Consumer outrage: Emotional reactions to unethical corporate behavior

Unethical corporate conduct frequently leads to public outrage, which in turn triggers detrimental consumer behavior, such as consumer boycotts. However, few studies examine the effects of unethical corporate behavior on consumer emotions. To address this gap, the present work develops and validates a model of consumer outrage. The analysis suggests that consumer outrage is a compound emotion that comprises affective and cognitive experiences. Moreover, the results indicate that consumer outrage is a major trigger of boycotting behavior and that gender affects the predictions of the outrage model. The paper provides implications for management and suggestions for further research.