The Essence Effect: How Photos on Products Affects Our Thinking

Psych 🧠 - 402/500

Hello Reader,

Consumerism is consumed us. Literally. There is so much marketing happening around you, consciously and subconsciously.

Here’s this research paper that is going to blow your mind 🤯

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What is it?

This research paper investigates consumer reactions to "photo-integrated products," which are products integrated with lifelike photographs of people, animals, or other entities.

While seemingly popular as personalized gifts, the research reveals a surprising reluctance to consume such products, particularly when the product is consumable (e.g., food) or disposable.

consumable products in a market

Key Findings:

1. Consumers Believe Photo-Integrated Products Embody Essence: Due to the lifelike nature of photographs, people perceive these products as embodying the depicted entity's essence (its core, defining qualities).

2. Consumption is perceived as Essence Destruction: When the product is consumed (e.g., eaten, used and discarded), this is viewed as destroying the depicted entity's essence, triggering moral discomfort, primarily related to disrespect and impurity.

3. Moral Discomfort Drives Consumption Avoidance: This discomfort leads people to be less likely to consume photo-integrated products, particularly food or disposable items, compared to products without the integrated photo or with the photo on the packaging.

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What do I need to know:

1. Magical thinking influences consumer behavior: The "law of similarity" in magical thinking, which suggests a connection between similar-looking objects, plays a role in how people perceive and interact with photo-integrated products.

2. Photo integration can backfire for consumable/disposable products: While seemingly attractive for personalization, integrating photos directly onto such products can trigger moral discomfort and reduce consumption.

3. Product durability is key: Photo integration is more effective for durable items where the perceived essence is preserved.

4. Consider the depicted image: The negative effect is stronger for images with moral significance and weaker for less realistic depictions.

Source:

1. https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcpy.1415?campaign=woletoc