The emotional toll of referral rewards: uncovering the relationship between referral rewards, anticipated embarrassment, self-image-concern, and recommendation likelihood

Md Tamhid Ul Islam; David Dose; Andrew Farrell; Christof Backhaus

The emotional toll of referral rewards: uncovering the relationship between referral rewards, anticipated embarrassment, self-image-concern, and recommendation likelihood

Md Tamhid Ul Islam^*
, David Dose
, Andrew Farrell
, Christof Backhaus

^*Corresponding author for this work

North South University
University of Exeter
Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

Research output: Unpublished contribution to conference › Unpublished Conference Paper › peer-review

Abstract

Using four experiments (N=765), this research shows that a referral reward offered only to the recommender negatively affects recommendation likelihood via anticipated embarrassment, and this effect is stronger for customers with high self-image-concern but can be minimized by appropriate reward design (e.g., reward both scheme and choice of reward).

Original language	English
Number of pages	5
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 13 Feb 2026
Event	2026 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference - Madrid, Spain Duration: 13 Feb 2026 → 15 Feb 2026 https://www.ama.org/events/academic/2026-ama-winter-academic-conference/

Conference

Conference	2026 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference
Abbreviated title	2026 AMA Winter Academic Conference
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Madrid
Period	13/02/26 → 15/02/26
Internet address	https://www.ama.org/events/academic/2026-ama-winter-academic-conference/

Cite this

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title = "The emotional toll of referral rewards: uncovering the relationship between referral rewards, anticipated embarrassment, self-image-concern, and recommendation likelihood",

abstract = "Using four experiments (N=765), this research shows that a referral reward offered only to the recommender negatively affects recommendation likelihood via anticipated embarrassment, and this effect is stronger for customers with high self-image-concern but can be minimized by appropriate reward design (e.g., reward both scheme and choice of reward). ",

author = "Islam, \{Md Tamhid Ul\} and David Dose and Andrew Farrell and Christof Backhaus",

year = "2026",

month = feb,

day = "13",

language = "English",

note = "2026 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference, 2026 AMA Winter Academic Conference ; Conference date: 13-02-2026 Through 15-02-2026",

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The emotional toll of referral rewards: uncovering the relationship between referral rewards, anticipated embarrassment, self-image-concern, and recommendation likelihood. / Islam, Md Tamhid Ul; Dose, David; Farrell, Andrew et al.
2026. Paper presented at 2026 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference, Madrid, Spain.

Research output: Unpublished contribution to conference › Unpublished Conference Paper › peer-review

TY - CONF

T1 - The emotional toll of referral rewards: uncovering the relationship between referral rewards, anticipated embarrassment, self-image-concern, and recommendation likelihood

AU - Islam, Md Tamhid Ul

AU - Dose, David

AU - Farrell, Andrew

AU - Backhaus, Christof

PY - 2026/2/13

Y1 - 2026/2/13

N2 - Using four experiments (N=765), this research shows that a referral reward offered only to the recommender negatively affects recommendation likelihood via anticipated embarrassment, and this effect is stronger for customers with high self-image-concern but can be minimized by appropriate reward design (e.g., reward both scheme and choice of reward).

AB - Using four experiments (N=765), this research shows that a referral reward offered only to the recommender negatively affects recommendation likelihood via anticipated embarrassment, and this effect is stronger for customers with high self-image-concern but can be minimized by appropriate reward design (e.g., reward both scheme and choice of reward).

M3 - Unpublished Conference Paper

T2 - 2026 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference

Y2 - 13 February 2026 through 15 February 2026

ER -

The emotional toll of referral rewards: uncovering the relationship between referral rewards, anticipated embarrassment, self-image-concern, and recommendation likelihood

Abstract

Conference

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Cite this