Who Touched It Matters: Gender and Role Effects on Negative Contagion Effect

Consumers often feel disgusted toward products that have been touched by others, a phenomenon known as the negative contagion effect (NCE). While prior research has explored NCE through biological and cultural lenses, the role of interpersonal factors remains underexamined. This study investigates how the toucher’s gender and social role influence NCE and psychological ownership. Study 1 revealed that male touchers elicited stronger NCE compared to female touchers, and products touched by stranger customers were more negatively perceived than those touched by store staff. Study 2 demonstrated that psychological ownership was higher for products touched by stranger customers than by store staff, suggesting a close relationship between ownership perceptions and NCE. These findings highlight the interplay of social and psychological factors in shaping consumer disgust. Practical implications include strategies for optimizing product handling in retail and online contexts. Future research should explore cultural and product-specific variations to further refine our understanding of NCE dynamics.