People learn valuable information from how long others hesitate before making their decisions, a new study suggests. Researchers found that when people saw others in their group hesitating before making a choice, they were about twice as likely to break from the group and make a different choice. «When we see other people hesitate before…

Consumers are less forgiving of brand failures when algorithms are anthropomorphized, use machine learning, or are used for subjective or interactive tasks. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled «When Algorithms Fail: Consumers’ Responses to Brand Harm Crises Caused by Algorithm Errors» and is authored by Raji Srinivasan and Gulen Sarial-Abi. Marketers…

Research shows that traffic accidents decreased by nearly half during the two-month period at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when residents of most states were under a stay-at-home order. Using a detailed data set from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Jason Huh, an assistant professor in the Department of Economics at Rensselaer,…

For many, an increase in living standards would require an increase in energy provision. At the same time, meeting current climate goals under the Paris Agreement would benefit from lower energy use. Researchers have assessed how much energy is needed to provide the global poor with a decent life and have found that this can…

Low-consumption office buildings with infrequent water use could have chemical and microbiological safety issues, according to a new study. The research could have implications for office buildings used less frequently during pandemic lockdowns, and suggests that regular water testing in commercial buildings may be needed. Many office buildings have decreased occupancy during weekends and holidays…

The study shows reaching a goal expressed in round numbers results in higher levels of customer satisfaction. That was particularly true when the final goal was still distant. Hitting intermediate targets expressed as round numbers increased customers’ feeling of progress at low levels of achievement. «Most people have a preference for round numbers,» said Kunter…

Consumers are less forgiving of brand failures when algorithms are anthropomorphized, use machine learning, or are used for subjective or interactive tasks. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled «When Algorithms Fail: Consumers’ Responses to Brand Harm Crises Caused by Algorithm Errors» and is authored by Raji Srinivasan and Gulen Sarial-Abi. Marketers…

A new series of studies has found that shopper pickiness can go beyond shopping for the ‘best’ option. The researchers define what it means to be ‘picky’ and also developed a scale for measuring shopper pickiness. A new series of studies has found that shopper pickiness can go beyond shopping for the «best» option. The…

Augmented reality is an effective technology that marketers can use to improve sales. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled «Augmented Reality in Retail and Its Impact on Sales» and is authored by Yong-Chin Tan, Sandeep Chandukala, and Srinivas Reddy. The researchers discuss the following uses of AR in retail settings: *…

Many people have experienced a few nights of bad sleep that resulted in shifting attention spans, impulsive tendencies and hyperactivity the next day — all behaviors resembling ADHD. A new study found that this dynamic may also be linked to increased entrepreneurial behavior. «We’re not advocating depriving yourself of sleep to get ahead,» said Jeff…