Despite the critical importance of mental health, many people often feel reluctant to seek treatment for their mental health conditions. This research examines a novel factor that influences people’s pursuit of mental health support: individual decision-making style. Across six studies, I demonstrate that individuals who predominantly rely on reason in decision-making are less likely to engage in the pursuit of mental health resources compared to those who rely on emotions. Furthermore, I find that this effect occurs because reason-based processing, as opposed to emotion-based processing, decreases individuals’ perceived severity of their mental health symptoms. Consequently, they are less likely to recognize the need for help, leading to a negative impact on their engagement with and utilization of mental health products and services. These findings contribute to research on decision-making style and consumer mental health. In addition to its theoretical significance, the current research aims to pave the way for further explorations into a largely neglected but increasingly important domain of consumer research, the consumer pursuit of mental health resources.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/48892 |
| Date | 28 May 2024 |
| Creators | Lee, Jaewoo |
| Contributors | Trudel, Remi |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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