1. Directory
  2. Research Faculty Directory
  3. Sara Loughran Dommer
  4. Update Profile

Sara Loughran Dommer

Color portrait of Sara Loughran Dommer

Assistant Professor in Marketing

Department Marketing

Phone Number 814-865-0232
Email Address scl147@psu.edu

Download Photo Google Scholar


Sara conducts research in the area of consumer behavior, with a particular focus on how individuals' self-concepts, identities, and relationships influence their behavior. Her research has been published in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, and Journal of Consumer Psychology, among others. She serves on the Editorial Review Board at the Journal of Marketing Research. Sara also enjoys teaching Integrated Marketing Communications and received the 2024 Smeal Undergraduate Student Teaching Excellence Award.

Education

Ph D, Marketing, The University of Pittsburgh, 2012

BS, Marketing (Economics), The Pennsylvania State University, 2005

Courses Taught

MKTG 422 – Adv/Sales Pro Mgmt (3)
Perspectives and models of the key decisions involved in managing advertising and sales promotion campaigns.

MKTG 534 – Integrated Mkt Com (2)
Provides the frameworks for thinking, tools, language, and skills for strategic management of integrated market communications.

Selected Publications

Hong Y., Dommer S. L., Winterich K. P., "Received! How Acknowledgment Increases a Company’s Sustainability Image and Drives Repeat Customer Participation in Take-back Programs." Journal of Consumer Research, 2025, acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:0f419bfa-94b0-4397-9dd8-9e46c8f01dda
conditionally accepted
Dommer S. L., "Acting Immorally to Self-Enhance: The Role of Diagnostic Self-Deception." Journal of the Association of Consumer Research, vol. 10, no. 1, 2025, www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/732915
Dommer S. L., Parker J. R., "Cued-Recall Asymmetries: The Case of Brand Names and Logos." Marketing Letters, vol. 34, 2023, pp. 669-684, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11002-023-09697-0
Paul I., Parker J. R., Dommer S. L., "Role Integration Increases the Fungibility of Mentally-accounted Funds." Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 60, no. 2, 2023, pp. 263-277, journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00222437221112058
Sheehan D., Dommer S. L., "Saving Your Self: How Identity Relevance Influences Product Usage." Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 46, no. 6, 2020, pp. 1076-1092, academic.oup.com/jcr/article/46/6/1076/5552553
Lowe M., Nikolova H., Miller C. J., Dommer S. L., "Ceding and Succeeding: How the Altruistic Can Benefit from the Selfish in Joint Decisions." Journal of Consumer Psychology, vol. 29, no. 4, 2019, pp. 652-661, myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcpy.1108
all authors contributed equally
Dommer S. L., Swaminathan V., Ahluwalia R., "Using Differentiated Brands to Deflect Exclusion and Protect Inclusion: The Moderating Role of Self-Esteem on Attachment to Differentiated Brands." Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 40, no. 4, 2013, pp. 657-675, academic.oup.com/jcr/article/40/4/657/2907490
Dommer S. L., Swaminathan V., "Explaining the Endowment Effect Through Ownership: The Role of Identity, Gender, and Self-Threat." Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 39, no. 5, 2013, pp. 1034-1050, academic.oup.com/jcr/article/39/5/1034/1794613

Research Impact and Media Mentions

"Self-deception: The hidden way you might be cheating yourself", Brighter Side News, Internet, www.thebrighterside.news/post/self-deception-the-hidden-way-you-might-be-cheating-yourself/
"Interview on the Podcast, "The Last Show with David Cooper"", The Last Show with David Cooper, Podcast, podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/go-to-bed-angry-march-10-2025/id1168275879?i=1000698705272
"Radio Interview on GOLD 101.7", GOLD 101.7, Radio
"We cheat ourselves to feel smarter and healthier, study finds", PsyPost, Internet, www.psypost.org/we-cheat-ourselves-to-feel-smarter-and-healthier-study-finds/
"The Hidden Side of Cheating", Statisfied (Substack), Internet, statisfied.substack.com/p/the-hidden-side-of-cheating
"JM Buzz Deep Dive: Using Behavioral Labeling to Shape Consumer Behavior (with Dr. Sara Dommer)", The JM Buzz Podcast, Podcast, podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jm-buzz-deep-dive-using-behavioral-labeling-to-shape/id1647383235?i=1000657335635
"How Social Identity Affects Consumer Behavior", Quikly, Internet, hq.quikly.com/blog/how-social-identity-impacts-consumer-behavior
"Are You Really Confused? How You Describe Yourself is Not Seen By Others", The Intuitive Customer, Podcast, podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/are-you-really-confused-how-you-describe-yourself-is/id1319228135?i=1000563001397

Editorship

Journal of Marketing Research, Editorial Board, (www.ama.org/journal-of-marketing-research-editorial-review-board/), August 2018 - Present

Honors and Awards

Undergraduate Student Teaching Excellence Award, Smeal College of Business, (Sep 30, 2024)
Outstanding Reviewer, Journal of Marketing Research, (Aug 31, 2024)