieving action change the strength of the relationship between guilt and brand attachment. Study 1 shows that dishonest consumers’ post feelings of guilt decrease consumers’ attachment. Study 2 reveals that when consumers are frequently exposed to the guilt stimulus, the adverse effects on consumers’ attachment get deeper. Since Study 1 and Study 2 reveal that brand attachment suffers from guilt, Study 3 deals with overcoming this detrimental side-effect. Results of Study 3 demonstrates that guilt-relieving action lessens feelings of guilt and enhances relief so that consumers rebuild the brand attachment. This research indicates that, in dishonesty situations, consumers tend to see the brands as a source of self-betrayal reminder that threatens their inner balance and lead to brand avoidance. Therefore, providing guilt-relieving opportunities may help to recover damaged brand attachment.