| Abstract: | Research concerning the marketing of potentially harmful products to vulnerable consumer segments reveals difficulties in identifying vulnerable consumers. Businesses must be able to identify such segments if they are to avoid regulation and consumer activism. Whether a measure of nonsubstance addiction is an appropriate indicator of vulnerability is examined here in the context of indoor tanning. Three studies of young adult tanners indicate that (a) a modified alcohol addiction scale, the CAGE index, can be used to measure other addictions; (b) addicted indoor tanners have high motivation to meet social appearance norms and to experience the feeling of tanning, which may make them susceptible to marketing cues for indoor tanning; and (3) addicted and nonaddicted indoor tanners are similar in their knowledge of the dangers of indoor tanning, thus supporting the assertion that addicted tanners' decisions to tan indoors are likely more influenced by addiction than by informed decision making. |
