사람들의 기분과 자기 조절간의 관계는 많은 연구자들이 관심을 가져온 분야이다. 하지만 자기 조절에 대한 긍정적 기분의 영향을 조사한 기존연구들은 일관된 결과를 보여주지 못하고 있다. 이에 본 연구는 정서평가(AE)/정서조절(AR) 작동기제와 소비자에게 제시되는 제품정보 유형을 중심으로 긍정적 기분과 자기 조절간의 관계를 살펴보았다. 실험 1의 결과, 긍정적 기분을 가진 소비자의 경우 제품에 비용 속성 정보가 포함되어 있을 경우 AR이 작동하여 자기 조절 능력이 향상되었으나, 비용 속성 정보가 제시되지 않았을 경우 AE가 작동하여 자기 조절 능력이 감소되는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 자기 조절에 대한 긍정적 기분의 영향력은 미래의 예상되는 기분에 의해 매개되는 것으로 나타났다. 즉, 긍정적 기분을 지닌 소비자들이 미래의 기분을 예상할 경우 자기 조절 능력이 향상됨을 보였다. 기분과 평가모드에 따른 자기 조절의 차이를 살펴본 실험 2에서는 공동평가 상황의 경우 제품정보를 직접 제시하지 않아도 비용 속성 정보를 제시한 것과 동일한 결과가 나타났다. 즉, 긍정적 기분을 가진 소비자들은 단독평가 상황보다 공동평가 상황에서 자기 조절을 더 잘하는 것으로 밝혀졌다. 마지막으로 실험 3에서는 소비자들의 인지자원이 고갈될 경우 기분과 제품정보의 유형에 관계없이 자기 조절 능력이 감소되는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구의 결과들을 바탕으로 학문적, 실무적 시사점을 논의하고 향후 연구방향을 제시하였다.
Research investigating the effect of mood on self-control has generated considerable interest. However, unlike negative moods, the role of positive mood on self-control is ambiguous. In the present research, we investigated the differential impact of the AE/AR mechanism in positive moods and of product information on self-control. In Study 1, we investigated the impact of two critical factors on consumers' purchase intention toward an unhealthy food item (beverage): mood and product information. Using a 2 x 2 between-subject factorial design on purchase intension, we found that consumers' intention to purchase was more positive when cost attributes were not included in the product information(M = 4.72) than when cost attributes were included in the product information(M = 3.55). More importantly, interaction between mood and product information was significant(F = 61.728, df = 1, p < .001). Contrast analysis supported our hypotheses. When cost attributes were included in the product information, consumers in the positive mood condition(M = 2.98) had lower purchase intentions toward unhealthy food than did consumers in the neutral mood condition (M = 4.13). However, when cost attributes weren't included in the product information, consumers in the positive mood condition(M = 5.31) had higher purchase intentions toward unhealthy food than did consumers in the neutral mood condition(M = 3.96). In addition, our results showed that anticipated mood mediated the effect of mood on purchase intentions when cost attributes were included in the product information(a = .84, b = -.29, a x b = -.24, 95% CI: -.5424 ∼ -.0263). Path coefficients showed that an AR mechanism of positive mood was activated when cost attributes were included in the product information. Our results also showed that anticipated mood mediated the effect of mood on purchase intentions when cost attributes were not included in the product information(a = -1.58, b = -.17, a x b = .26, 95% CI: .0307 ∼ .6656). Path coefficients showed that an AE mechanism was activated when cost attributes were not included in the product information. In Study 2, we investigated the effect of three critical factors on consumers' WTPs for unhealthy(hamburger) and healthy(salad) foods: mood, food type, and evaluation mode. Using a 2 x 2 x 2 design on WTP, we found differential effects of mood between Joint Evaluation(JE) and Single Evaluation(SE). In the JE condition, interaction between mood and food type was marginally significant(F = 3.453, df = 1, p = .71). For consumers in the neutral mood condition, food type had no impact on their WTPs(unhealthy food: 3975 vs. healthy food: 3820; t = -.308, p > .1). However, consumers in the positive mood condition had higher WTPs for healthy food(M = 5215) than for unhealthy food(M = 4000). In the SE condition, we found main effects for mood. Consumers' WTPs were higher in the positive mood condition(M = 4509.5) than in the neutral mood condition(M = 3807.3; F = 4.141, df = 1, p < .05). More importantly, interaction between mood and food type was significant(F = 4.415, df = 1, p < .05). For consumers in the neutral mood condition, food type had no impact on their WTPs (unhealthy food: 3705 vs. healthy food: 3904.8; t = .407, p > .1). However, consumers in the positive mood condition had higher WTPs for unhealthy food(M = 5138.1) than for healthy food(M = 3881). In Study 3, we investigated the boundary conditions of the effects of mood and product information on self-control. Specifically, Study 3 showed that the effects of mood and product information on self-control were attenuated in the high cognitive load condition. We investigated the impact of three critical factors on WTP of an unhealthy food(chocolate cake): mood, product information, and cognitive load. Using a 2 x 2 x 2 between-subject factorial design on WTP, we found that consumers' WTPs were more positive when cost attributes were not included in the product information(M = 5157.2) than when cost attributes were included in the product information(M = 4481.6; F = 33.877, df = 1, p < .001). In addition, consumers' WTPs were more positive in high cognitive load condition(M = 5482.6) than in low cognitive load condition(M = 4178.5; F = 134.014, df = 1, p < .001). More importantly, interaction between mood, product information, and cognitive load interaction was significant(F = 23.752, df = 1, p < .001). Contrast analysis supported our predictions. When cognitive load was high, mood and product information had no impact on the WTPs(all, p > .1). However, when cognitive load was low, the findings from Study 1 were replicated. When cost attributes were included in the product information, consumers in the positive mood condition(M = 3034.6) had lower WTPs of unhealthy food than consumers in the neutral mood condition(M = 4092.8; F = 20.187, df = 1, p < .001). However, when cost attributes weren't included in the product information, consumers in the positive mood condition(M = 5263) had higher WTPs of unhealthy food than consumers in the neutral mood condition(M = 4216.6; F = 21.623, df = 1, p < .001). The results of this research show that the impact of positive mood on self-control varied with the AE/AR mechanism. Furthermore, this research provides academic and practical implications.