Thinking before sinning: reasoning processes in hedonic consumption.

Area of Science:

• Consumer Psychology
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• Hedonic consumption is often viewed as impulsive.
• Self-licensing theory suggests people use reasons to justify indulgent behaviors.
• The role of reasoning in self-licensing hedonic consumption requires explicit demonstration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether individuals employ reasoning processes to permit themselves hedonic consumption.
• To provide empirical evidence for the involvement of reasoning in self-licensing theory.

Main Methods:

• Two studies exposed participants to food temptations.
• Study 1 assessed passive reasoning by asking for existing justifications.
• Study 2 assessed active reasoning by having participants construe reasons to consume.

Main Results:

• Higher levels of temptation were associated with an increased number of reasons used to justify consumption.
• Both passive and active reasoning processes were linked to justifying hedonic indulgence.

Conclusions:

• Findings support the self-licensing theory's assumption that reasoning plays a role in hedonic consumption.
• Temptations can facilitate gratification by triggering deliberative reasoning, not solely by increasing impulsivity.