Stress as a Catalyst: How Reactivity Speeds Up Sociocultural Learning

      In an increasingly globalised world, individuals frequently interact with people from different cultural and social backgrounds. Successfully navigating these interactions requires learning unfamiliar sociocultural norms—informal rules that guide appropriate behaviour in specific social contexts. While stress is often viewed as harmful for decision-making and cognitive performance, our research suggests a more nuanced perspective. Research led by Professor Krishna Savani of the Department of Management and Marketing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, together with Shilpa Madan, Pranjal H. Mehta, Desiree Y. Phua, Ying-Yi Hong, and Michael W. Morris, reveals that individuals who are more reactive to stress may actually learn unfamiliar sociocultural norms more quickly, particularly when they receive feedback from their interactions.     Understanding the Role of Stress in Social Learning When people enter unfamiliar cultural settings—such as working with international colleagues or relocating to another country—they often make behavioural mistakes before learning the appropriate norms. These mistakes can trigger negative feedback or social discomfort. Our research asked a simple but important question: Do individuals who react more strongly to stress learn these norms more quickly? To examine this, we conducted a series of laboratory studies in which participants completed tasks simulating sociocultural interactions. Participants repeatedly made decisions in social situations and received feedback about whether their behaviour was appropriate according to the norms of a particular culture. Learning was measured by how quickly their accuracy improved across trials. Across the studies, we measured stress reactivity in several ways: Genetic predispositions to stress reactivity Physiological responses, such as cortisol increases following a physical stressor Self-reported dispositional stress reactivity This multimethod approach allowed us to test whether individuals who are more stress-reactive consistently learn sociocultural norms faster. How Stress Accelerates Norm Learning The results were consistent across multiple studies: higher stress reactivity was linked to faster acquisition of sociocultural norms. Physiological stress responses, measured through cortisol changes after a controlled stressor, predicted faster learning. Self-reported dispositional stress reactivity also correlated with quicker adaptation to new social rules. The underlying mechanism appears motivational: initial stress triggered by negative feedback encourages individuals to adjust their behaviour, leading to accelerated learning and eventual reduction in stress. These findings suggest that stress can act as a catalyst for social adaptation, offering a functional benefit in intercultural contexts. Implications for Multicultural Engagement 1. Facilitating cross-cultural adjustment Highly stress-reactive individuals may adapt more efficiently to new social norms, particularly when feedback is clear and structured. 2. Designing effective feedback Trial-by-trial or experiential feedback can accelerate learning and reduce errors in unfamiliar cultural settings. 3. Reconsidering stress in training Rather than viewing stress solely as a hindrance, organisations can leverage its adaptive potential to support learning and behavioural adjustment. By understanding the interplay between stress reactivity and sociocultural learning, leaders can design training programmes, onboarding processes, and international assignments that enhance adaptation and performance.   This study, titled "Stress Reactivity and Sociocultural Learning: More Stress-Reactive Individuals Are Quicker at Learning Sociocultural Norms From Experiential Feedback", is published by the American Psychological Association (APA), in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes.   For other publications, please visit: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/mm/research/selected-a-papers/  

Sharing or Selling? Rethinking Influencer Strategy

        Influencer marketing has transformed into a global phenomenon, with expenditures projected to reach US$32.55 billion by 2025. As firms increasingly rely on online personalities to amplify brand visibility and strengthen consumer relationships, a critical question arises: how much sponsored content is too much? New research from Yijing Li, Angela Yi Gao, Flora F. Gu, and Fine F. Leung challenges conventional wisdom, revealing that both low and high frequencies of brand endorsements can drive high consumer engagement.     The Challenge: Authenticity versus Commercialisation Firms often struggle with influencer selection, frequently adhering to the common recommendation to avoid partners with high endorsement rates—the proportion of brand-sponsored posts relative to an influencer’s total social media content. The fear is that excessive advertising alienates followers and undermines an influencer’s credibility. However, real-world observations show that many ‘professional’ influencers maintain robust engagement despite frequent sponsorships. To resolve this discrepancy, the research team investigated how an influencer's endorsement rate affects the effectiveness of their sponsored posts.   Key Finding: The U-Shaped Engagement Curve Using a multi-method approach involving field studies on platforms like Instagram and Douyin alongside controlled experiments, the study identifies a consistent U-shaped relationship between endorsement rates and consumer engagement. The research suggests that consumer response is driven by the interplay of two countervailing psychological forces: Perceived Brand Recognition (The Benefit): As an influencer’s endorsement rate increases, they are seen as being more ‘validated’ by the marketplace. High-frequency endorsements signal strong market demand and commercial value, which can boost an influencer’s legitimacy in the eyes of followers. Perceived Manipulative Intent (The Cost): Conversely, as influencers move away from purely organic content, audiences may become suspicious of their commercial motives, fearing the influencer is merely attempting to profit from them. At low endorsement rates, influencers are valued for their authenticity. At high rates, they are accepted as professional endorsers whose commercial role is a recognized norm. However, influencers in the middle of the spectrum often lack a clear identity, failing to provide either deep emotional connection or specialized shopping guidance, leading to the lowest levels of engagement.   Strategic Moderation: Organic Mentions and Brand Consistency The study further identifies two critical strategies that influencers and marketers can use to navigate this U-shaped dynamic: Organic Product Mentions: When influencers frequently discuss a product type organically (without being paid), subsequent sponsored posts for similar products appear more intrinsically motivated. This "genuine interest" helps mitigate audience suspicion of manipulative intent, flattening the engagement curve. Brand Endorsement Consistency: Repeatedly collaborating with the same brand can signal loyalty. However, it may also limit the influencer’s perceived "market appeal" to other brands, potentially weakening the positive signal of broad industry recognition.   Managerial Implications: Go Big or Stay Small The research offers a clear framework for selection and positioning: Avoid the Middle Ground: Marketers should prioritises influencers with clearly defined identities—either as organic content creators (low endorsement rate) or professional endorsers (high endorsement rate). Intermediate endorsement ranges (typically around 40%–52% depending on the platform) should generally be avoided. Encourage Niche Passion: Influencers aiming for commercial growth should maintain a high level of organic discussion within their niche to build trust before and during their transition to more frequent sponsorships. Diverse Portfolios: To enhance perceived brand recognition, influencers should aim for a diverse portfolio of brand collaborations rather than relying solely on a single partner.   By understanding the dual impact of brand recognition and manipulative intent, firms can make more informed selections that ensure influencer partnerships remain a high-impact marketing tool.   This study, titled "Endorsement Rate in Influencer Marketing", is published in the Journal of Marketing. The work was partially supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong.   For other publications, please visit: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/mm/research/selected-a-papers/