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Journal articleTam W, Merlo O, Eisingerich A, 2026, , Journal of Business Research, Vol: 216, ISSN: 0148-2963
Hedonic digital services such as games and music streaming claim a growing share of consumers’ time, yet how they shape perceived quality of life remains poorly understood. Across one qualitative and two quantitative studies in gaming and music streaming, we show how distinct service benefits (productivity-enhancing, sensorially pleasing, and cognitively stimulating) enhance perceived quality of life through three mechanisms: dependability, entertainment, and flow. In both contexts, flow contributes over and above dependability and entertainment, and perceived quality of life predicts consumers' real-money purchase decisions, demonstrating that the well-being a service provides has direct financial consequences for the firm. By integrating flow into the consumer–digital service relationship literature, the research clarifies how functional and hedonic benefits operate through distinct psychological paths, and shows that providers can strengthen well-being and engagement by balancing dependability and entertainment with features that foster flow.
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Journal articleFriedman E, Voichek G, Dhar R, 2026, , Journal of Consumer Research, Vol: 53, Pages: 560-578, ISSN: 0093-5301
We identify a novel way in which setting goals can backfire. In 13 studies and four supplemental studies, using both incentive-compatible and hypothetical designs across a range of domains, we demonstrate that setting an explicit goal and making progress towards it decreases the likelihood of switching to alternative means of pursuit. This occurs because means seem more effective relative to alternatives if they have been used to progress toward a reference point. Consistent with this mechanism, we show that the perceived effectiveness of the means used to pursue a goal, relative to an alternative, partially mediates the effect of setting a goal on the decision to switch means. Further, the effect occurs only after people make initial progress towards a specified reference point. Setting a goal does not decrease switching if people are reminded to consider the advantages of both the initial and alternative means. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
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Journal articleLin Y-T, Hou C, Duffek B, et al., 2026,
How should companies use empathetic robots to drive consumer engagement, and under what conditions?
, International Journal of Research in Marketing, ISSN: 0167-8116How does consumers’ perception of robot empathy facilitate their engagement with robotic services? To address this question, we investigate the experiences of actual robot users across various service settings. Drawing on insights from exploratory interviews, a field survey, and a series of field and lab experiments with both Japanese robot users and international consumers, our research highlights how robot empathy can enhance consumer escapism and future usage across hedonic and utilitarian settings. Our findings further show that robot empathy facilitates consumer escapism and engagement in service environments characterized by low privacy sensitivity but may hinder these outcomes when privacy concerns are high. Managers should therefore implement emotionally resonant and imagination-triggering empathetic behaviors when privacy sensitivity is low, but dial down emotional expressiveness and instead focus on neutral support and professionalism when privacy sensitivity is high. This research contributes to the growing literature on human-robot service interactions by offering actionable guidelines for designing empathetic robots.
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Journal articleKreimer D, Stoppacher L, Hauser W, et al., 2026,
Pathways to premium: how habits and benefits shape conversion and retention in freemium subscription models
, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, ISSN: 0092-0703Numerous digital services rely on freemium models, yet the mechanisms that move users from free usage to premium subscriptions remain poorly understood. This research examines how expected benefits of premium access, experienced benefits during trials, and habit development in free and premium contexts jointly shape conversion and retention. Across four empirical field studies in a freemium subscription setting, we show that habits in the free version are double‑edged: they can increase conversion by reinforcing expected benefits of the premium version, yet also anchor users in continued free usage through inertia. Habits formed while using the premium version, together with experienced premium benefits, generally support paid conversion and long‑term retention. In discounted trial settings, we further identify an inverse‑U‑shaped relationship between premium‑side habits and retention, with very strong habits associated with lower retention than moderate levels. These insights inform the design of effective freemium and trial strategies.
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Journal articleDuffek B, Eisingerich A, Merlo O, 2026, , Management and Business Review, Vol: 6, Pages: 60-64, ISSN: 2694-104X
Barbara Duffek, Andreas B. Eisingerich, and Omar Merlo share insights from a global study on influencer marketing, revealing five properties that contribute to authenticity and suggesting six strategies that will help managers to align their stakeholders, build trust, and get the most out of influencer marketing.
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Journal articleEisingerich A, MacInnis DJ, Duffek B, et al., 2026, , Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol: 54, Pages: 977-988, ISSN: 0092-0703
The authors offer a systems-level, managerial and strategic framework that organizes cross-disciplinary evidence on how marketing has harmed consumers, and most importantly to offer thoughts on how marketing might instead make well-being a central component of value creation.
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Journal articleHou C, Tam W, Rahmadianty A, et al., 2026, , Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol: 14, ISSN: 1439-4456
Background: Loneliness has been linked to reduced mental and physical health. The “loneliness epidemic” is recognized as a public health crisis. Yet, questions remain about the potential of video games that people play by themselves to help reduce perceived loneliness.Objective: This study explored the extent to which open-world games (e.g., The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) and fun, accessible games (e.g., Yoshi’s Crafted World) can help reduce loneliness in adults. We examined how such gameplay can foster a stoic approach to life, and how stoicism mediates the reduction of perceived loneliness.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using convenience sampling near a video game store. The sample comprised 2,252 adults aged 21 and older (women: n=966, 42.90%; men: n=1,281, 56.90%; prefer not to disclose: n=5, 0.20%). Participants completed a questionnaire to measure perceived loneliness and stoicism, and their gameplay habits. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and moderated mediation with PROCESS macro (bootstrapped samples=5000; 95% CI) to examine the effects of video gameplay on stoicism and loneliness, with alpha level set at .05.Results: Zelda players indicated higher stoicism (M = 4.87; 95% CI 4.66 to 5.08) than non-players (M = 3.23; 95% CI 3.09 to 3.37; F(1, 2252) = 164.95, P < .001). Yoshi players also noted significantly higher stoicism (M = 4.49; 95% CI 4.27 to 4.72) than non-players (M = 3.61; 95% CI 3.50 to 3.71; F(1, 2252) = 48.33, P < .001), with a significant interaction effect (F(1, 2252) = 7.89, P = .005) on stoicism. Furthermore, Zelda players indicated lower loneliness (M = 3.02; 95% CI 2.81 to 3.22) than non-players (M = 4.28; 95% CI 4.14 to 4.42; F(1, 2252) = 98.32, P < .001). Yoshi players also noted significantly lower loneliness (M = 3.09; 95% CI 2.86 to 3.32) than non-players (M = 4.21; 95% CI 4.10 to 4.32; F(1, 2252) = 76.32, P < .001). Moderated mediation analysis demonstrate
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Journal articlePetherick A, Ramos GA, Furst R, et al., 2026, , Nat Commun, Vol: 17
Affective polarization is little-studied in systems that present ambiguity in relevant political groups. We assess dynamic patterns in intergroup liking and perceived intelligence over 5 waves of a pre-registered survey with 4 panel waves (N ≃ 2,000-3,000) conducted before, during, and after the 2022 Brazilian elections. Given the nature of Brazil's political system, we document horizontal affective polarization of combinations of political ingroups and outgroups. These include left-right self-placed position-holders, negative partisans, and supporters of the most important presidential candidates, "Lula" and "Bolsonaro". Categorized by first-round vote intention, the latter grouping (lulistas vs. bolsonaristas) shows particularly intense affective polarization before the election campaign, which remains stable through the elections, thereafter fading approximately symmetrically. We also demonstrate that experimental treatment conditions correcting misperceptions of group stances on single, controversial policies reduce affective polarization by up to 6.66 percentage points (liking thermometer), and, in some instances, also shift policy support.
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Journal articleLebrecht AM, Tam W, Merlo O, et al., 2026, , Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol: 28, ISSN: 1439-4456
Background: Prior research on human-like virtual profiles (VPs)—computer-generated imagery (CGI; displaying legible artificiality) or artificial intelligence (AI)–generated personas on social media—is often based on small samples and limited data. Furthermore, prior studies group highly photorealistic virtual influencers with abstract virtual characters, complicating comparisons. Recent generative AI has enabled large-scale production of synthetic content. These advances have drastically increased the quality and volume of synthetic media. Much of the prior literature predates these developments, leaving open questions about how posting behavior and VP design now relate to reach and engagement outcomes.Objective: This study aimed to examine how posting behavior and key VP attributes, namely, photorealism; physical, behavioral, and narrative consistency; and human copresence related to reach and engagement across content formats (static images vs videos) on Instagram.Methods: A total of 157 human-like female VPs were included in the final Instagram dataset. During the initial screening stage, 5 human-like male macro and mega VPs were identified but excluded because their number was too small to support meaningful subgroup comparison. Engagement was operationalized as like rate (likes or followers) for images and videos; reach was measured via examined absolute impressions. Performance was summarized using the single best-performing post and the arithmetic mean of the top 3 posts per format. Profiles and posts were further coded using predefined content variables covering visual realism, identity consistency, copresence structure, appearance patterns, and body-type representation.Results: Higher-performing content was more commonly observed among larger profiles, particularly for video metrics. Among videos exceeding 20 million impressions, out of 12 videos, 7 (58%) were produced by CGI-like VPs, whereas high video like rates were more often observed
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Journal articleHarutyunyan M, Koca E, 2026, , Management Science, Vol: 72, Pages: 4569-5489, ISSN: 0025-1909
In player-versus-player video games, players' natural desire to win and avoid losing has created an opportunity for game developers to sell ``pay-to-win'' add-ons, digital items that give buyers a competitive advantage against other players. In this paper, we investigate the pricing and design of a pay-to-win add-on, its effect on the base game and profit implications for the developer. When a large share of the players is less price sensitive and highly willing to buy the pay-to-win add-on, we find that, surprisingly, the developer may prefer not to introduce it. Further, when it is optimal to sell the add-on, the developer designs it to be less (more) powerful in games where players are highly (moderately) sensitive to losing. In practice, the developer may design rewards or penalties in the game to influence players' sensitivities to winning and losing, respectively. Our findings suggest that when selling a pay-to-win add-on, the developer ideally prefers players' loss-sensitivity to be neither too high nor too low, whereas high win-sensitivity tends to benefit the developer. The introduction of a pay-to-win add-on influences the optimal pricing and design of the base game. In particular, the developer decreases the base game price and may even sell it as a freemium. Despite the price reduction, investment in game quality may actually increase. From the players' perspective, our analysis shows that the introduction of a pay-to-win add-on can actually improve player surplus.In an extension of our core model, we show that the developer may prefer to customize player-to-player matching probabilities based on ownership of the pay-to-win add-on, making players who own it more likely to be matched against non-owners. However, such customization is not always optimal, and under some market conditions, the developer may optimally abstain from customizing matching probabilities. In another extension, we show that the developer may benefit from setting a negative price for
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