On or Off Track: How (Broken) Streaks Affect Consumer Decisions
| Author(s) | Silverman, Jackie | |
| Author(s) | Barasch, Alixandra | |
| Date Accessioned | 2024-03-11T17:38:43Z | |
| Date Available | 2024-03-11T17:38:43Z | |
| Publication Date | 2022-06-30 | |
| Description | This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Consumer Research following peer review. The version of record Jackie Silverman, Alixandra Barasch, On or Off Track: How (Broken) Streaks Affect Consumer Decisions, Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 49, Issue 6, April 2023, Pages 1095–1117, https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucac029 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucac029. This article will be embargoed until 06/30/2023. © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Journal of Consumer Research, Inc. This research was featured in UDaily on 3/7/2024 available at: https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2024/march/power-of-streaks-motivation-jackie-silverman/ | |
| Abstract | New technologies increasingly enable consumers to track their behaviors over time, making them more aware of their “streaks”—behaviors performed consecutively three or more times—than ever before. Our research explores how these logged streaks affect consumers’ decisions to engage in the same behavior subsequently. In seven studies, we find that intact streaks highlighted via behavioral logs increase consumers’ subsequent engagement in that behavior, relative to when broken streaks are highlighted. Importantly, this effect is independent of actual past behavior and depends solely on how that behavior is represented within the log. This is because consumers consider maintaining a logged streak to be a meaningful goal in and of itself. In line with this theory, the effect of intact (vs. broken) logged streaks is amplified when consumers attribute a break in the streak to themselves rather than to external factors, and attenuated when consumers can “repair” a broken streak. Our research provides actionable insights for companies seeking to benefit from highlighting consumers’ streaks in various consequential domains (e.g., fitness, learning) without incurring a cost (e.g., reduced engagement or abandonment) when those streaks are broken. | |
| Citation | Jackie Silverman, Alixandra Barasch, On or Off Track: How (Broken) Streaks Affect Consumer Decisions, Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 49, Issue 6, April 2023, Pages 1095–1117, https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucac029 | |
| ISSN | 1537-5277 | |
| URL | https://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/34160 | |
| Language | en_US | |
| Publisher | Journal of Consumer Research | |
| Keywords | streaks | |
| Keywords | behavioral tracking and logging | |
| Keywords | technology | |
| Keywords | goals and motivation | |
| Keywords | engagement | |
| Title | On or Off Track: How (Broken) Streaks Affect Consumer Decisions | |
| Type | Article |