TORONTO, December 21, 2011 – Channelling your inner Santa Claus could land a few duds under the tree this holiday season, according to a new study out of York University.

Researchers found that some shoppers subconsciously rely on what they call the “Santa Claus syndrome”: an underlying belief in a just world, in which everyone gets what they deserve.

“In a just world, the myth is that good little boys and girls get the nice presents they deserve, whereas the naughty ones get lumps of coal; certain consumers use these kinds of beliefs to cope with retail decision-making, including the possibility they may have chosen the wrong gift,” says Andrew Wilson, who authored the study while a PhD student in York’s Schulich School of Business.

“If you believe in a just world, you’re more likely to seek a salesperson’s help not for their expertise, but as a means to outsource your uncertainty, rather than taking responsibility for the decision by comparing variables like features, quality and price,” he says.

The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Consumer Research, also reports that “Santa shoppers” cope with buyer’s remorse by increasing their trust in salespeople, rather than heading back to the store. “Our results show that when doubting a purchase after the fact, this type of consumer will respond with heightened trust,” Wilson says. Such shoppers may also be more likely to purchase extended warranties or optional accessories, he notes.

Wilson and York professor Peter Darke studied the reactions of more than 500 participants confronted with scenarios surrounding the purchase of a digital camera. In one experiment, participants were asked to choose between two cameras recommended by a salesperson; one group was asked to rate their trust in the salesperson before making their choice, the other following their decision.

After choosing, individuals who believed in a just world trusted the salesperson more than those who did not hold this belief, Darke notes. “Before choosing, both groups of participants trusted the salesperson equally. This is evidence that individuals use their belief in a just world as a resource to cope with the possibility of having made a poor decision,” he says.

Darke, associate professor in York’s Schulich School of Business, stresses that optimism doesn’t necessarily equal naiveté. “These consumers are not gullible dupes who always trust marketers; they seem to use such coping mechanisms only up to a point,” Darke says. He points to another experiment in the study demonstrating that optimistic consumers respond with distrust when it is obvious they’re being misled.

Are there ways to counter the Santa Claus syndrome?  Wilson isn’t sure. “Such optimism is not processed consciously. You don’t realize you’re doing it. When you’re shopping, you could bring along a more pessimistic friend. Of course this might just result in a lengthier shopping trip,” he says.

The study, “The Optimistic Trust Effect: Use of Belief in a Just World to Cope with Decision Generated Threat,” will appear in The Journal of Consumer Research in early 2012. Andrew Wilson is an assistant professor in the School of Economics and Business Administration at St. Mary's College of California.

York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto – Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 55,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 240,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 faculties and 28 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.

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Media Contact:
Melissa Hughes, Media Relations, York University, 416 736-2100 ext. 22097, mehughes@yorku.ca