Effort-Earned Indulgence

Effort-Earned Indulgence

Reviewed by Faisal Zaidi

The finding that higher effort requirements shifted preferences toward luxury rewards.

What it is

The authors tie the shift to lower guilt over luxuries; it was stronger for guilt-prone consumers and for work-related effort. It is drawn from work by Ran Kivetz and Itamar Simonson (2002).

In effect

In the article on why treats make people feel guilty, effort raised the pull of luxuries and monetary cost lowered it.

What it does not say

The authors propose lower guilt as the reason, but the finding itself is about choices. The effect was stronger for guilt-prone consumers and for work-related effort, and a higher money cost reduced the pull of luxuries. It does not say that effort turns every reward into a luxury.

Sources

  1. Kivetz, R., & Simonson, I. (2002). Earning the right to indulge: Effort as a determinant of customer preferences toward frequency program rewards. Journal of Marketing Research, 39(2), 155-170.