Consumer responses to infectious disease cues: an integrative framework and research agenda
本文整合进化心理学与行为免疫系统文献，提出一个框架解释传染病线索如何通过情感、认知和动机变化影响消费者行为，并识别边界条件，为营销策略提供指导。
Purpose This paper aims to develop an integrative framework explaining how infectious disease cues influence consumer behavior by connecting evolutionary psychology and behavioral immune system literature with consumer research. Design/methodology/approach The paper synthesizes pathogen-avoidance psychology and consumer behavior research to identify three psychological changes (affect, cognition, motivation) influencing consumer responses, developing theoretical propositions across five domains while identifying boundary conditions. Findings Disease cues trigger changes in affect (disgust, anxiety), cognition (narrowed attention) and motivation (self-protection). These influence consumer responses across self-regulation, social behavior/identity, information processing, evaluation and prosocial/sustainable behaviors. The framework identifies boundary conditions moderating these effects. Research limitations/implications The framework advances understanding of disease threats’ influence on consumer behavior and suggests future research directions, including contextual effects and individual differences. Practical implications The framework helps marketers predict consumer responses to disease cues, offering insights for marketing strategies during health crises and normal times. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper provides the first comprehensive framework explaining disease cues’ systematic influence on consumer behavior through psychological changes, extending behavioral immune system theory into consumer domains.