“I'm not impatient; - I just got suspicious!” How can suspicion affect consumer behaviour?
(A2020-63056)

AUTHORS

Athanasios Polyportis, Athens University of Economics and Business; Artemis Panigyraki, Imperial College Business School; Nikolaos Kyriakopoulos, Athens University of Economics and Business

KEYWORDS

suspicion; brand attitude; involvement

ABSTRACT

Although consumers commonly experience different states of suspicion in their everyday lives and these states may significantly alter their decision-making, only a few studies have explored the effects of this key construct on subsequent consumer behaviour. The present research aims to contribute to the literature on the role of suspicion, by priming suspicion in three levels and exploring its effects on involvement, brand attitude and perceived certainty towards a brand, after exposure to advertising stimuli. The results of one experimental study indicate that moderate levels of primed suspicion lead to higher involvement and brand attitude compared to their low and high counterparts. In addition, perceived certainty towards brand follows a monotonous, declining pattern from low to moderate and then high levels of suspicion. These effects call for additional research on the field of suspicion and consumer behaviour.