Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University Assistant Professor of Marketing, McGill University ( )

Transcription

1 ACADEMIC POSITIONS ANNE-SOPHIE CHAXEL Pamplin College of Business Virginia Tech University 880 West Campus Dr. Blacksburg, VA Telephone: Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech Assistant Professor of Marketing ( current) Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University Assistant Professor of Marketing, McGill University ( ) EDUCATION Cornell University, The Johnson School of Management Ph.D., Marketing (2012) Committee members: J. Edward Russo (chair), Manoj Thomas, Melissa Ferguson Paris-Dauphine University Master in Research Methods (2007) HEC Paris Master of Science in Management (2005) HONORS AND GRANTS Research Grant ($20,000 for 2 years), Danone Institute of Canada, Highlighting, Bridging and Leapfrogging Conflicting Beliefs: New Strategies to Promote Nutritious Food, Co-PI with Yu Ma and Laurette Dubé (2014) AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium Fellow (2011) Doctoral Fellowship in Marketing, Cornell University ( ) Winner of the PPR Case Competition, HEC Paris (2005) Winner of the Auchan Case Competition, HEC Paris (2005) Finalist of the L Oreal Case Competition, HEC Paris (2005) Distinction for Academic Achievement, HEC Paris (2003) RESEARCH INTERESTS Consumer Choice Processes Goals and Mindsets Mental Representations Biases in Judgment and Decision-Making Cognitive Consistency Theories Sophie Chaxel Page 1 of 7 September 2016

2 PUBLICATIONS Chaxel, A. Sophie (2016), "Why, When, and How Personal Control Impacts Information Processing: A Framework" - Journal of Consumer Research, 43(1), Abstract: This paper investigates why, when, and how feelings of personal control influence the way consumers process product information. Four studies were conducted. The results show that under baseline conditions, consumers who believe that they can control the environment (internal locus of control) show greater confidence in their emerging preference in a choice process and demonstrate higher levels of preference-supporting bias than do consumers who believe that the environment controls their fate (external locus of control). However, the opposite relationship between locus of control and confirmatory information processing occurs when a threat to personal control is encountered. When threatened, consumers with an internal (external) locus of control activate an accuracy (defense) goal that results in lower (higher) levels of confidence in their emerging preference and confirmatory information processing than do consumers with an external (internal) locus of control. These findings are integrated within a general framework that accounts for the impact of personal control on information processing. The framework predicts and empirical evidence confirms that the alternative strategies adopted to process information at different levels of personal control affect both product choice and willingness to pay for a new product. Chaxel, A. Sophie (2015), "How do Stereotypes Influence Choice?" - Psychological Science, 26(5), Abstract: I tracked one process through which stereotypes affect choice. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) and a measurement of predecisional information distortion were used to assess the influence of the association between male gender and career on the evaluation of information related to the job performance of stereotypical targets (male) and nonstereotypical targets (female). When the IAT revealed a strong association between male gender and career and the installed leader in the choice process was a stereotypical target, decision makers supported the leader with more proleader distortion; when the IAT revealed a strong association between male gender and career and the installed leader in the choice process was a nonstereotypical target, decision-makers supported the trailer with less antitrailer distortion. A stronger association between male gender and career therefore resulted in an upward shift of the evaluation related to the stereotypical target (both as a trailer and a leader), which subsequently biased choice. Chaxel, A. Sophie (2015), "The Impact of a Relational Mindset on Information Distortion," Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 60, 1-7. Abstract: The preference-supporting bias in information evaluation, known as information distortion, is a ubiquitous phenomenon. The present work demonstrates that priming a relational mindset induces individuals to process independent units of information interdependently and therefore contributes to increasing distortion. In three studies, a relational mindset is activated by asking participants to generate solutions to cross-domain analogies. All three studies show that the activation of a relational mindset then carries over into a second, unrelated choice task and increases distortion. In addition, the present work shows that generating solutions to cross-domain analogies activates a high level of construal, which in turn mediates the effect of relational thinking on information distortion. Finally, the present work also demonstrates that imposing a cognitive load during the choice task reduces the impact of the relational mindset on distortion. In sum, this research demonstrates that the same mechanism that promotes creative thinking (i.e., seeing Sophie Chaxel Page 2 of 7 September 2016

3 relationships across concepts) may also induce more biased information processing by prompting individuals to process independent units of information interdependently. Chaxel, A. Sophie, J. Edward Russo and Catherine Wiggins (2015), "A Goal Priming Approach to Cognitive Consistency: Applications to Judgment," Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 29(1), Abstract: A fundamental criterion of judgment is consistency among beliefs. To augment traditional methods for studying cognitive consistency, we treat it as a goal and present a priming method for increasing its activation. Three studies use three criteria to validate the method: an increase in the biased evaluation of incoming information, speed in a lexical decision task, and participants direct reports of greater goal activation. The method is then used to verify the role of the consistency goal in three diverse judgment phenomena. Priming cognitive consistency increases the search for postdecisional supporting information (selective exposure to information), the agreement between preference and prediction (the desirability bias or wishful thinking), and the adjustment of a socially unacceptable implicit attitude to conform to the corresponding explicit attitude. One conclusion is that the cause of these phenomena is not only motivated reasoning (driven directionally by a desired outcome) but also the purely cognitive and nondirectional process of simply making beliefs more consistent. Chaxel, A. Sophie (2013), The Impact of Procedural Priming of Selective Accessibility on Self-generated and Experimenter-provided Anchors, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 50, Abstract: Anchoring is often considered to be the product of two distinct processes: (a) the underadjustment associated with the anchoring-and-adjustment heuristic, when individuals provide their own anchors; and (b) selective accessibility, when an experiment provides an anchor. The evidence for the existence of two distinct processes mostly comes from the differential impact of effort across anchor types (self-generated vs. experimenter-provided). The present work challenges this distinction by demonstrating that priming selective accessibility (a) impacts the anchoring bias independently of the type of anchor and (b) interacts with effort in the same way across both sources of anchors. Therefore, the present results challenge the dichotomy between selective accessibility and anchoring-and-adjustment as two independent processes. Instead, they suggest the idea that these processes are both responsible for yielding the commonly observed anchoring phenomenon. Chaxel, A. Sophie, J. Edward Russo and Neda Kerimi (2013), Preference-Driven Biases in Consumer Search and Evaluation of Product Information, Judgment and Decision- Making, 8 (5), Abstract: While it is well established that the search for information after a decision is biased toward supporting that decision, the case of preference-supporting search before the decision remains open. Three studies of consumer choices consistently found a complete absence of a pre-choice bias toward searching for preference-supporting information. The absence of this confirming search bias occurred for products that were both hedonic and utilitarian, both expensive and inexpensive, and both high and low in expected brand loyalty. Experiment 3 also verified the presence of the expected post-choice search bias to support the chosen alternative. Therefore the absence of a prechoice search bias in all three studies was not likely to be due to our using a method that was so insensitive that a search bias would not be observed under any circumstances. In addition to the absence of an effect of prior preferences on information selection, subjects self-reported search Sophie Chaxel Page 3 of 7 September 2016

4 strategies exhibited a clear tendency toward a balance of positive and negative information. Across the three studies, we also tested for the presence of a preference-supporting bias in the evaluation of the information acquired in the search process. This evaluation bias was found both pre- and postchoice. Russo, J. Edward and Anne-Sophie Chaxel (2010), How Persuasive Messages Can Influence Choice without Awareness, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 20, Abstract: A persuasive message that favors one option in a binary choice can enhance the apparent value of its target by biasing the interpretation of subsequent information. The message installs its target as the initial leader in preference and lets the predecisional distortion of information defend that leadership position. An experiment that contrasts showing TV commercials before and after objective product information demonstrates this process. Ratings of the importance of the commercials to the choice indicate that people are aware of advertising's direct effect on their choice but not of its indirect effect through the biased evaluation of the product information. BOOK CHATPER Chaxel, A. Sophie and J. Edward Russo (2014). Cognitive Consistency: Cognitive and Motivational Perspectives. In Evan A. Wilhelms and Valerie F. Reyna (eds.), p 29-49, Neuroeconomics, Judgment, and Decision Making. New York, NY: Psychology Press. Abstract: Theories of cognitive consistency emerged over a half century ago, and generated numerous variations and controversies. Past research usually focused on understanding in which circumstances inconsistencies arise and how people recover from them. In the present chapter, we first review the seminal paradigm of cognitive dissonance theories and the major theories it spawned. We then integrate this past work into a unified framework. We subsequently build on this current framework and draw on new theoretical and methodological advances in social and cognitive psychology to extend it beyond the current state of knowledge. To do so, we propose that cognitive consistency is not only a goal, that is, a desired outcome that people would be motivated to reach, but is also likely attached to a cognitive procedure that would help the achievement of the goal. In other words, we posit that in order for consistency to be reached, a particular cognitive procedure must be in parallel working at restructuring units of information into a consistent interpretation of the same information. Based on this two-fold nature of cognitive consistency, we propose two methods to prime cognitive consistency both as a goal and as a cognitive procedure. Finally, we present empirical data from four studies, which show that the proposed methods impact reaction times to consistency-related words, self-reports of consistency activation, information distortion, and selective perception. Overall, these results contribute to showing preliminary evidence for the proposed extended framework. SELECTED WORK IN PROGRESS With Dahee Han, Why Positive Affect Drives Information Distortion: A Process Explanation in preparation for second round submission With Catherine Wiggins, Future Time Perspective and Confirmatory Information Processing in preparation for resubmission Sophie Chaxel Page 4 of 7 September 2016

5 Solo-work, The Multiple Ways to Decrease Information Distortion in preparation for resubmission With Dahee Han, The Antecedents of Moral Courage data collection in progress With Eugenia Wu, Religiosity and the Sunk Cost Effect data collection in progress Solo-work, Why Minorities Are More Likely to be Short-listed but Less Likely to be Picked: A Process Explanation Through Cognitive Closure and Distortion of Information data collection in progress CONFERENCES Chaxel, A. Sophie*, "Reconciling Facts and Beliefs: The Impact of Personal Control Threats on Product Information Processing, " Association for Consumer Research, New Orleans, October 2015 Chaxel, A. Sophie*, "The Impact of Procedural Priming of Selective Accessibility on Self-generated and Experimenter-provided Anchors, Association for Consumer Research, Chicago, October 2013 Chaxel, Anne-Sophie*, and Catherine Wiggins, The Influence of Associative Reasoning on Consumer Biases, SCP Conference, San Antonio, March Chaxel, Anne-Sophie, J. Edward Russo*, and Catherine Wiggins The Desire for Cognitive Consistency as a Driver of Multiple J/DM Phenomena, NYU Stern, January 2013 Chaxel, Anne-Sophie, J. Edward Russo*, and Catherine Wiggins The Desire for Cognitive Consistency as a Driver of Multiple J/DM Phenomena, Behavioral Decision Research in Management Conference, Leeds School of Business, Colorado, June 2012 Chaxel, Anne-Sophie and J. Edward Russo*, The Desire for Cognitive Consistency as a Driver of Multiple J/DM Phenomena, Decision Research Workshop at the University of Bolton, May 2012 Chaxel, Anne-Sophie* and J. Edward Russo, The Goal of Consistency as a Cause of Biases in Consumer Decision-making, European Marketing Trends Conference, January 2011 Chaxel, Anne-Sophie and J. Edward Russo*, Priming Consistency: A Methodology, Society for Judgment and Decision-Making, November 2010 Russo, J. Edward and Anne-Sophie Chaxel*, How Persuasive Messages Can Influence Choice without Awareness, European Marketing Trends Conference, January 2009 Russo, J. Edward and Anne-Sophie Chaxel*, How Persuasive Messages Can Influence Choice without Awareness, Association for Consumer Research (working paper session), October 2008 Bour, Stephanie, Pierre Volle and Anne-Sophie Chaxel*, Understanding the Consequences of the Feeling of Betrayal on Consumer Behavior, French Marketing Association Conference, May 2007 Sophie Chaxel Page 5 of 7 September 2016

6 INVITED RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS HEC Paris forthcoming Northwestern Kellogg 2016 SCP Doctoral Consortium, St Pete s Beach 2016 Virginia Tech 2014 McGill University 2012 Pompeu Fabra 2012 Bocconi University 2012 IE Business School 2012 The University of New South Wales 2012 ESCP 2012 UT Sydney 2012 TEACHING INTERESTS Consumer Behavior Marketing Management Marketing Communications Marketing Strategy Marketing Research Behavioral Decision-Making TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT MASTER LEVEL Marketing Management, The Johnson School of Management (Spring 2012) Rating: 4.6/5 AT UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL Marketing Management, McGill University (Fall 2012 & Fall 2013) Rating: 4.3/5 (Fall 2012) and 4.5/5 (Fall 2013) Marketing Communication, Virginia Tech (Fall 2016) Rating: 5.1/6 AT MBA LEVEL - SUPERVISION OF INDEPENDENT PROJECTS Social Media, Affect, & Word of Mouth generation, Mikki Ishii Influence of Positive Affect on Consumer Attitudes, Miyuki Unno Sophie Chaxel Page 6 of 7 September 2016

7 NON ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE Projet Futur (Start-up in the domain of career consulting) Member of the Advisory Board (2014 current) Unibail Rodamco Asset Manager (2006) Societe Generale Adjunct to the Regional Sales and Marketing Director (2004) Fleur De Bitume (Charitable organization offering academic support to children in underprivileged suburbs) Instructor for various age ranges, from 6 years old to 18 years old ( ) Treasurer (2005) PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIELD Editorial Review Board Recherche et Applications en Marketing (RAM France) Journal Reviewing Psychological Science Conference Reviewer The Association for Consumer Research ( ) The Society for Consumer Psychology ( ) MC GILL UNIVERSITY PhD Committee: Zachary Mendenhall, Sumitra Auschaitrakul, and Hajar Fatemi ( ) Course Coordinator: Marketing Management, McGill U. (Fall 2013 & 2014) Undergraduate Program Committee Member ( ) Valedictorian Selection Committee Member (2013) Marketing Concentration & Major Redesign Team Member ( ) Scholarship Files Reviewer ( ) VIRGINIA TECH Diversity Committee (2016) Undergraduate Awards Committee (2015) Technology Committee (2015) PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Association for Consumer Research (ACR) Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP) Society for Judgment and Decision-Making (SJDM) Association for Psychological Science (APS) Sophie Chaxel Page 7 of 7 September 2016