Approach versus Avoidance: A Self-Regulatory Perspective on Hypocrisy Induction in Anti-Cyberbullying CSR Campaigns

Area of Science:

• Consumer Psychology
• Social Marketing
• Moral Regulation Theory

Background:

• Cyberbullying is a growing concern with limited intervention effectiveness.
• Brands seek effective strategies for corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns against cyberbullying.
• Hypocrisy induction is a psychological technique to align actions with values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of hypocrisy induction in promoting support for anti-cyberbullying CSR campaigns.
• To explore the role of regulatory focus, guilt, and shame in consumer responses.
• To apply moral regulation theory to understand consumer persuasion in social causes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized hypocrisy induction as an experimental technique.
• Measured consumer reactions based on regulatory focus (promotion vs. prevention).
• Analyzed the mediating roles of guilt and shame.

Main Results:

• Hypocrisy induction elicits different consumer reactions based on regulatory focus.
• Promotion-focused consumers experience guilt, increasing campaign support.
• Prevention-focused consumers experience shame, potentially decreasing campaign support.

Conclusions:

• Moral regulation theory explains how hypocrisy induction influences support for CSR campaigns.
• Regulatory focus moderates consumer responses, mediated by guilt and shame.
• Brands can strategically use hypocrisy induction to enhance consumer engagement with social causes.