The moderating effect of emotion regulation on the relationship between risk aversion and brand sensitivity
| Published date | 11 February 2019 |
| Date | 11 February 2019 |
| Pages | 95-103 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2017-1581 |
| Author | Seyed Mahdi Alhosseini Almodarresi,Fereshte Rasty |
| Subject Matter | Marketing |
The moderating effect of emotion regulation
on the relationship between risk aversion
and brand sensitivity
Seyed Mahdi Alhosseini Almodarresi and Fereshte Rasty
Department of Economics, Management and Accounting, Yazd University, Yazd, Islamic Republic of Iran
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to examine the moderating role of positive and negative strategies of emotion regulation on the relationship between
risk aversion and brand sensitivity.
Design/methodology/approach –By conducting a survey, this study has collected a total of 405 responses and the data have been examined with
structural equation modeling.
Findings –The study has demonstrated that some strategies of emotion regulation have a significant moderating effect, and the y can down-
regulate the effect of risk aversion on brand sensitivity. These strategies are positive refocusing, refocus on planning, positive reappraisal, putt ing
into perspective, acceptance and rumination.
Research limitations/implications –Future studies should consider a broader range of respondents to validate the results. Moreover, the role of
emotion regulation in the relationships among repurchase intention, customer loyalty and customer compliant could be examined. Further research
could also focus on the relationship between risk aversion and brand sensitivity with regard to different types of buying situations and consumers’
types.
Practical implications –The findings demonstrate a substantial implication regarding emotion regulation and brand management. Positive
strategies of emotion regulation make risk-averse people less likely to pay attention to brands and lead them to be less brand-sensitive. New
companies and businesses could use these findings to make consumers regulate their emotions positively.
Originality/value –This research provides novel findings about the influence of consumers’emotion regulation on brand sensitivity. People who
use positive strategies of emotion regulation tend to dampen the effect of their risk aversion on brand sensitivity and will become less sensitive to
the brand.
Keywords Emotion regulation strategies, Brand sensitivity, Risk aversion, Structural equation modelling
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Emotion plays a sign ificant role in people’s everyday lives and
brings about positive or negative responses to important
events. It reflects some informati on about individua ls’
relationships wit h their social and phy sical surroundings and
their interpretations of these relationships (Achar et al.,
2016). Emotion can also af fect individuals’consumption and
purchase behavior. Conversely, people may purchase or use
something to regula te their emotions ( Kemp and Kopp,
2011). Regulating emot ions refers to “the b ehaviours, skills
and strategies, whe ther conscious or un conscious, autom atic
or effortful, that se rve to modulate, inh ibit and enhance
emotional experie nces and expressio ns”(Lapierre, 2016). It
is an attempt to influence the specific em otions a person
experiences (Pascuzzi and Smorti, 2017), which helps them
to manage their emotions during or after experiencing risky
events (Garnefski and Kraaij, 2007). For example, when
consumers experience negative events (e.g. fraud, buying
counterfeit luxury products, service failure, overcharging,
etc.), they might be inclined to blame themselves or others.
They might ruminate, accept or positively reappraise the
event (Garnefski and Kraaij, 2007).
Moreover, when consumers face negative events, they may
consider it as a risk; so,they try to avoid the cause of such events
cautiously and control uncertainty. The attempt to avoid or
decrease the risk is called risk aversion. Risk aversion is
considered as a measure of the feeling conductingan individual
who deals with a decision with uncertain consequences,
whether about money, status or anythingelse (Thomas, 2016).
Consumers may perceive a variety of risks (performance,
financial, psychological, etc.) in different situations; therefore,
the influence of risk aversion on consumer’s decision-making
may be different in each situation (Lee and Hyun, 2016;
Matzler et al., 2008). Risk-averse consumers are disinclined to
try novel and vague products (Matzler et al.,2008;
Mishra, Kesharwani and Das, 2016). Hence, when they are
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
28/1 (2019) 95–103
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-09-2017-1581]
Received 18 September 2017
Revised 1 February 2018
15 August 2018
18 September 2018
Accepted 20 September 2018
95
To continue reading
Request your trial