Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

6-2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Program

Business

Advisor

Lauren Block

Subject Categories

Advertising and Promotion Management | Marketing

Abstract

This research examines the effect of experienced physical temperature on an individual's decision-making process. Reliance on emotions can function as a warming process and reliance on cognitions can function as a cooling process, hence individuals are nonconsciously induced to alter their decision-making style according to their thermoregulatory objectives. My first two studies support a thermoregulatory account by demonstrating that the mere use of cognitive versus affective processing leads to both self-reported and objective changes in body temperature, and that the adoption of a compensatory pathway can indeed aid in providing temperature-related comfort. My last three studies demonstrate that individuals adopt these compensatory pathways on their own accord, and accordingly we document the effects of both physical and simulated temperature on choice, willingness to pay, and donation likelihood, and support the role of reliance on emotions as a mediator.

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