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  • 2021
  • Article
  • Consumer Psychology Review

Consumer Disclosure

By: Tami Kim, Kate Barasz and Leslie John
  • Format:Print
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Abstract

As technological advances enable consumers to share more information in unprecedented ways, today’s disclosure takes on a variety of new forms, triggering a paradigm shift in what “disclosure” entails. This review introduces two factors to conceptualize consumer disclosure: how (i.e., actively versus passively) and between whom (i.e., consumers and/or firms) disclosure occurs. We begin by exploring the drivers of active disclosure occurring in both social and commercial contexts: characteristics of (1) the discloser, (2) the situation in which the disclosure occurs, (3) the information being disclosed, and (4) others. Additionally, we review the limited but growing research on passive disclosure by focusing on (1) inferences observers make based on passively shared information, and (2) expectations disclosers have regarding the use and collection of passively shared information. Because the current understanding of passive disclosure is limited, we also outline what we see as fruitful avenues of future research. We conclude by pointing out what we perceive as key managerial insights.

Keywords

Disclosure; Passive Disclosure; Information; Internet and the Web; Consumer Behavior; Situation or Environment

Citation

Kim, Tami, Kate Barasz, and Leslie John. "Consumer Disclosure." Consumer Psychology Review 4 (2021): 59–69.
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About The Author

Leslie K. John

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • Reaching for Rigor and Relevance: Better Marketing Research for a Better World By: Shilpa Madan, Gita Venkataramani Johar, Jonah Berger, Pierre Chandon, Rajesh Chandy, Rebecca Hamilton, Leslie John, Aparna Labroo, Peggy J. Liu, John G. Lynch, Nina Mazar, Nicole Mead, Vikas Mittal, Christine Moorman, Michael I. Norton, John Roberts, Dilip Soman, Madhu Viswanathan and Katherine White
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