Plants vs. Pills: Natural Drugs Are Preferred More for Treating Psychological Symptoms Than Physical Symptoms
Dr. Tianyi Li
Ph.D. Candidate in Business Administration (Marketing)
University of Illinois at Chicago
Consumers generally prefer natural to synthetic drugs; a tendency termed the “natural preference.” Across four experiments and one archival study, the current research shows the preference for natural drugs is stronger when the goal is to treat psychological rather than physical symptoms. Process evidence suggests this is because consumers are more concerned about preserving the true self when treating psychological symptoms, and natural drugs are perceived to affect the true self to a lesser degree than are synthetic drugs. The current research provides novel insight into consumers’ preferences for natural products. It also offers policy and managerial implications regarding the marketing of natural remedies and pharmacological treatments for mental health conditions.
