How consumers may justify inappropriate behavior in market settings: An application on the techniques of neutralization

Abstract Consumer-initiated fraud is an ongoing problem for marketers. The ability of marketers to combat the problem is undermined by the fact that otherwise principled individuals often selectively engage in consumer fraud. The techniques of neutralization (Sykes and Matza, 1957) are investigated as a possible explanation for how consumers may diminish their perceived guilt for their inappropriate behaviors in retail settings. The techniques of neutralization appear more appropriate as an explanatory framework in situations that involve the unethical disposition, as opposed to the acquisition, of retailing goods. Approaches by which retailers might be able to reduce unethical disposition behavior are discussed.

[1]  William R. Darden,et al.  A Multivariate Analysis of Media Exposure and Vacation Behavior with Life Style Covariates , 1975 .

[2]  J. Arndt.  Toward a Concept of Domesticated Markets , 1979 .

[3]  Anthony D. Cox,et al.  When Consumer Behavior Goes Bad: An Investigation of Adolescent Shoplifting , 1990 .

[4]  Fraudulent Behavior by Consumers , 1978 .

[5]  Anusorn Singhapakdi.  An investigation into the background factors influencing decision making in marketing situations having ethical content , 1988 .

[6]  M. Sujan,et al.  Consumer Knowledge: Effects on Evaluation Strategies Mediating Consumer Judgments , 1985 .

[7]  Jacob Jacoby,et al.  What about Disposition? , 1977 .

[8]  S. Hunt,et al.  A General Theory of Marketing Ethics , 1986 .

[9]  Ian R. Macneil.  The new social contract: An inquiry into modern contractual relations , 1980 .

[10]  Ronald L. Akers,et al.  Deviant behavior;: A social learning approach , 1973 .

[11]  R. Wilkes.  Fraudulent Behavior by Consumers , 1978 .

[12]  P. Kaufmann,et al.  Relational Exchange Norms, Perceptions of Unfairness, and Retained Hostility in Commercial Litigation , 1988 .

[13]  Mary Owen Cameron.  The booster and the snitch : department store shoplifting , 1964 .

[14]  L. Kohlberg,et al.  The meaning and measurement of moral development , 1981 .

[15]  R. Hite,et al.  Supervising Unethical Salesforce Behavior , 1989 .

[16]  F. Selnes,et al.  Buying expertise, information search, and problem solving , 1989 .

[17]  J. Jacoby.  Consumer Psychology: An Octennium , 1976 .

[18]  Gresham M. Sykes,et al.  Techniques of neutralization: A theory of delinquency. , 1957 .

[19]  Stephen J. Grove,et al.  Marketing ethics and the techniques of neutralization , 1987 .

[20]  R. Kraut.  Deterrent and Definitional Influences on Shoplifting , 1976 .

[21]  Jerry R. Goolsby,et al.  Cognitive Moral Development and Marketing , 1992 .