Seize the Day! Encouraging Indulgence for the Hyperopic Consumer

45 Pages Posted: 24 Apr 2009 Last revised: 22 Oct 2011

See all articles by Kelly Haws

Kelly Haws

Vanderbilt University - Marketing

Cait Poynor Lamberton

University of Pennsylvania

Date Written: April 23, 2009

Abstract

This article explores the phenomenon of “hyperopia,” or an aversion to indulgence, as introduced by Kivetz and Simonson (2002) and Kivetz and Keinan (2006). We first develop a measure to capture hyperopia as an individual difference. Three empirical studies use this measure to demonstrate that hyperopia and high self-control are both conceptually and empirically distinct. Further, we show that altering the level at which an action or item is construed can make an indulgent goal or luxury product more appealing to the high hyperopia consumer by influencing its value in terms of an attractive long-term outcome.

Keywords: hyperopia, indulgence, long-term goals, self-control

Suggested Citation

Haws, Kelly and Lamberton, Cait Poynor, Seize the Day! Encouraging Indulgence for the Hyperopic Consumer (April 23, 2009). Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 35, No. 4, December 2008, Pages 680-691 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1394045

Kelly Haws

Vanderbilt University - Marketing ( email )

Nashville, TN 37203
United States

Cait Poynor Lamberton (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania ( email )

Marketing Department
Philadelphia, PA
United States