Emerald Management Review:
A bite to whet the reward appetite: the influence of sampling on reward-seeking behaviours

Abstract:

Purpose - To contribute to the emerging work on reverse alliesthesia in the context of food and beverage sampling.

Design/methodology/approach - Presents four experiments which examine whether the basic effects of sampling on reward-seeking behaviours are consistent with research on consumption cues and motivational states or with common intuition and the opinions of marketing experts.

Findings - Reverse alliesthesia occurs at a general motivation level in several ways: sampling a food item high in incentive value has more general effects on reward-seeking behaviours; the basic effects are attenuated if the induced motivational system is satiated in an intervening task; and food/beverage cues not only yield general motivation effects but the effects also extend to non-gustatory cues. Also documents the possibility that an aversive consumption cue, such as an unattractive smell, can suppress the motivation to engage in reward-seeking behaviours.

Research limitations/implications - Recommends examining factors that moderate the level of specificity at which reverse alliesthesia operates, investigating other factors that might moderate the impact of sampling on subsequent reward-seeking behaviours and looking at other types of samples that do not involve the sense of taste or smell and suggests that reward-seeking behaviours might include the desire to avoid difficult trade-offs.

Practical implications - Suggests that presenting consumers with cues that are high in incentive value in a store environment can induce a general motivational state that increases the likelihood of engaging in a broad array of reward-seeking behaviours and so marketers could benefit from stationing several food and beverage sampling booths at various locations in the store, particularly at the entrance.

Originality/value - Contends that the implications for food and beverage sampling arising from reverse alliesthesia contradict those arising from common intuition and experts' opinions.

Keywords:

Article Type:

Research paper

Reference:

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