Why do millions of consumers in the United States struggling with the consequences of overconsumption believe that membership in a support group is crucial to their well-being? We examine how Weight Watchers, the world's largest support group, aids its members' attempts at managing their overweight condition. This article advances the view that in the United States, support groups that are organized around issues of overconsumption, such as Weight Watchers, resonate with members' quest for well-being in light of the spiritual-therapeutic model. The spiritual-therapeutic model denotes the understanding of well-being inscribed within the contemporary American cultural milieu. We find that among Weight Watchers members in the United States, the support group acts as a venue for angst-alleviating therapeutic confession, fosters the enactment of the support group as a benevolent system of therapeutic oversight, and facilitates a revitalizing practice of autotherapeutic testimonial. (c) 2009 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

This research examines how individuals' relationship with others sharing the pursuit of the same individual goal may change from early to later stages of the pursuit. In one qualitative field study, one lab study, and a 7-day field experiment, consumers demonstrated a tendency to view others in shared pursuit as "friends" to seek support from and alleviate uncertainties during the early stage of the pursuit; however, once they reached the advanced stage and felt more certain about how to approach and complete the goal, this closeness significantly reduced. This shift in the relationship further influenced consumers' interaction with others, such as the sharing of helpful tips and information. The findings provide insights into the autonomous information-sharing behaviors of consumers in shared goal pursuit and the key drivers behind the effectiveness of shared-pursuit programs (e.g., Weight Watchers, AA). R uby, 33, is attending the Weight Watchers meeting that she has recently joined with the goal of losing 30 pounds. (The names are aliases because of the confi

Through a qualitative study of a sample of Weight Watchers dieters, this research provides insight about the relationship between goal setting and lay theories—people's basic assumptions about the malleability of their personal attributes. We find that dieters set very different types of superordinate and subordinate goals depending on the lay theory (entity vs. incremental) they hold. Dieters who hold entity theory, which underscores immutability of abilities, set superordinate goals focused on avoiding negative social evaluations. These dieters also seem to set subordinate goals that minimize effort in diet, physical activity, and the use of group meetings necessary for weight loss. Among dieters holding incremental theory, which emphasizes malleability of abilities through learning, weight loss is guided by superordinate goals that promote change in the self. Incremental‐theory dieters also set subordinate goals that encourage rather than limit revamping lifestyle. These findings offer contributions to lay theories and goal setting in consumer research as well as implications for developing more successful weight‐loss practices. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How do mancaves, male spaces in or around the house, contribute to construction of masculinity? Our research challenges the perspective that male spaces emerge in opposition to the feminine conception of home. Findings from interviews with American suburban men reveal that male spaces represent therapeutic venues that help men in alleviating identity pressures created by work as well as domestic life and aid revitalization of men’s identities as fathers and husbands. Circumscribed by egalitarian ideology and the family ideal, male spaces also foster paternal and fraternal bonds instrumental for creating masculinity at home.

Does better planning hold the promise to achieving weight loss? Practitioners and academics often prescribe planning one's diet and exercise as a means of achieving weight loss. However, this study challenges such a prescription. The key insight derived from experience-rich qualitative data with a sample of dieters posits that lay theories, implicit beliefs about the mutability of individuals' selves and abilities, hold the key to understanding how planning operates in the weight-loss process, becoming either an obstacle or an aid for dieters. Findings from this study show that dieters who hold an entity lay theory are more inclined to view planning as an effortful enterprise, further aggravated by survival mentality focused on following simple rules and instructions. Dieters who hold an incremental lay theory, in contrast, view planning as a de-stressing aid. They favor principles that are applicable to a greater variety of situations and strive to cultivate autonomous weight-loss skills and competencies through planning. This research points to the need of rethinking how public health advocates can facilitate more effective weight-loss effort and its sustained benefits.