Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

Figure 1: Dominant Reaction as a Function of Cognitive 
Evaluation
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Cognitive evaluation
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Pleasure
Guilt
Favorable
Unfavorable
 
DISCUSSION 
 
This study represents one of the first investigations on the simultaneous affective responses associated with 
a consumption experience. The hedonic value of experiential purchases was empirically tested. Perhaps, the most 
interesting finding of our study is that impulse buying is a rich consumption experience with complex affective 
consequences. While impulse buying is primitively hedonic due to its property of indeterminacy, such a behavior is 
subject to secondary thought processes during which higher-order and more complex affective reactions are 
engendered. In essence, impulse buying represents a state of cognitive tension --- a conflict between a desire for 
self-indulgence and a desire for self-control. Torn by this cognitive conflict, consumers engaging in impulse buying 
often experience mixed emotions of feeling both good and bad at the same time. We fondly label these two subtly 
but qualitatively different affective states as “guilty pleasure” and “pleasant guilt”. The two patterns of affective 
ambivalence emerged from our results are consistent with the activation mechanism of 
co-inhibition
, one of the 
conflicting emotion co-activation types identified by Cacioppo and Berntson (1994). 
The results of our study have several interesting implications for the hospitality industry. First, our 
findings provide directions on how to enhance the hedonic appeal of service offerings. Since indeterminacy of the 
consumption experience is linked to greater hedonic value, incorporating some unexpected elements or little 
“surprises” in the service delivery can enhance guest perceptions, and thereby influence future patronage decisions.

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