Assistant Professor Smaraki Mohanty’s new research examines how consumer preferences for consistency and identity influence their acceptance of AI-generated recommendations.
Assistant Professor Smaraki Mohanty at Elon University’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business co-authored a new study exploring the connection between political identity and consumer trust in artificial intelligence.
The article, Swipe right: When and why conservatives are more accepting of AI recommendations, was published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. It investigates how people respond to AI-generated suggestions in everyday decisions such as choosing a movie, recipe, or music playlist.
The study found that consumers who identify as more politically conservative were more likely to accept AI recommendations in these contexts.
Researchers attribute this to a preference for consistency. If consumers believe AI suggestions reflect their past behaviors, those recommendations feel familiar and predictable.
This effect disappears when consumers are told the recommendation is not based on their prior activity, highlighting how perceptions of personalization shape behavior.
Key Findings:
- Consumers with a stronger preference for consistency are more likely to follow AI-generated recommendations.
- Political conservatives were more likely than liberals to follow AI recommendations when they believed those suggestions reflected their past preferences.
- The effect did not hold when the AI was described as offering something new or different.
The study was co-authored with:
- Iman Paul, Montclair State University
- Monica Wadhwa, Temple University
- Jeffrey Parker, University of Illinois Chicago
“This article will be used to help students explore how psychological and ideological differences shape consumer interactions with technology,” said Mohanty. “It offers a valuable lens for discussing personalization, trust in AI, and the role of identity in digital marketing.”
Mohanty joined Elon University in 2021 and teaches digital marketing, marketing analytics and consumer behavior. Her research interests include consumer behavior, political ideology, sustainability, branding, and marketing strategies.