Prior research suggests that the influence of marketing cues on consumers’ behavior can occur as a result of either system 1 processes (i.e., associative, intuitive, impulsive processes) or system 2 processes (i.e., rule‐based, analytic, reflective processes). We demonstrate that how people express a behavior can influence whether the behavior reflects predominantly system 1 or system 2 processing. Specifically, we propose a process—mode of expression congruence effect, whereby less deliberate behaviors (e.g., physically grabbing something) are relatively more sensitive to system 1 processing, while more deliberate behaviors (e.g., writing down one’s preference) are relatively more sensitive to system 2 processing. Six studies provide support for process—mode of expression congruence, showing that the magnitude and direction in which an environmental cue influences a consumer’s behavior can depend on the deliberateness of the mode of expression.

Incentivized customer referral programs (e.g., “Refer a friend, reward yourself!”) are prevalent, yet they usually have low referring rates. One reason, we suggest, is that existing customers (referrers) view incentivized referring as an exchange activity, which feels incompatible with their communal relationship with friends (referees), resulting in a psychological barrier (i.e., negative feelings such as discomfort, conflict, guilt, etc.). In seven studies ( N = 2,060; five preregistered, two in the field) and one supplemental study ( N = 176; preregistered), we propose and find that disclosing the referrer-reward in the invitation message—a not yet widely adopted method—can promote referring by making the referring action seem more compatible with communal norms and reducing the experienced psychological barrier. We also document the potential of disclosing the referrer-reward on increasing acceptance, conversion, and sales. We further identify three theoretically and practically relevant boundary conditions: (1) the relative reward amount (whether the referrer-reward is higher than, the same as, or lower than the referee-reward), (2) the stated source of the referrer-reward (the company or the referee’s spending), and (3) the framing of the referral opportunity (whether it is already framed as a communal activity or not). We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications.

Daoist School has exerted a great influence on shaping Chinese history. However, Daoism did not really appear in China until more than 600 years after the birth of the Daoist School. The special cultural and political shaping of the Eastern Han dynasty led to the transformation of Daoism from a pure idea to a more practical theory. The Han Empire had an elaborate and massive bureaucratic system that ensured that imperial power was concentrated in the hands of the emperor and his trusted ministers. At the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, the government could not maintain a costly bureaucratic system due to the plague, famine, and financial crises. Daoism gained unprecedented freedom to preach. This paper analyzes the late Han dynasty’s unique social and political background through historical materials. Comparing the attitudes of different Daoist tribes towards the government concludes that the true foothold of Daoism in China must be an alliance with aristocrats. At the same time, Daoism has assumed the corresponding social responsibility and gained more people’s trust. However, when Daoist power grew to a certain size, it inevitably attracted the attention of the empire. Different sects have chosen different paths to develop. The Taiping Dao underestimated the empire’s military power, which soon led to its own destruction. The Heavenly Master avoided direct conflict with the empire and achieved their religious and political goals by uniting with local forces when the empire was on its way to destruction.