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Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
Published in: Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 4/2009

01-12-2009 | Original Empirical Research

Gratitude works: its impact and the mediating role of affective commitment in driving positive outcomes

Authors: Randle D. Raggio, Judith Anne Garretson Folse

Published in: Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science | Issue 4/2009

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Abstract

After studying the effects of Louisiana’s post-hurricane “thank you” campaigns, the researchers find expressions of gratitude significantly improve perceptions of Louisiana in the midst of its recovery. Through a national survey conducted November 2006, they find that those who saw or heard a thank you advertisement have more positive attitudes toward the state and its people, a greater willingness to pay a premium for its products, services and travel to the state, and spread positive word-of-mouth, thus justifying the use of public funds to support the campaign. The authors investigate the role of participation on the effectiveness of expressions of gratitude and identify the mediating role of affective commitment in driving the positive results attributed to expressions of gratitude.
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Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Footnotes
1
For a comprehensive review of gratitude in the psychology literature we suggest the highly readable The Psychology of Gratitude (Emmons and McCullough 2004). Its Appendix includes an annotated bibliography of psychological research on gratitude.
 
2
See McCullough and Tsang (2004) for a summary.
 
3
“Responses toward Louisiana” imply all three dependent measures (attitudes; WTP; willingness to spread positive word-of-mouth about Louisiana).
 
4
We collected 364 responses from Louisiana residents, but these were not relevant to the present study and are not reported here.
 
5
We thank a reviewer for pointing this out.
 
6
We note the moderately strong correlations between Seen and # Times Seen (predictor variables) and affective commitment (.255 and .286, respectively; Table 1). We also note the strong correlations (all > .44) between our dependent measures and Affective Commitment (potential mediator).
 
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Metadata
Title
Gratitude works: its impact and the mediating role of affective commitment in driving positive outcomes
Authors
Randle D. Raggio
Judith Anne Garretson Folse
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science / Issue 4/2009
Print ISSN: 0092-0703
Electronic ISSN: 1552-7824
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-009-0144-2

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