Sarena J. Su

PhD Candidate, Marketing Department, Kellogg School of Management

Contact Information

Overview 

My research investigates two key trends shaping today’s marketplace. First, technological advancements such as the rise of social media have empowered consumers to advocate for their values and beliefs more than ever before. Second, the shift towards online purchasing continues to grow. Against this backdrop, I explore how insights into consumer psychology can lead to better marketing and societal outcomes.

Education 

Ph.D. in Marketing (Consumer Behavior) | Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University | 2025 (expected)

M.S. in Marketing (Consumer Behavior) | Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University | 2022

B.A. in Psychology | University of California, Berkeley | 2019

Research Interests 

Brand Purpose, Collective Action, Prosocial Emotions and Consumer Behavior, Digital Marketing, Persuasion

Publications

Aparna A. Labroo, Uzma Khan, and Sarena J. Su* (equal authorship) (2023), “Reconceptualizing Prosocial Behavior as Intersocial: A Literature Review and a New Perspective,” Consumer Psychology Review, 6 (1), 92-108.

Defeng Yang, Ninghui Xie, and Sarena J. Su* (equal authorship) (2019), “Claiming Best or Better? The Effects of Target Brand’s and Competitor’s Puffery on Holistic and Analytic Thinkers,” Journal of Consumer Behavior, 18 (2), 151-165.

Works in Progress

Zhigang Shou, Mei Wu*, and Sarena J. Su, ““I” Value the Future, but “We” Value the Past: The Impact of Self-Construal on Nostalgic versus Forestalgic Narrative Ads,” Under 3^rd round review at Psychology & Marketing.

Sarena J. Su and Aparna A. Labroo* (equal authorship), “From Bystander to Upstander: How Personal Goal Frustration Increases Prosocial Action,” Under review at Journal of Marketing Research.

Sarena J. Su and Aparna A. Labroo* (equal authorship), “Message Order Matters: When and How Should Brands Lead with a Social Purpose,” Job market paper, manuscript in preparation.

Jinjun Yu and Sarena J. Su* (equal authorship), “When Smearing Begets More Guilt: The Prevention of Consumer Negative vs. Positive Fake Reviews Online,” manuscript in preparation for submission.

Sarena J. Su and Aparna A. Labroo* (equal authorship), “The Need for Autonomy: Why People React Against Prosocial Nudges,” manuscript in preparation for submission.

Zhigang Shou, Sarena Su, and Feng Wang, “Catch Them When Consumers Are Moving: Time Fragmentation, Spatial Distance, and News-Feed Ad Persuasion,” manuscript in preparation.

Sarena J. Su and Jinjun Yu, “Love Me, Love My Dog: When Perceived Review Authenticity Reduces Product Returns,” data collection in progress.

Sarena J. Su and Aparna A. Labroo, “Authenticity Begins at Home: The Effect of Affirming Employee Autonomy on Consumer Perception of Brand Purpose,” data collection in progress.

Sarena J. Su and Angela Y. Lee, “The Influence of Awe on Consumer Forgiveness,” data collection in progress.