Morgan K. Ward

TL;DR: While theories of signaling and conspicuous consumption suggest that more explicit markers facilitate communication, the authors examines the utility of subtle signals and highlights the communication value of less explicit signals and discusses the implications for branding, signal persistence and the communication of identity.

TL;DR: While theories of signaling and conspicuous consumption suggest that more explicit markers facilitate communication, the authors examines the utility of subtle signals and highlights the communication value of less explicit signals and discusses the implications for branding, signal persistence and the communication of identity.

TL;DR: This article found that purchasing an identity-contrary gift for a close (vs. distant) friend who is an integral part of the self can itself cause an identity threat to the giver.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the circumstances in which consumers increase their regard and willingness to pay after brand rejection and found that consumers have more positive attitudes and higher willingness to buy when the rejection comes from an aspirational (vs. nonaspirational) brand, the consumer relates the brand to his/her ideal self-concept, s/he is unable to self-affirm before rejection, the salesperson delivering the threat reflects the brand, and the threat occurred recently.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors demonstrate that the strength of social ties between customers and service providers influences the degree to which complaining drives loyalty, while strongly tied customers fear that complaining threatens their ties with the provider, when they are encouraged to complain, their loyalty increases because offering feedback serves as an effective way to preserve social ties.