The influence of companies' moral associations on the product consumption experience: The role of moral disgust
通过四项研究，发现与食品相关的道德关联（如种族主义、动物福利）会引发道德厌恶，从而降低消费者的预期和实际味觉体验，即使这些关联与产品质量无关。
Abstract Can moral associations linked with food products harm hedonic consumption experience? Across four studies, we show that moral associations linked to food that clash with values (racism and animal welfare) held by today's ethical consumers can engender moral disgust, which in turn undermines both expected and actual taste experience. The studies contribute to the literature by showing that associations impact consumption experience even in the absence of concrete actions, and by revealing moral disgust as the mechanism underlying this phenomenon. Importantly, this effect was observed even when the moral associations involved racism or sustainability (e.g., animal welfare), which have no direct relationship to product quality. This reveals that mere moral associations, rather than quality associations, influence hedonic consumption experience, rather than quality associations. More broadly, the findings point to the ways in which extrinsic attributes affect product experience and evaluation, particularly in hedonic consumption. This may be particularly impactful for values clashing with those championed by ethical consumers. From a practical perspective, these studies provide a broader perspective on corporate social responsibility by showing that companies should exercise caution when exploiting the moral associations linked to their products.