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Emotions are mental states of readiness that arise from appraisals of events or one's own thoughts. In this article, the authors discuss the differentiation of emotions from affect, moods, and attitudes, and outline an appraisal theory of emotions. Next, various measurement issues are considered. This is followed by an analysis of the role of arousal in emotions. Emotions as markers, mediators, and moderators of consumer responses are then analyzed. The authors turn next to the influence of emotions on cognitive processes, which is followed by a study of the implications of emotions for volitions, goal-directed behavior, and decisions to help. Emotions and customer satisfaction are briefly explored, too. The article closes with a number of questions for future research.
This article addresses emotional behavior in marketing. In comparison to information processing and behavioral decision research, we know much less about the role of emotions in marketing behavior. Much of what we do know is confined to consumer behavior, as opposed to the behavior of salespeople or marketing managers.
Nevertheless, emotions are central to the actions of consumers and managers alike. Our goal in this article will be to present a framework for thinking about emotions; to discuss the measurement of emotions; to review how emotions function as causes, effects, mediators, and moderators in marketing behavior; and to provide suggestions for future research.
THEORY AND FUNCTION OF EMOTIONS
Little consistency can be found in the use of terminology related to emotions. For purposes of organization and discussion, we begin with a definition of emotions and then turn to a framework for interpreting emotional behavior.
Definitions
The term affect will be conceived herein as an umbrella for a set of more specific mental processes including emotions, moods, and (possibly) attitudes. Thus, affect might be considered a general category for mental feeling processes, rather than a particular psychological process, per se.
By emotion, we mean a mental state of readiness that arises from cognitive appraisals of events or thoughts; has a phenomenological tone; is accompanied by physiological processes; is often expressed physically (e.g., in gestures, posture, facial features); and may result in specific actions to affirm or cope with the emotion, depending on its nature and meaning for the person having it. For a similar perspective, see...