Explaining seemingly paradoxical consumer experiences: conjoining weekly road rage and church attendance
Li-Shiue Gau1, Arch G Woodside, Drew Martin
1Department of Leisure and Recreation Management, Asia University, No. 500, Lioufeng Road, Wufeng, Taichung city, 41354, Taiwan, lishiuegau@gmail.com.
Journal of Religion and Health
|July 30, 2013
Summary
An extreme paradoxical group of frequent churchgoers exhibiting road rage exists. This group, characterized by ambition and frustration, may be influenced by psychological theories explaining their dual behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Paradoxical behaviors present a challenge in understanding human actions.
- The coexistence of religious devotion and aggressive tendencies is not well-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and profile individuals exhibiting extreme paradoxical behaviors: frequent church attendance and road rage.
- To explore potential explanations for this seemingly contradictory behavior.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a national lifestyle survey (3,350 respondents).
- Employed cross-tabulation and property space analyses to identify the 'double extreme' (XX) group.
- Conducted analyses of variance (ANOVA) to assess nomological validity.
Main Results:
- Confirmed the existence of an extreme paradoxical group (XX) with statistically significant findings.
- The XX group comprised more males, younger individuals, and those in sales, with distinct lifestyle profiles (ambitious, frustrated, adventurous).
- Demographic and psychographic analyses revealed unique lifestyle characteristics differentiating the XX group.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully identified and profiled an extreme paradoxical group engaging in both frequent church attendance and road rage.
- Psychological theories (limited energy, unconscious mind, justification) offer potential explanations for this behavior.
- Findings have implications for social de-marketing strategies to reduce aggressive behaviors like road rage.
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