Publications

Lonely human and dominant robot: similarity versus complementary attraction Permalink

with Xiucheng Fan (2024), Psychology & Marketing, 41(5), 1133–1151

This work contributes to answering the question of when the lonely (vs. non-lonely) would be more/less likely to bond with robotic companions to fulfill social needs. We investigate the joint effect of users’ levels of loneliness (human-side influencing factor) and robot dominance (robot-side influencing factor) on users’ attitudes toward companion robots. Six studies reveal that individuals experiencing greater loneliness hold generally less favorable attitudes toward the idea of adopting robotic companionship. However, lonelier individuals show a higher inclination to bond with robots that act submissive rather than dominant ones.

Reason versus feeling: relational norms influence gift choices Permalink

with Tingting Zhao and Xiucheng Fan (2021), Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 33(8), 1723-1742

This research shows how reciprocal expectations in communal versus exchange relationships shape gift givers’ goals and choices. When selecting gifts for communal (exchange) recipients, dominant altruistic (vs. egocentric) motives drive people to depend more strongly on rational analyses (intuition) and prefer products superior on cognitive (affective) attributions. Moreover, when primed to be rational by anticipating immediate recipient evaluation, givers favored cognitively superior products regardless of relationship context.

Working Papers

Sharing happiness later yields more happiness

with Bowen Ruan and Bingyan Hu, under review at Journal of Consumer Research

In the Information Age, people consume vast amounts of information, yet research on the consumption of information itself is limited. This research uncovers a counterintuitive strategy: briefly delaying the disclosure of personally relevant good news increases total happiness. Across seven experiments in varied contexts, we show that delayed disclosure sustains the desire to share, boosting happiness through hedonic segregation, reduced adaptation, and anticipation. Ironically, most people choose immediate disclosure, mistakenly predicting it will yield greater happiness.

All add-on fees are not the same: consumers’ aversion to “opaque” fees

with Max Alberhasky, Rajagopal Raghunathan, and Joydeep Srivastava, under review at Journal of Marketing

Mandatory add-on fees (e.g., convenience, processing, cleaning) are increasingly common, and the labels used to describe them strongly shape consumer perceptions. Across six experiments, we show that some labels (e.g., “convenience”) are seen as more opaque than others (e.g., “cleaning”), reducing purchase intentions because consumers trust retailers less. Explaining opaque fees or linking them to reputable retailers reduces this aversion. These findings position perceived opaqueness as a key driver of consumer responses to fees and highlight simple interventions to mitigate negative effects.

Selected Work in Progress

The pure liveness effect: reducing product uncertainty in live commerce

with Adrian F. Ward

This research examines how the real-time interactivity of live commerce alters consumer perceptions compared to traditional e-commerce. We test the pure liveness effect, showing that it reduces perceived product uncertainty and, in turn, increases purchase intentions.

The honesty gap in feedback seeking

with Rajagopal Raghunathan and Andrew Gershoff

This project investigates the intention–action gap in feedback seeking, where people say they want honest but critical feedback yet often choose supportive but politely dishonest feedback instead. We examine why this reluctance to seek or accept honest feedback is greater than anticipated and explore its implications for decision-making and interpersonal dynamics.

Giving together, choosing practical: group gifting increases preference for utilitarian over hedonic gifts

with Susan M. Broniarczyk

Gift giving often creates a mismatch—givers prefer fun, impressive gifts while recipients value practical ones. Across scenario and recall studies, we show that group gifting shifts givers toward utilitarian choices. Shared responsibility raises the need for justification, making practical gifts easier to select.

Lingzhi Yu