55
H E A L H A N D S O C I E Y
R E S E A R C H @ H K U S
came up with a hypothesis that
alongside the explicit or rational
negative reaction there would be an
implicit positive one, at the gut level
beyond our control.
Prof Sengupta and Dr Chan not
only found their hypothesis to be
correct but also – in an impressive
testament to the power of flattery –
showed that after three days it was
the positive automatic reaction that
guided behavior: individuals who had
been flattered earlier weremore likely
to actually purchase from the store.
The researchers then explored
what it takes to resist this type of pressure. What they theorized,
and found to be correct, was that if our susceptibility to flattery
comes from the need to be self-affirmed, then if we have just done
something that makes us feel good we are less likely to succumb
to its power. For this study, students were asked to write positive
things about themselves before being exposed to the flattery. And
as suspected, now that their self-esteem had been raised, even
their implicit reaction to the flattery was no longer as positive.
Taking the theme further in a second paper, the researchers
looked at what happens if a third person observes another person
being flattered. In this case, the student customers were asked to
read complimentary comments – this time, genuine-sounding
compliments – from a salesperson about another customer
before providing their own reactions to that salesperson.
Previous research had shown that observers approve of a genuine
praise-giver. However, from his knowledge of psychology, Prof
Sengupta suspected that human beings are, implicitly, not so
altruistic. This is because another motivator – envy – kicks in.
What this research on envy proved was that not only does it
trigger the shopper to dislike both the flattered customer and the
flatterer, but it motivates them to reduce their envy by buying more
expensive products. A similar scenario in real life is in an office
context when a boss enthuses over a particular employee’s work –
in front of other employees. “Conventional wisdom says that one
should criticize in private but praise in public. But we suggest that
even praising in public can be dangerous because while you might
make that person feel good – you are triggering other employees to
both dislike you and that person!” said Prof Sengupta.
Such groundbreaking consumer research, which carries both
theoretical and practical value, has helped HKUST achieve an en-
PROF JAIDEEP SENGUPTA
Chinese Estates Professor of Business,
Chair Professor of Marketing
Understanding your customer’s
psychology – and everyone has a
customer – is the only way of ensuring
that they stay with you
viable standing as one of the leading
business schools in Asia, and the
world, according to global rankings
such as Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)
World University Rankings.
Prof Sengupta’s research is par-
ticularly relevant for marketers in
China. “They are fascinated by this
work on consumer psychology. They
see that the idea of getting inside the
consumer’s head is vital as they move
beyond a simple manufacturing edge
to becoming a marketing power and
building premiumbrands.”
Temptation and Financial Decisions
Prof Sengupta has found intriguing paradoxes when it comes to
how we deal with temptation - research that is relevant to global
concerns about obesity. His work provides tips for those look-
ing to resist that delicious piece of dessert – just think of a time
when you actually gave in. The psychology at work? Remem-
bering such a time makes you feel that your goal to indulge has
been partly satisfied – and that makes you more likely to behave
“better” this time around.
In another fascinating study in this area, Prof Sengupta’s
team has found that just being exposed to a temptation can
transform our behavior in a different domain. When an impulsive
person was sat in front of a piece of cake, this produced a risk-
taking, reward-seeking way of viewing the world. This then
translated to financial decisions they were asked to make – such
as buying riskier mutual funds over safe bonds. However, if
shown a healthy dessert, the safer (and lower-reward!) bonds
were more likely to be chosen.
Prof Sengupta’s work on envy, jealousy, flattery and tempta-
tion – all of which explore the rich psychology of human behavior
– is partly inspired by his passion for literature. His parents were
both professors of English literature and he grew up steeped
in works such as Shakespeare’s
Othello
in which jealousy is the
downfall of the Moorish king. And what is he doing next? “The
emotion of envy is one that I find fascinating – so I’m doing a lot
of work on that. I would especially like to study it in the context
of social media platforms like Facebook, because Facebook to me
is the world’s most gigantic envy-inducing platform there is.”
Now that is research to look forward to – even though it
might tell us a few uncomfortable truths about our psyche.
Prof Jaideep Sengupta has done extensive research on consumer
decision-making in the retail context. One example is the impact of
packet size. In an experiment, people were offered orange juice from
small and large cartons and asked to rate the taste of the drink. The
product from the smaller package was invariably rated as tasting
better, even though the contents were identical. The reason? Smaller
packages provide less bang for the buck – their price per volume is
higher. And consumers therefore think of them as being of higher
quality: which then affects how enjoyable they find the drink.
The takeaway for marketers is that if you are targeting the high-end
market segment, then smaller packaging is good. The value segment,
meanwhile, will appreciate the larger.
GoodThings Come in Small Packages
