Caleb Warren

Interests

Research

Consumer psychology, Motivation, Identity, Social Influence, Humor, Coolness.

Teaching

Consumer Behavior, Brand Management, Marketing Communications

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Milkman, K. L., & Warren, C. (2021). A Mega-Study of Text-Based Nudges Encouraging Patients to Get Vaccinated at an Upcoming Doctor’s Appointment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118, e2101165118. doi:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2101165118
• Pezzuti, T., Leonhardt, J. L., & Warren, C. (2021). Certainty in Language Increases Consumer Engagement on Social Media. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 53, 32-46.
• Pezzuti, T., Leonhardt, J. L., & Warren, C. (2021). Certainty in Language Increases Consumer Engagement on Social Media. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 53, 32-46. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2020.06.005
• Warren, C., Barsky, A., & McGraw, A. P. (2021). What Makes Things Funny? An Integrative Review of the Antecedents of Laughter and Amusement. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 25, 41-65. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868320961909
• Warren, C., Warren, N., Farmer, M. G., & Gu, T. (2021). Marketing Ideas: How to Write Research Articles that Readers Understand and Cite. Journal of Marketing, 85, 42-57.
• Warren, C., & Mohr, G. S. (2019). Ironic Consumption. Journal of Consumer Research, 46(2), 246-266. doi:https://doi-org.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/10.1093/jcr/ucy065
• Warren, C., & Reimann, M. C. (2019). Cool vs. funny: Divergent reactions to unusual product designs. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 4, 409-421.
• Warren, C., Batra, R., Loureiro, S., & Bagozzi, R. P. (2019). Brand Coolness: Structure, Measurement, and Consequences. Journal of Marketing, 83(5), 36-56. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0022242919857698
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  The paper received a (risky) revise and resubmit to the Journal of Marketing.Abstract:Marketers strive to create cool brands, but the literature does not offer a blueprint for what brand coolness means or what features characterize cool brands. This research uses a mixed-methods approach to conceptualize brand coolness and identify a set of characteristics prototypically associated with cool brands. Focus groups, depth interviews, and an essay study indicate that cool brands are useful, exciting, aesthetically appealing, original, authentic, rebellious, high status, popular, subcultural, and symbolic. Five surveys (a) situate brand coolness within a nomological network of related constructs, (b) show that brand coolness influences important outcome variables, including consumers’ attitudes towards, satisfaction with, and willingness-to-pay for the brand, and (c) lead to the development of a set of items to reliably measure the component characteristics of brand coolness. Finally, an experiment confirms that varying the component characteristics of brand coolness (e.g., by making a brand more original or higher status) influences the extent to which consumers perceive the brand to be cool, and, consequently, the extent to which they hold a favorable attitude towards, are willing to pay for, and intend to spread favorable word-of-mouth about the brand.
• Warren, C., Barsky, A., & McGraw, A. P. (2018). Beyond Advertising: Humor, Comedy, and Consumer Behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 45(3), 529-552. doi:https://doi-org.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/10.1093/jcr/ucy015
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  The paper is currently under review (3rd round).Abstract: Consumers regularly experience humor while buying and using products, procuring services, and engaging in various consumption experiences, whether watching a movie or dining with colleagues. Despite an expansive literature on how humor influences advertisers’ communication goals, far less is known about how humor appreciation and comedy production influence the likelihood of attaining various consumption goals, from experiencing pleasure and making better decisions to staying healthy and building relationships. Drawing on a wide range of findings from multiple disciplines, we develop a framework for understanding and investigating the different ways in which experiencing and creating laughter and amusement help—and sometimes hurt—consumers reach their goals. The framework provides key insights into the nuanced role of humor and comedy in consumer welfare.
• Warren, C., Pezzuti, T., & Koley, S. (2018). Is Being Emotionally Inexpressive Cool?. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 28(4), 560-577. doi:https://doi-org.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/10.1002/jcpy.1039
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  The paper is currently under review at the Journal of Consumer Psychology (2nd round).Abstract: Despite a recognition that consumers want to be cool and value cool brands, the literature has only just begun to delineate what makes things cool. Writing by scholars, quotes by celebrities, and norms in fashion advertising are consistent with the view that people become cool by being emotionally inexpressive. The relationship between emotional expression and coolness, however, has not been empirically tested. Our research uses an experimental approach to examine whether being emotionally inexpressive makes people seem more or less cool than smiling. In contrast to the belief that being inexpressive is cool, we find that in non-competitive contexts–an endorser in a clothing advertisement and an athlete interacting with fans–being inexpressive makes people seem cold rather than cool. On the other hand, in competitive contexts–such as an athlete facing his opponent–being inexpressive makes people seem cool by making them appear dominant. Our results have important implications for marketers, advertisers, and consumers trying to cultivate a cool image.
• Warren, C., & McGraw, A. P. (2016). Differentiating What Is Humorous From What Is Not. JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 110(3), 407-430.
• Warren, C., & McGraw, A. P. (2016). When Do Humorous Marketing Communications Hurt Brands?. Journal of Marketing Behavior, 2(1), 39-67. doi:10.1561/107.00000027
• Campbell, M. C., & Warren, C. (2015). The Progress Bias in Goal Pursuit: When One Step Forward Seems Larger than One Step Back. JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, 41(5), 1317-U199.
• McGraw, A. P., Warren, C., & Kan, C. (2015). Humorous Complaining. JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, 41(5), 1153-1171.
• Warren, C., & McGraw, A. P. (2015). Opinion: What makes things humorous. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 112(23), 7105-7106.
• McGraw, A. P., Williams, L. E., & Warren, C. (2014). The Rise and Fall of Humor: Psychological Distance Modulates Humorous Responses to Tragedy. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE, 5(5), 566-572.
• Warren, C., & Campbell, M. C. (2014). What Makes Things Cool? How Autonomy Influences Perceived Coolness. JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, 41(2), 543-563.
• Campbell, M. C., & Warren, C. (2012). A risk of meaning transfer: Are negative associations more likely to transfer than positive associations?. SOCIAL INFLUENCE, 7(3), 172-192.
• McGraw, A. P., Warren, C., Williams, L. E., & Leonard, B. (2012). Too Close for Comfort, or Too Far to Care? Finding Humor in Distant Tragedies and Close Mishaps. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE, 23(10), 1215-1223.
• Warren, C., McGraw, A. P., & Van, B. L. (2011). Values and preferences: defining preference construction. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-COGNITIVE SCIENCE, 2(2), 193-205.
• McGraw, A. P., & Warren, C. (2010). Benign Violations: Making Immoral Behavior Funny. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE, 21(8), 1141-1149.

Presentations

• Warren, C. (2017, January). Empirically Testing What Makes Things Cool. Fred Rhodewalt Social Psychology Winter Conference. Park City, UT: University of Utah.
• Warren, C. (2017, January). Ironic Consumption. Shansby Speaker Series. Haas School of Business: University of California, Berkeley.
• Warren, C., & Mohr, G. S. (2017, October). Ironic Consumption. Association for Consumer Research. San Diego, CA.
  More info

  Abstract: Ironic consumption refers to using a product while trying to dissociate from the meaning or identity that the product normally signals. We investigate how people consume ironically, when an audience detects that a consumer is being ironic, and how ironic consumption influences the impressions that the consumer makes on others.