MARKETING MANIPULATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW OF ITS ANTECEDENTS, MECHANISMS, OUTCOMES, AND MODERATORS
Keywords:
Marketing manipulation, Consumer welfare, Marketplace efficiency, Deceptive advertising, Information asymmetry, Cognitive biases, Social influence, Public policyAbstract
Abstract: Marketing manipulation is a critical area of research with important implications for consumer welfare and public policy. This literature review synthesizes and analyses the research on marketing manipulation to provide an understanding of its key dimensions, antecedents, mechanisms, outcomes, and moderators. The review identifies five key dimensions of marketing manipulation: information asymmetry, cognitive biases, emotional appeals, social influence, and deceptive advertising. Antecedents, such as individual differences and cultural factors, can influence the extent to which consumers are susceptible to marketing manipulation. Mechanisms, such as the use of emotional appeals or social influence, can affect the ways in which consumers are manipulated by marketing tactics. Outcomes, such as consumer behaviour or well-being, can be influenced by the extent and type of marketing manipulation. Moderators, such as situational factors or regulatory frameworks, can affect the extent to which marketing manipulation is effective or harmful. The review concludes with a discussion of the implications of marketing manipulation for consumer welfare and public policy, as well as future research directions and methodological considerations for studying this phenomenon.
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