Psychological Reactance: Theory and Applications.

Abstract

The article examines theories and applications relevant to psychological reactance in consumer research. The psychological reactance principle impels the individual to restore the particular freedom that was threatened or taken away and does not impel the individual to acquire just any freedom. The implication principle may be similar to the principles of stimulus and response generalization which is based on logical or psychological understanding rather than on stimulus or response similarity. Evidently, consumers have a complex relationship with innumerable organizations or agencies and any of these relationships is easily capable of threatening a consumer freedom and may simultaneously imply threats to a number of additional freedoms.