The lack of contact between a debtor and creditor has been identified as a big problem in overcoming financial stress and debt. This study aimed to investigate whether inducing control results in...Show moreThe lack of contact between a debtor and creditor has been identified as a big problem in overcoming financial stress and debt. This study aimed to investigate whether inducing control results in greater willingness to contact creditors. Furthermore, financial self-efficacy was investigated as a moderator of this relationship. A total of 134 participants were assigned to either an induced control group or a baseline group. The participants were asked to recall a negative financial experience and were then presented with a fictional letter from an imaginary creditor, urging them to contact the creditor as soon as possible. The creditor letter was left unchanged from a standard creditor letter in the baseline group, while in the control group, the letter offered two possibilities to help repay outstanding debt. After reading the letter, participants were asked if they would be willing to contact the creditor. The study found that there was a significant difference in the participants' willingness to contact creditors. However, financial self-efficacy was not found to be a significant moderator. The present study provides additional support to previous findings that increasing perceived control led to a higher willingness to contact in the context of financial hardship.Show less
This research focuses on the willingness of people who experience(d) debt to contact their creditor and the role of the shame resilience theory, with two main components (feeling trapped and...Show moreThis research focuses on the willingness of people who experience(d) debt to contact their creditor and the role of the shame resilience theory, with two main components (feeling trapped and isolated and feeling powerless). The study had four different conditions and corresponding creditor letters. The first hypothesis was that reducing feeling trapped and isolated leads to more willingness to contact compared to baseline (H1). The second hypothesis was that inducing power leads to more willingness to contact compared to baseline (H2). Results showed that both conditions scored significantly higher on willingness to contact compared to the baseline condition. We explored if the combined condition leads to more willingness to contact compared to the reduced feeling trapped condition (Exploration analysis 1). Secondly, we explored if the combined condition scored higher on willingness to contact compared to the induced power condition (Exploration analysis 2). Results showed that the combined intervention was no more effective than a single intervention.Show less
The study aims to investigate whether applying the shame-resilience theory (SRT) could increase debtors’ willingness to contact their creditors (Brown, 2006). Shame is associated with two elements:...Show moreThe study aims to investigate whether applying the shame-resilience theory (SRT) could increase debtors’ willingness to contact their creditors (Brown, 2006). Shame is associated with two elements: powerlessness and being trapped. Feelings of being trapped occur when debtors feel that they have failed to adhere to societal norms due to a lack of alternatives (Frye, 2001). Powerlessness occurs when debtors experience a lack of control. We hypothesized that, by reducing the feelings associated with shame, powerlessness and being trapped, could lead to an increase in the debtors’ willingness to contact (WTC). The data was gathered through an online survey from 182 participants who were divided into four conditions; control, power, trapped and combined. The results provided evidence that reducing the feeling of powerlessness leads to an increase in debtors' willingness to contact. However, reducing the feelings of being trapped or a combined reduction did not produce similar results.Show less
This study aimed to explore possible implications to tackle obstacles that prevent people from contacting their creditors when facing financial hardship. It is found that people living in poverty...Show moreThis study aimed to explore possible implications to tackle obstacles that prevent people from contacting their creditors when facing financial hardship. It is found that people living in poverty often do not use the available help, leaving them with social withdrawal. We identified two possible reasons for the problem. The first is the experienced shame, the second is the perceived control. This study, therefore, examined the effect of experienced shame and perceived control on behavioral tendencies. Specifically, it investigated whether addressing shame and inducing control in a negative financial situation has an impact on willingness to contact one’s creditor. To test our hypothesis, an online study was distributed to people who experience or have experienced financial hardship. Results showed no increase in willingness to contact when shame was addressed. An increase in willingness to contact was found when control was induced. Exploratively, it was found that addressing shame and inducing control combined increased a person’s willingness to contact. The results indicated that control had a positive effect on the relation between shame and avoidant tendencies. Finally, this study discusses the theoretical and practical implications, along with its limitations and directions for future research.Show less
People in a negative financial situation do not seek out or accept help to solve their debt. With the help of inducing control and increasing shame resilience, we take a look at willingness to...Show morePeople in a negative financial situation do not seek out or accept help to solve their debt. With the help of inducing control and increasing shame resilience, we take a look at willingness to contact, perceived control, and problem-focussed coping based on The Transactional Theories of Stress and Coping and Shame Resilience Theory. With a creditor letter, we manipulated induced control, shame resilience, and both, and compared them to the control condition without manipulation. Our results show that with inducing control and increasing shame resilience, we can effectively reach the people in debt and possibly change their situation around by increasing willingness to contact and perceived control.Show less
People who are experiencing financial hardship often feel ashamed about their financial situation. This experienced shame prevents them from seeking contact with their creditor. A way to cope with...Show morePeople who are experiencing financial hardship often feel ashamed about their financial situation. This experienced shame prevents them from seeking contact with their creditor. A way to cope with this experienced shame is to build shame resilience. We built on shame resilience theory (Brown, 2006) by focusing on two elements: fostering connectedness and addressing shame. Participants were randomly assigned to the control condition or to the shame-resilience condition. In the control condition, participants read a standard creditor email. In the shame resilience condition, participants read an email that fostered connectedness and addressed shame. Our shame resilience email didn’t lead to a significant higher willingness to contact the helping organization or a decrease in avoidant tendencies. Our shame resilience email did lead to a significant decrease in shame. A practical implication of this is that we found a way to approach people experiencing (financial) shame, in order to reduce their shame.Show less
Financial scarcity raises negative consequences on individual and societal level. Much help is offered, but many people do not seek help. The goal of this research is to test whether an...Show moreFinancial scarcity raises negative consequences on individual and societal level. Much help is offered, but many people do not seek help. The goal of this research is to test whether an intervention designed to increase perceived financial self-efficacy increases the likelihood that people with financial problems take appropriate action. It is hypothesized that participants who are presented with a self-efficacy heightening website of an organisation that offers them financial help, perceive this organisation as more positive, are more likely to contact the organisation, and handle their situation more constructively (Hypothesis 1a, 1b, and 1c). It is expected that these effects are stronger when participants experience less control (Hypothesis 2a, 2b, and 2c). Results support hypothesis 1c and partly support hypothesis 2a: participants in the experimental condition rated the organisation as warmer, the lower they scored on self-efficacy, but not as more moral and competent. The other hypotheses were not supported.Show less
Sustainability becomes more and more important. Although people see the ongoing changes in the climate, it still seems complicated for them to support the fact that something must change in their...Show moreSustainability becomes more and more important. Although people see the ongoing changes in the climate, it still seems complicated for them to support the fact that something must change in their behaviour. Therefore, the objective of this study was to create an optimal message to enhance engagement regarding the energy transition. Four different messages were set up in a 2 (construal level: abstract or concrete message) x 2 (appeal: rational or emotional message) design. The messages were then sent to the participants (n = 907) to measure engagement by the number of clicks participants showed while reading the email. The results supported the hypothesis that an emotional message with concrete information leads to a higher level of engagement. Consequently, to enhance engagement during an energy transition, the use of an emotional message with concrete information seems essential.Show less
In this study we investigated whether social norms moderate the relationship between anger experienced within the context of a service failure and the intention to take online revenge. A total of...Show moreIn this study we investigated whether social norms moderate the relationship between anger experienced within the context of a service failure and the intention to take online revenge. A total of 143 participants participated in an online survey where they were presented with a scenario describing a service failure, after which either a pro-revenge norm, an anti-revenge norm or no revenge norm (e.g. control condition) was induced. Participants answered several questions regarding their emotions and online revenge intentions. Extending existing literature, results revealed a positive relationship between anger and online consumer revenge. Social revenge norms, however, did not influence the intention to take online revenge, neither did they moderate the relationship between anger and online revenge intention. Possible explanations, strengths and limitations of this study are discussed. Given various limitations, the results should be interpreted with caution. Further research into this topic is advised and various suggestions are proposed.Show less
