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How Should I Feel About This? Investigating the Emotions and Processes Involved in Indulging in Guilty Pleasures.

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Title: How Should I Feel About This? Investigating the Emotions and Processes Involved in Indulging in Guilty Pleasures.
Authors: Togans, LaCount J.1 (AUTHOR) togansl@lafayette.edu, McConnell, Allen R.2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin. Jul2026, Vol. 52 Issue 7, p1812-1828. 17p.
Subject Terms: *Cognitive dissonance, *Human behavior, *Affect (Psychology), *Emotions, Self-presentation, Social influence, Behavioral sciences
Abstract: Many circumstances trigger mixed feelings, and understanding how people navigate ambivalent affective states sheds light on how social motivations guide behavior. We adopted a discrete, functionalist account of emotion to explore the positive and negative emotions experienced when indulging in guilty pleasures (GPs) and how these outcomes implicate cognitive dissonance and self-presentation processes. Study 1 randomly assigned participants to reflect on a GP or their previous morning routine, whereas Studies 2 (student sample) and 3 (general population sample) assessed participants' GPs, emotions experienced, and self-presentation concerns. Across these studies, GPs elicited positive emotions of amusement, contentment, and enthusiasm, and negative emotions of guilt, embarrassment, and shame, highlighting their ambivalent nature. Participants consistently reported being less likely to share their GPs with more interpersonally distant audiences (e.g., strangers, acquaintances, grandparents) than closer audiences (e.g., friends, immediate family). These findings suggest that cognitive dissonance and self-presentation processes are implicated in GP behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Personality+%26+Social+Psychology+Bulletin%22">Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 52 Issue 7, p1812-1828. 17p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+dissonance%22">Cognitive dissonance</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+behavior%22">Human behavior</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affect+%28Psychology%29%22">Affect (Psychology)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotions%22">Emotions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-presentation%22">Self-presentation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+influence%22">Social influence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavioral+sciences%22">Behavioral sciences</searchLink>
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  Data: Many circumstances trigger mixed feelings, and understanding how people navigate ambivalent affective states sheds light on how social motivations guide behavior. We adopted a discrete, functionalist account of emotion to explore the positive and negative emotions experienced when indulging in guilty pleasures (GPs) and how these outcomes implicate cognitive dissonance and self-presentation processes. Study 1 randomly assigned participants to reflect on a GP or their previous morning routine, whereas Studies 2 (student sample) and 3 (general population sample) assessed participants' GPs, emotions experienced, and self-presentation concerns. Across these studies, GPs elicited positive emotions of amusement, contentment, and enthusiasm, and negative emotions of guilt, embarrassment, and shame, highlighting their ambivalent nature. Participants consistently reported being less likely to share their GPs with more interpersonally distant audiences (e.g., strangers, acquaintances, grandparents) than closer audiences (e.g., friends, immediate family). These findings suggest that cognitive dissonance and self-presentation processes are implicated in GP behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1177/01461672251327440
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        Text: English
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Human behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Affect (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Emotions
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      – SubjectFull: Self-presentation
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      – SubjectFull: Social influence
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      – SubjectFull: Behavioral sciences
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      – TitleFull: How Should I Feel About This? Investigating the Emotions and Processes Involved in Indulging in Guilty Pleasures.
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              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
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              Y: 2026
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