Anxiety: An Evolutionary Approach

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses, with huge attendant suffering. Current treatments are not universally effective, suggesting that a deeper understanding of the causes of anxiety is needed. To understand anxiety disorders better, it is first necessary to understand the normal anxiety response. This entails considering its evolutionary function as well as the mechanisms underlying it. We argue that the function of the human anxiety response, and homologues in other species, is to prepare the individual to detect and deal with threats. We use a signal detection framework to show that the threshold for expressing the anxiety response ought to vary with the probability of threats occurring, and the individual's vulnerability to them if they do occur. These predictions are consistent with major patterns in the epidemiology of anxiety. Implications for research and treatment are discussed

How Product–Cause Fit And Donation Quantifier Interact In Cause-Related Marketing (CRM) Settings: Evidence Of The Cue Congruency Effect

We are the first to examine the joint impact of product–cause fit and donation quantifier in the cause-related marketing (CRM) domain. We show that these two CRM cues interact in a unique manner, reflecting the cue congruency effect. Specifically, congruent combinations of these two cues result in high purchase intentions when the cues individually have positive effects. In all other cases, however, purchase intentions are low. Furthermore, we identify moderators of the above cue congruency effect. In Study 1, we show that the cue congruency effect is moderated by product-type, evidencing only in more hedonic product contexts. In Study 2, we show that the above cue congruency effect is moderated by purchase-type, evidencing in planned purchase contexts, but reversing in impulse purchase contexts. We discuss the process mechanism driving these effects, specify the contribution of this research for CRM, cue congruency and impulse purchases, and outline implications for practice

Height and weight of black infants from low-income families first postnatal year : a normative and correlational investigation

Scholars and research workers in the field of Child Development have an important task to establish norms or general characteristics of physical growth and body build. These norms do not explain, but they assist in establishing a range of acceptable variation which is useful in interpreting growth both physically and psychologically. A review of literature reveals that over the past few decades the average body weight and length of infants and children have increased all over the world. This trend may be attributed to an increase in caloric intake, an improvement in nutritional quality, a decrease in childhood diseases including those associated with malnutrition, limitations of child labor, and prohibition of early marriage. It is also believed by some investigators that the increase in body build may be related to genetic and environmental factors

Exploring The Use Of E-CRM Elements And Effective Website Design As Tools For Reducing Consumer Post-Purchase Cognitive Dissonance

The focus of this paper is to discuss potential ways for businesses to help reduce consumers levels of post- purchase cognitive dissonance through implementation of e-CRM elements and effective website design. Using an experimental design it was shown that cognitive dissonance levels can in-fact be reduced through the use of websites that utilize 7 C elements in their creation. Those in the high dissonance experimental condition, after seeing the website, ended up with dissonance levels equally low to those in the low dissonance experimental condition. This speaks to the great importance e-CRM elements can have in the reduction of dissonance and thus the positive impact it can have on customer satisfaction. The conclusion and implications focus on how businesses can strategically implement these e-CRM elements into their website designs, thus potentially decreasing/alleviating post-purchase dissonance and its negative effect on CLV. The authors caution that this website design strategy should not be used alone, but in tandem with other more commonly used dissonance redressal systems

"Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda": A Conceptual Examination Of The Sources Of Postpurchase Regret

Regret is a key negative emotion consumers attempt to avoid while making decisions. Marketing researchers agree that, in addition to assessments of satisfaction, regret better explains postchoice valuation. Extant regret research in marketing literature has examined regret arising from the perspective of either the product choice or from the decision-making process that led to the purchase decision. This theoretical study examines the notion of regret arising simultaneously from both the product purchased and the decision-making process. A conceptual model is developed indicating two key moderators likely to impact the recognition and evaluation processes of the sources of regret

Improving The Impact Of Cause-Related Donation Exchanges Through Message Framing: A Conceptual Perspective

A conceptual framework is presented in support of a cause-related exchange model. Of interest is the possible effect of message framing on the likelihood of participating in a cause-related donation exchange. Framing the cause related marketing message concretely or abstractly, in regard to the dollar amount or percentage level of a cause-related purchase that will actually go to a designated cause, is posited to directly impact the likelihood of participating in a donation exchange. Furthermore, the level of cause support and the level of donation request are posited to mutually moderate the above-mentioned relationship. The cause support level is presented to have a central role, influencing both the effects of message framing on the likelihood of participating in a donation exchange and the level of donation request on the likelihood of participating in a donation exchange. It is the authors’ intention that the presentation of this conceptual model will contribute to cause-related research literature, and concomitantly, attract practitioner interest as well

Thinking About Fit And Donation Format In Cause Marketing: The Effects Of Need For Cognition

A cause-related marketing exchange model, investigating product–cause fit, donation format, and the moderating effects of need for cognition (on fit and format) on consumer purchase intentions, is tested. The results suggest that individuals who have a low need for cognition do not display a difference in purchase intentions for different permutations of product–cause fit and donation format. Individuals who have a high need for cognition, by contrast, indicate greater purchase intentions for an exact donation format when the product–cause fit is low, while exhibiting no difference when the product cause fit is high, regardless of the donation format

A Sound Idea: A Theory-Based Synthesis And Explanatum Supporting The Use Of Music In Marketing Strategy

A review and synthesis of research literature regarding the role and influence of music on advertising effectiveness and in-store shopper moods and behavior is presented. A conceptual model is presented, with strong theoretical support found in classical conditioning, information processing, involvement, and mood states literature. The authors posit that a retailer should use a dual, concomitant music strategy as a component of an overall advertising and in-store marketing promotion plan. This strategy is presented in what the authors refer to as the Music Affect Model. While using the positive effects of music on consumer purchasing behavior as its core source of potency, the proposed strategy should likely lead to enhanced sales outcomes

The Differential Effects Of Celebrity And Expert Endorsements On Consumer Risk Perceptions

This paper examines the differential effects of celebrity and expert endorsements on consumer risk perceptions via three studies. Using source model theories, it is hypothesized that for high technology-oriented products there will be stronger effects of expert endorsers than celebrity endorsers in reducing consumer risk perceptions. In addition, for high technology-oriented products, there is likely to be an interaction effect between endorser type and consumer knowledge on respondents' risk perceptions. Such an interaction effect is likely to be absent for products with a low technology orientation. These hypotheses are supported by the first two studies. The third study examines the underlying theoretical processes of internalization versus identification and shows that the stronger effects of expert (versus celebrity) endorsers for high technology-oriented products is somewhat neutralized for certain types of perceived risks when there is high congruency between the celebrity endorser and the product