I implement my knowledge in the research of User-Generated Content, Social Networks, Pro-Social Marketing and Word of Mouth. I collaborate with folks from computational linguistics and text analysis to discover what's lying under the words.

For instance, I explore ways to detect insincerity in user-generated content, based on the language that people use. I do this in collaboration with computer scientists, integrating behavioral experiments to gauge the linguistic features associated with a lie and developing a code to automatize the detection process.

In another project, my analysis of the language of product reviews shows that when people write about fun experiences (what is called hedonic consumption), they tend to use more figurative language (metaphor, word play). In fact, the use of figurative language in product reviews can make people believe that the product is more hedonic (more fun). All this happens because of the psychological link between emotional states and language.

Another area of my research revolves around language assertiveness. In marketing communication, assertiveness is used in abundance, and not always in the right place. For example, I explore why marketers choose highly assertive social messages such as "Save our planet!" or commodity promotion like Nike's "Just Do It!". In several works I explain why marketers use this language, despite its natural tendency to evoke resistance in people, and when can it actually be more convincing than a more gentle tone.

Language can be especially important in branding. For example, I examine how the sounding of a brand name can affect attitudes towards the brand name, even before the meaning of the name crossed your mind.

To read research ideas and projects under development, please visit my Work in Progress.

For working papers and published work, please visit my Papers.

If you are interested in citations of my works, please visit my Google Citations Profile.

Current position:

Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Massachusetts, Lowell.

Email: ann_kronrod@uml.edu