The present study is designed to assess the ethical-moral effectiveness of three levels of AI implementations in the hospitality industry, which include mechanical AI for transactional services (automated service), thinking AI for functional services (algorithms search), and feeling AI for hedonic services (biometric sensors) when compared to consumers’ interactions with human. AI service robots are ethically challenging in use and morally controversial in its acceptance of labor replacement in hospitality contexts. In the hospitality industry, service robots have been rapidly adopted replacing frontline human services (Park et al., 2021). Service robots refer to “system-based autonomous and adaptable interfaces that interact, communicate and deliver service to an organization’s customers” (Wirtz et al., 2018, p.909). On the one hand, the applications of artificial intelligence (AI)-based service robots are promising in this field owing to remarkable accuracy in error reduction, portion control, and cost control in service operation and delivery (Berezina et al., 2019). However, on the other hand, there has been a debate on ethical and moral principles and values regarding service robots replacing human labor (Cowls et al., 2021). Nevertheless, restaurants’ adoption of service robots seems inevitable in the current marketplace as labor shortages and rising wages have challenged them to invest in automation (Tanzi, 2021). While prior research focused on the benefits of AI-based service offerings (e.g., Cristou et al., 2023; Huang & Rust, 2021; Park et al., 2021), this study explored the extent to which AI-based service robots are accepted by consumers without rising concern about service robots replacing human labors. To this end, we adopted Huang and Rust’s framework that identifies three levels of AI applications: mechanical, thinking, and feeling AIs. Mechanical AIs refer to the automation of repetitive and routine tasks (e.g., self-service technologies); thinking AIs facilitate rational decision-making based on data processing (e.g., conversational intelligent systems such as Siri); feeling AIs are able to interact with human emotions (e.g., humanlike robots that respond to human emotions such as Sophia). Further, we adopted the construal level theory (Trope & Liberman, 2003) to examine how different levels of AIs’ service capabilities influence the way that people think about AI-based service robots. In brief, this study demonstrated how different levels of AI benefits influence consumers’ moral concerns about AI-based service robotization’s replacement of human labor and social acceptance.

Understanding consumers’ prioritization of corporate social responsibility initiatives within the global marketplace is a crucial concern for marketers. Focusing on the ethical fashion industry, which supports artisans and utilizes environmentally sustainable resources within its supply chain, the study uncovers that consumers possessing a global (local) identity exhibit more favorable responses to global (local) CSR initiatives, and the matching effect is amplified when presented with high (low) construal level messages.

The study finds placing informational message first generates increased brand attitude for female consumers, while males prefer informational message placed last. High construal level leads to increased brand attitude for both males and females, low construal level consumers do not differ significantly in brand attitude across information order or gender.

본 연구는 매년 발생 건수가 증가하고 있는 아동학대 신고를 증진시킬 수 있는 방안을 탐색하기 위해 이루어졌다. 이를 위해 아동학대 네 가지 유형별(신체 vs. 방임 vs. 성 vs. 정서)로 4개 씩 총 16개의 아동학대 사례를 구성한 후, 각 유형별로 아동학대라고 지각하는 수준이 다른지를 확인하였다. 이어서 아동학대 유형별(신체 vs. 방임 vs. 성 vs. 정서), 성별(남 vs. 여), 그리고 아동학대 신고에 대한 해석수준(저 수준 vs. 고 수준)이 아동학대 신고의도에 미치는 효과도 검증해 보았다. 결과적으로 참가자들은 아동학대의 모든 유형을 아동학대라고 지각하였음에도 불구하고, 아동 학대 신고의도에서는 요인별로 차이를 보였다. 구체적으로 신체적 학대와 방임에 대한 아동학대 신고의도는 남녀 간 차이가 없었지만, 성적 학대와 정서적 학대에서는 여성의 신고의도가 남성의 신고의도보다 강했다. 또한 아동학대 신고를 왜 해야 하는지와 관련된 고수준 해석을 할 때보다 아동학대를 어떻게 해야 하는지와 관련된 저수준 해석을 할 때가 아동학대 신고의도가 강했다. 본 연구는 성별에 따라 강조점이 다른 아동학대 교육 콘텐츠 및 홍보물 제작, 아동학대 신고에 대한 저수준 해석을 적용한 교육에 시사점을 준다.

This paper investigates a theoretical and experimental evidence for a niche strategy for small and medium online shopping malls to survive against large famous shopping malls dominating the E-commerce market. The present study explored both theoretically and empirically how consumers’ preferences for alternatives in online shopping context are affected by their construal level and concentrated its efforts on the verification of the phenomenon under various frames and regarding various categories(Liberman and Trope 1998; Liberman, Trope, and Stephan 2007, Liberman Trope, and Wakslak 2007). For this, this study demonstrates how chronic construal levels of consumers may affect their alternative choice for online shopping via various contexts (Experiment 1-3) and categories (Experiment 3-5). This series of experiments suggests that consumers with high construal level can be defined as a group that is relatively less susceptible to reputation of the shopping malls. Thus, strategically targeting this group of consumers will help small online malls lacking store reputation to mitigate their competitive disadvantage. Based on both existing literature and the experimental results as above, this research discusses possible methods for small online shopping malls to target high-construal segmentation.

This research examines the impact of closing versus opening eyes on consumers’ decision making as to whether the decision context is driven by utilitarian versus hedonic motivation. The findings from three studies show that consumers processing advertising messages with their eyes closed are likely to use high-level, abstract processing, and thus more positively evaluate the utilitarian products (vs. the hedonic products). On the contrary, consumers with their eyes open are likely to use low-level, concrete processing, and thus more positively evaluate the hedonic products (vs. the utilitarian products). Implications for consumers and marketers are discussed.

Understanding why individuals behave unethically is an important topic for both theory and practice, especially in the current environment where people experience much more stressful events. The current research aims to examine the relationship between peoples’ experienced stress and their attitude towards unethical consumption behavior, as well as the underlying mechanism. Empirical findings from a survey of 451 participants suggest perceived stress serves as an important indicator of people’s tolerance of unethical activities, and that this relationship is mediated by chronic construal level and materialism value. Specifically, stressed individuals tend to develop low-construal mindsets and more materialism values, both of which further increase their tolerance of ethically questionable behaviors. The present research highlights the importance of stress on consumer ethics and contributes to prior literature in three ways. Firstly, the current study adds to the literature on consumer ethics by examining a new predictor of consumers’ ethical beliefs, which enriches the understanding of why some consumers act more ethically than others do. Secondly, to the best of our knowledge, little prior literature has examined the effect stress on ethical beliefs. The current research for the first time examines the effect and the mechanism and reveals the mediating roles of construal level and materialism value. Thirdly, the present research finds that stress increases low-level construal, leading to unethical beliefs. This finding broadens the scope in construal level theory by suggesting that chronic construal level predicts individual ethical judgments.

Most previous studies exploring the relative effectiveness of superiority and parity claims in comparative advertising were based on the regulatory focus theory. However, the findings of these studies provided limited implications for practice. The current research attempts to examine the relative effectiveness of superiority versus parity claims in comparative advertising from the perspective of construal level theory. Recent research has found that the fitness between message framing and construal level can enhance processing fluency of information. Specifically, loss-framed messages are more impactful when paired with low-level construals, whereas gain-framed messages are more effective when paired with high-level construals. Accordingly, the current study predicts that a superiority claim, which states sponsor brand is better than the competitors, is more effective in enhancing brand attitude than parity claim when the construal level is high. Conversely, a parity claim, which argues sponsor brand asserts parity with the comparison target, lead to more favorable brand attitude than superiority claims in the condition of low-level construal. This study conducted a (superiority claim vs. parity claim) × 2 (high-level construal vs. low-level construal) experimental designs to examine proposed hypotheses. The manipulation of construal level either highlighted a concrete “how” message or an abstract “why” message. The results showed that the superiority (parity) claim leads to more positive brand attitude and purchase intention than the parity (superiority) claim when customers are presented with message highlights an abstract “why” (concrete “how”) construal. Based on the findings, this study suggests that superiority claims combine with the “why”-oriented thoughts can enhance the effectiveness of the comparative advertising. In contrast, when parity claims are used, “how” -oriented, thoughts should be integrated in comparative advertising.

Construal Level Theory (CLT) has been explored and researched in many different contexts. In an academic setting, the areas of CLT in time (temporal distance), physical space (spatial distance), and interpersonal/social distance are frequently revisited for the implications they may and often do have. High-level construals are associated with abstract thinking, while low-level construals are associated with more concrete thinking (Trope & Liberman, 2010). In today’s media-saturated world, it is important to understand how the branded messages the world receives affect the cognition of society as a whole. This project aims to explore what role, if any, branding and/or product placement has in the cognitive and performance abilities for various tasks. This will be tested by utilizing branded products in a task-completion challenge and measuring through both task performance and collected survey data from participants. This project will focus on the construal levels of individuals and how the use of and/or the engagement with a socially proximal branded item will affect perceived spatial distance. A study from Van Kerckhove, Geuend, & Vermeir (2014) found that construal levels impact behaviors. The results of their 2014 published study showed that individuals with a high construal (i.e. they thought more abstractly) were linked to a strong inclination to look up, whereas when individuals had lower-level construals (i.e. thinking more concretely) they were more likely to have a behavior of looking down. This ties into their paper’s title quite nicely – “the floor is nearer than the sky” – in that looking down at what is perceivable and spatially proximal is less likely to be viewed as ambiguous or abstract.

The purpose of this study is to present theoretical and experimental evidence for a niche strategy for small and medium online shopping malls to run business against large famous shopping malls prevailing the E-commerce market. For this, the present study demonstrates how chronic construal levels of consumers may affect their alternative choice for online shopping via various contexts (Experiment 1-3) and categories (Experiment 3-5). This series of experiments suggests that consumers with high construal level can be defined as a group that is relatively less susceptible to reputation of the shopping malls. Thus, strategically targeting this group of consumers will help small and medium-sized online malls lacking store reputation to mitigate their competitive disadvantage. Based on both existing literature and the experimental results as above, this research discusses possible methods for small and medium-sized online shopping malls to target high-construal segmentation.

The current study examined whether and how players’ aggression is affected by playing games focused on Intrapersonal level of player. In contrast to most existing studies, our study asks about crucial underlying factors among the general game population and thereby investigates mental health belief, interdependent and independent self-construal, game-efficacy, loneliness, depression, gender and age. Results show that mental health belief is particularly important to the players because their aggressive tendencies are greatly diminished. Independent self-construal and game efficacy reduced the levels of players’ aggression. Interestingly, both depression and loneliness decreased the levels of players’ aggression. Results and implications are discussed.

Preference Reversal and Discounting Everyone has experienced “procrastination”, for example, in the context of diet, quitting smoking, doing homework, etc. Despite a desirable goal in the long term perspective, people often divert their course for a minor gain of immediate future. “Marriage blue” is a typical example of such preference reversal along a temporal dimension. Wedding seems so desirable when it is planned. But as the wedding date approaches, one starts to focus minor issues in reality and becomes hesitant to get married. Such preference reversal along a time dimension has been considered as irrational behavior, and is often referred to as present bias or time inconsistency. Fields of Behavioral Economics and Behavioral Decision Theory try to explain the phenomenon using “discounting” along a time axis. Previous research has shown three well-known properties of “discounting over time”. (1) Invalidity of exponential discounting A discount rate is not constant, but decreases rapidly at first and later more gradually. (2) Amount effect A discount rate is larger for a small amount of money than for a large amount. (3) Sign effect A discount rate is larger for gain than for loss. The first property is used to explain “procrastination”. Exponential discounting, which assumes a constant discount rate over time, cannot explain the phenomenon because two utility curves, one for a large gain in further future and the other for a small gain in near future, never cross each other over time. On the other hand, hyperbolic discounting, with a declining discount rate over time, permits the crossing, thereby explaining “procrastination”. How about “marriage blue”? Unfortunately, neither exponential nor hyperbolic discounting can explain this phenomenon. By interpreting the initial desirability as gain and the minor issues as loss, the sign effect cannot explain the reversal, either. Perhaps more complicated discounting models are necessary. However, there exist many criticisms and complications for introducing complex discounting models. Construal level theory (CLT) with a minor twist can explain “marriage blue” in a simple manner, as will be shown. What is Construal Level Theory (CLT) ? CLT, which has been receiving increasing attention in Social Psychology and Consumer Behavior Studies, posits that people’s evaluation toward items and incidents differs by the psychological distance between oneself and the object. When the distance is close, people mentally construe the object in terms of low-level, detailed, and contextualized features. In contrast, when the distance is far, they construe the same object in terms of high-level, abstract, and stable characteristics. Such difference in mental construal leads to different evaluation and behavior, and thus preference reversal. Fiedler (2007) discusses different types of psychological distances, including temporal, spatial, social, certainty-related, informational, experiential, affective, and perspective distances. Using these general notions of “distance”, CLT becomes a powerful tool to explain various preference changes. Along social distance, choice of souvenir can differ whether it is for a work supervisor or for a family member. Along spatial distance, excitement toward bungee jump in the birth country of New Zealand when leaving airport in Tokyo can change to uneasiness when arriving at Oakland airport. Along experiential distance, an advanced medical treatment, which seems attractive from an outsider’s viewpoint, can change to anxiety for risk and side effect when you are the one to receive. Because “discounting” is used to explain preference reversal with varying time distance, it is rather natural to introduce this idea into CLT with appropriate adaptation. First, discounting applies not only to time distance but also to psychological distance in general. Then, the second property, “the difference in discount rates between low versus high amount of money” shall be translated to “the difference in discount rates between low versus high construal levels”. This conceptualization, which I refer to as GCLT, can explain “marriage blue” in a straightforward manner, when the high and low construal levels of wedding are interpreted, respectively, as the initial motive and the detail issues. Generalized Construal Level Theory (GCLT) Let us summarize the three propositions of the generalized construal level (GCLT). (1) [Generalization of distance] “Discounting” applies to psychological distances including time. (2) [Amount effect] Discount rate varies depending on the construal level: the higher the construal level, the smaller the discount rate. (3) [Sign effect] Discount rate is smaller for loss than for gain. The relationship between GCLT and CLT are as follows. 1) GCLT models the consequences of CLT using the idea of discounting. It does not mean GCLT can explain what CLT cannot. 2) GCLT introduces the notion of gain and loss into CLT. 3) While CLT usually discretizes the construal level (high vs. low), GCLT regards the construal level as continuous by nature. By modeling the input and output of CLT, GCLT bypasses the complicated and arguably controversial inner mechanism/process of human perception. GCLT can predict preference and behavior shift more easily as distance varies. There is no need to specify the functional form of discounting, such as exponential or hyperbolic. When the distance is limited to time and the construal level is limited to monetary amount, GCLT becomes consistent with the ordinary “discounting” of BDT, as it should. Empirical Studies The survey asks participants to choose one of two lotteries with the same expected return: one with a higher prize amount and the other with a higher winning probability. The reason for selecting a lottery is that attributes resulting in high and low construal levels are clearly defined and same for everyone. Previous research found that, in lottery choices, prize amount and winning probability lead to high and low construal levels, respectively. In other context, it is often ambiguous what attributes result in high and low construals. Moreover, such attributes can differ by people. We investigate how lottery choice changes when the psychological distance with the subject varies. We manipulate time distance through a lottery whose outcome is announced either tomorrow (short) or one month later (longer). We manipulate social distance through a lottery which is purchased either for yourself (short) or for a prize in a party at work (long). Proposition 1 The survey asks a respondent to choose either Lottery A or B, both of which have the same expected winning outcome of 1,000 yen. A half of the sample are asked to consider two cases of time distance (tomorrow and one month later), and the other half are asked to consider two cases of social distance (for yourself and for a prize in a party at work). The design is a within-sample study. The paired McNemar test is conducted to statistically check whether the proportion of respondents valuing prize amount (high construal) over winning probability (low construal) varies by distance. The result confirms the prediction by CLT, in which, for both time and social distances, respondents’ construal levels are higher when the distance is far and vice versa. Proposition 2 A respondent is asked to choose either Lottery A or B when Lottery R, an originally intended for purchase, is unavailable. Both Lotteries A and B have the same gain or loss in expected outcome of 1,000 yen. The difference is whether the gain or loss is due to the change in the prize amount or the winning probability. A half of the sample are asked to respond to two cases of time distance (tomorrow and one month later), and the other half are asked to respond to two cases of social distance (for yourself and for a prize in a party at work). Again, the design is a within-sample study. The paired McNemar test is conducted to statistically check whether the proportion of respondents valuing prize amount (high construal) over winning probability (low construal) varies by distance. The result shows that, for social distance, the respondents’ construal levels are higher when the distance is far and vice versa, under both gain and loss. It implies higher discount rate for a low construal level. For time distance manipulation, however, changing distance did not result in the construal level change under either gain or loss. Proposition 3 A respondent is asked to choose either Lottery A or B with the same expected winning outcome when the distance is far. The survey then asks whether she would switch from her initial choice when the distance becomes close. Switch from Lottery A to B trades off the loss in prize amount over the gain in winning probability. Likewise, switch from B to A trades off the gain in prize amount over the loss in winning probability. According to GCLT, switch is likely to occur from A to B but not in the other direction. This is because discounting of a high construal level (prize amount) in loss is small whereas discounting of a low construal level (winning probability) in gain is large, the net of the loss and the gain is likely to result in sign reversal as the distance becomes close. The chi-square test is conducted to statistically check whether the proportions of respondents switching from A and from B are the same. The result shows that, for both time and social distances, there are more switches from A to B than from B to A as the distance becomes close, thereby supporting Proposition 3. Conclusions Using two samples, students and web users, the survey study largely supports the three propositions of GCLT. The only exception is the amount effect in time distance. Our study could not confirm it using neither students nor web users.

Purpose - When indulging in hedonic items is construed as wasteful and evokes anticipated regret or guilt, consumers are more likely to seek reasons to justify their indulgence. Justification requirement for spending on indulgences over necessities could lead to the places of their finding the ways that mitigate the anticipated regret and guilt. However the previous research focusing on consumers’ own great effort leading to positive outcomes has not given much attention to other’s outcomes induced from his or her little or no efforts, by which consumers could feel envy. The guilt associated with consumers’ indulgence could vary according to envy type felt according to their evaluation about other’s outcomes and their self construal level. Current research explored the envy type’s effects on consumers’ spending on hedonic products, and moderation effects of self construal level on the envy type’s effects. Research design, data, and methodology – 2(envy type: benign versus malicious) × 2(self construal level: high versus low) between-subjects design was employed. Data for empirical analysis were from 173 undergraduate participants. ANOVA was used to verify hypotheses. Results – The tendency of choosing utilitarian product versus hedonic product was moderated by the envy type. The participants who felt benign envy were more likely to choose utilitarian product versus hedonic product than those who felt malicious envy were. And the tendency of benign envy-felt participants’ choosing hedonic versus utilitarian product was more weakened to those with lower-level self construal than to those with higher-level self construal. However the tendency of malicious envy-felt participants’ choosing hedonic versus utilitarian product was not moderated by the self construal level. Conclusions – This research could advance the theory related to indulgent hedonic consumption by exploring the effects of self construal level and envy type on hedonic indulgence. In view of the results from current study, marketers should make efforts of communicating and selling utilitarian products to persuade consumers with lower-level construal when they feel benign envy to others. And they should conduct marketing acts for hedonic products to persuade consumers when they feel malicious envy to others.

최근 기능성 게임의 긍정적인 영향에 대한 결과가 부각되면서 그에 대한 연구와 개발이 활성화 되고 있다. 기능성 게임은 기획단계에서부터 의도적인 목적을 가진 게임으로, 이용자에 대한 설득과 그에 따른 의식과 행동의 변화를 추구한다. 따라서 그러한 설득 효과를 극대화하기 위해서는 기능성 게임에서 이용자들이 선택적 행위를 하는 과정 속에서 작동하는 심리적 요소들을 정리하고 이에 대한 효율적 방안을 제시할 필요가 있다. 그러나 이용자들의 선택과 관련한 관점들을 고려하고 그에 따른 태도와 행위의 결과를 이론적으로 접근한 연구는 부족한 상황이다. 본 연구에서는 이용자들의 심리적 거리 관념을 중심으로 그에 따른 행위에 중점을 두는 해석수준이론을 적용하여, 기능성 게임에 개괄적으로 적용할 수 있는「CLT in process-outcome serious game model」을 제안하였다. 이를 통해 이용자들의 의사결정 과정에 해석수준의 개념과 효과들을 적절히 적용한다면 이용자들의 가치와 목적 중심의 설득을 강화할 수 있을 것이다. 또한, 이러한 모델은 기능성 게임의 개발자와 연구자들에게 궁극적으로 그 효과를 증대시킬 유용한 틀로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

사회자본과 같은 소셜게임의 사회적 영향에 관한 연구들은 다수 있었으나 연구 간의 상반된 결과로 인해 그 영향력을 명확히 할 수 없었다. 이에 본 연구에서는 소셜게임 이용이 사회자본을 증가시킬 것이라는 가설을 해석수준 이론을 도입하여 확인하였다. 해석수준과 사회자본, 게임이용시간/종류 등에 대한 설문을 실시하여 각 수치간의 상관관계와 상호작용을 분석하였다. 그 결과, 상위해석수준 사람들에게서 교량형 자본과 소셜게임 이용시간 사이에서만 긍정적 관계를 확인할 수 있었다. 이 특징은 타 온라인 게임에서는 나타나지 않아 소셜게임의 관계망적 특성이 이용자들 간의 긍정적인 관계의 증가와 관련이 있음을 알 수 있다. 한편으로는 해석수준이론이 매체의 긍정적 활용연구에 있어 중요한 관점임을 확인하였다.

게임중독은 자기통제 상실의 현대적 지표로서 동료관계 및 교우관계와 같은 사회적 관계맺음을 포함한 개인의 일상 전반에 부정적인 영향을 미치고 있다. 본 연구에서는 게임이용자들의 자기통제수준과 해석수준에 따라 게임중독수준의 차이를 살펴보았으며, 또한 자기통제수준과 해석수준의 상호작용이 게임중독에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지를 함께 탐색해보았다. 이를 위해, 게임이용자를 대상으로 온라인 서베이를 실시하였고, 총 918의 응답자를 분석대상으로 선정하였다. 연구결과, 낮은 자기통제수준과 낮은 해석수준을 가진 이용자들의 경우, 상대적으로 높은 자기통제수준 및 높은 해석수준을 가지는 경우에 비해, 더욱 높은 수준의 게임중독을 나타냈다. 또한 자기통제수준이 높을 경우에는 해석수준에 관계없이 게임중독수준이 낮았으나, 자기통제수준이 낮은 경우, 해석수준이 높고 낮음에 따라 게임중독에 미치는 영향일 달라짐을 확인할 수 있었다. 이는 해석수준이 하나의 조절변수로 기능하고 있음을 알려주는 결과로, 이러한 결과를 통해 개인의 자기통제와 해석수준의 변화를 통해 자율적인 규제를 통한 게임중독완화의 가능성을 논의해 볼 수 있다.