Mating Cues and Sunk Cost Bias Study

Field Research Assistant Experience

Publication: Chen, R., Sun, H., Guo, Z., & Chen, H. A. (2025). He Loves the One He Has Invested In: The Effects of Mating Cues on Men’s and Women’s Sunk Cost Bias. Journal of Consumer Research, 51(6), 1098-1119. Role: Research Assistant (Study 6 - Field Experiment)

Study Context

Contributed as Research Assistant to Study 6, a field experiment testing whether romantic cues on membership cards would influence men’s (vs. women’s) usage of paid coffee shop memberships. This study provided real-world evidence for the theory that mating motives strengthen sunk cost bias among men through an implemental mindset, as part of a comprehensive research program examining sex differences in consumer behavior.

Primary Responsibilities & Contributions

1. Field Site Selection & Securing

Identified and secured an appropriate campus coffee shop that met the study’s requirements for customer demographics and operational environment. Collaborated with management to establish a research partnership, navigating institutional protocols to obtain permissions for the membership promotion. Assessed venue characteristics to ensure the site could support valid experimental conditions while maintaining the naturalistic setting essential for ecological validity.

2. Stakeholder Coordination & Management

Fostered collaborative relationships with coffee shop management and staff, establishing clear communication channels that facilitated smooth study implementation. Navigated the complexities of conducting academic research within a commercial environment, balancing business operations with experimental requirements. Maintained ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders to address concerns and ensure mutual understanding of research objectives.

3. Experimental Materials & Setup

Collaborated with the research team to develop membership cards that effectively manipulated romantic cues while maintaining professional standards appropriate for the commercial setting. Contributed to the iterative design process, ensuring materials would successfully operationalize the theoretical constructs while appearing authentic to customers. Carefully implemented the experimental protocol, positioning all materials and signage to create consistent conditions that preserved the integrity of the manipulation.

4. Field Execution & Quality Control

Trained coffee shop staff on study procedures, emphasizing the importance of consistent customer interactions to maintain experimental validity. Facilitated natural customer engagement with the membership program while carefully avoiding any behavior that might compromise the study’s ecological authenticity. Monitored daily operations to ensure protocol adherence, addressing unexpected challenges through adaptive problem-solving that preserved both experimental rigor and business continuity.

5. Data Collection & Documentation

Maintained meticulous records of membership enrollments, customer interactions, and environmental factors that could influence study outcomes. Documented any procedural variations or unexpected circumstances to support later analysis and interpretation. Organized data systematically to facilitate statistical analysis, ensuring accuracy and completeness in all records. Prepared comprehensive documentation for the research team, including detailed procedural notes that would inform future field studies.

Research Skills & Professional Development

This field research experience enhanced critical competencies in consumer behavior research methodology, providing hands-on exposure to the complexities of conducting controlled experiments in authentic retail environments. Developed practical expertise in stakeholder relationship management, learning to navigate the intersection of academic rigor and commercial operations. Gained appreciation for the methodological challenges inherent in field experimentation, including maintaining experimental control while preserving ecological validity.

The experience strengthened skills in protocol implementation, data quality assurance, and adaptive problem-solving within real-world constraints. Working closely with established researchers provided valuable insights into the standards and practices required for top-tier consumer research publications, while fostering professional communication and collaboration abilities essential for academic research careers.