Peculiar beliefs are beliefs "presumed (by scientists, at least) to not be veridical" and "do not have a rational, empirical, or scientifically established link to an outcome they are intended to influence." Despite it may be denied on the conscious level, the influences of peculiar beliefs in consumer's daily life are prevalent and play an important role in individuals' lives through its influence on the non-conscious level. While prior research on peculiar beliefs provide considerable evidence as to its role in social psychology, it is surprising that relatively few efforts have been made to understand its influences on consumer behavior and its role in marketing. An important but neglected research area in the field of peculiar beliefs is the synergistic effects of various forms of peculiar beliefs. Scholars have identified two specific types of peculiar beliefs that have recently received attention in the consumer psychology and marketing literature: superstition and magical thinking. Although obviously related, research on these two as of yet disparate peculiar beliefs is scant. To fill this gap, this research introduces an important but rarely examined concept— the secondary-contamination effect (hereafter SCE) - and demonstrates its influences on consumer responses.
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