Effects of social and temporal distance on evaluation of corporate ambivalent behavior

• Sunghun Chung

  McGill University

• Jooyoung Park

  University of Iowa

Based on construal level theory and subadditivity effect, in this study we examined the joint impacts of multiple dimensions of psychological distance (i.e., social and temporal distance) on consumer evaluations of a company in which the behavior was ambivalent in terms of morality or competence. The findings indicated that consumers perceiving the company as both socially and temporally close evaluated it more favorably when ambivalence concerned morality. However, when 1 or more dimensions of psychological distance extended, consumers tended to evaluate the company more favorably when the source of ambivalence concerned competence. These findings suggest that consumer evaluations of a company are influenced by not only which aspect of company behavior is ambivalent, but also by whether or not it is a single dimension or multiple dimensions of psychological distance being considered. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

1. Sunghun Chung, McGill University
   Desautels Faculty of Management
2. Jooyoung Park, University of Iowa
   Henry B. Tippie College of Business

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