Abstract
This paper focuses on counterfactual thinking (CFT), a well researched social phenomenon that refers to set of cognitions involving the simulation of alternatives to past or present events or circumstances. Earlier research has indicated that CFT influences information processing, specifically, the ability to discriminate between superior and inferior arguments, but did not directly examine whether the underlying process was one of elaboration or priming. Second, even when CFT affects future behavioral intentions, it is not clear how it does so. In three studies, this research addresses the above questions and finds support for the following ideas. First, the underlying process is more akin to elaboration than priming. Second, the effect of CFT on behavioral intentions can be better understood by thinking of CFT as an active process that alters the strength of consumption goals rather than one that mimics a simple re-living of the past consumption experience.
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© 2015 Academy of Marketing Science
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Sivaraman, A., Krishnamurthy, P. (2015). The Effect of Counterfactual Thinking On Behavioral Intentions: The Role of Goal Strength. In: Robinson, Jr., L. (eds) Proceedings of the 2008 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference. Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10963-3_80
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10963-3_80
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Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-10962-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-10963-3
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