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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Consumers prefer natural medicines more when treating psychological than physical conditions

Tianyi Li

Corresponding Author

Tianyi Li

The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Correspondence

Tianyi Li, Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Email: [email protected]

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David Gal

David Gal

University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

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First published: 24 June 2023

Accepted by Lauren Block, Editor; Associate Editor, Ann McGill

Abstract

Consumers generally prefer natural to synthetic drugs, a phenomenon known as the “natural preference.” Through six experiments and one archival study, the current research shows that while consumers have a general preference for natural drugs over synthetic drugs, this preference is stronger when the goal is to treat psychological rather than physical conditions. Process evidence indicates an important mechanism that explains the amplified natural preference for treating psychological conditions: Consumers are more concerned about their true selves being altered when treating psychological conditions, and they perceive natural drugs to be less likely than synthetic drugs to affect their true selves. The current research provides novel insights into the natural preference. It also offers policy and managerial implications for marketing natural remedies and pharmacological treatments for mental health conditions.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available on the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/2cthp/?view_only=b7b76a06b2b74cf4a6af0b20dad5fced.