Deserving Pleasure through Pain: An Abstract

Approaching pleasure and avoiding pain is a central mechanism for survival (Leknes and Tracey 2008). Approaching pleasurable experiences is associated with positive outcomes (Arnold and Reynolds 2012), while pain is generally negative (Eccleston and Crombez 1999). It is a common notion that consumers actively avoid pain (Crowe and Higgins 1997; Higgins 1997), which is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience…” (International Associations for the Study of Pain 1994, p. 210). Although pain has negative connotations, there has been recent research that suggests consumers may actually approach pain in some instances (Keinan and Kivetz 2011; Scott, Cayla, and Cova 2017). The current study examines the positive outcomes derived from pain. This study finds that undergoing certain activities, such as a wellness regime, may lead to perceptions of pain. Wellness regimes, in the form of a strict diet and exercise program, are often associated with pain (Liu, Mattila, and Bolton 2018). In fact, researchers studying fitness have found that pain is a fundamental component of exercise (O’Connor and Cook 1999). In addition to exercise, diets bring about bodily discomfort as well (Fuhrman et al. 2010). Undergoing pain results in a feeling of deservingness, which are the outcomes that are congruent with the actions taken by an individual (Cavanaugh 2014; Feather 1999, 2003). Seeing as deservingness is predicated on actions, a positive action should produce a positive outcome. Those who undergo pain in order to reach a goal are more deserving than those who do not (Toyama 2019). It was found that a sense of deservingness leads consumers to be more likely to treat themselves. If consumers partake in effortful, positive behavior, then their outcomes should be reflective of such effort and positivity (Feather 1999). The following study offers numerous implications. First, pain is analyzed in a way that examines positive outcomes rather than the typical negative consequences found in the literature. This showcases that pain is multifaceted and consumers may pursue it intentionally. By approaching this study from a wellness regime perspective, an extension is made into the health services and the exercise industry. Many gyms offer products in addition to their services (ex. smoothie bar, workout clothing) and by leveraging a deservingness appeal they may be able to enhance their sales. One of the major implications offered by this study is that practitioners may wish to find a way to instill a sense of deservingness in consumers. When consumers feel that they are deserving, it can lead to the purchase of a product to reward themselves for positive actions. Overall, this shows that pain can bring about positive outcomes as it increases one’s sense of deservingness.