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Derek D. Rucker
Derek D Rucker

MARKETING
Associate Professor of Marketing
Richard M. Clewett Research Professor

Print Overview
Dr. Rucker joined the Kellogg marketing department in Fall of 2005. Currently Dr. Rucker holds the Richard M. Clewett Professorship in Marketing. His primary research focuses on the study attitudes, persuasion, and consumer behavior. This work seeks to ask questions regarding what makes for effective advertising communications and seeks to understand the motives underlying consumer consumption. To answer these questions Dr. Rucker draws on his rich training in social psychology and evokes constructs of certainty, power, and human emotion. His work has appeared in numerous leading journals in psychology and marketing such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Marketing Research, and the Journal of Consumer Psychology. In addition, his research has been covered in major media outlets such as The New York Times, Time Magazine, and ABC News.

Dr. Rucker currently teaches the advertising course at Kellogg. The course focuses on basic psychological principals to better understand how to plan and execute successful advertising. In recognition of his passion for teaching, Dr. Rucker was nominated as a finalist for the L.G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award. In addition to his work in the classroom, Dr. Rucker is a co-instructor of the annual Kellogg Advertising Superbowl Review. The review is in the spirit of Kellogg’s focus on experiential learning and is designed to cultivate basic principals learned in the classroom to critically evaluate advertising in a real world and high stakes environment.

Areas of Expertise
Advertising
Consumer Behavior
  • Recent Media Coverage

    Advertising Age: Best Time to Advertise? When Consumers Are Too Tired for Anything Else - 10/12/2009

    The Mint (Dow Jones publication in India): Advertisers may find it easier to persuade a tired consumer to buy - 9/23/2009

    The Augusta Chronicle: Engaging ads win out - 2/9/2009

    The New York Times Magazine: The Sweet Payoff - 2/8/2009

    See all Kellogg in the Media
Print Vita
Education
PhD, 2005, Psychology, Ohio State University
MA, 2000, Psychology, Ohio State University
BA, 1998, Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz

Academic Positions
Assistant Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2006-present
Donald P. Jacobs Scholar in Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2005-2006

Grants and Awards
Marketing Science Institute Young Scholar, 2009
Richard M. Clewett Professorship in Marketing, 2008-2010
L.G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award Finalist, Kellogg School of Management (2008)

 
Print Research
Research Interests
Psychology of conviction (consumer certainty and power), emotions, attribution, and statistical methodology

Articles
Rucker, Derek D and Adam D. Galinsky. Forthcoming. Conspicuous Consumption versus Utilitarian Ideals: How Different Levels of Power Shape Consumer Behavior. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Rucker, Derek D and Adam D. Galinsky. 2008. Desire to Acquire: Powerlessness and Compensatory Consumption. Journal of Consumer Research. 35: 257-267.
Tormala, Zakary, Derek D Rucker and Charles Seger. 2008. When increased confidence yields increased thought. A confidence-matching hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 44(1): 141-147.
Preacher, Kristopher, Derek D Rucker and Andrew Hayes. 2007. Addressing Moderated Mediation Hypotheses: Theory, Methods, and Prescriptions. Multivariate Behavioral Research. 42
Tormala, Zakary and Derek D Rucker. 2007. Attitude Certainty: A Review of Past Findings and Emerging Perspectives. Social & Personality Psychology Compass. 1(1): 469-492.
Preacher, Kristopher, Derek D Rucker and Andrew Hayes. 2007. Testing Moderated Mediation Hypothesis. Multivariate Behavioral Research. 42
Petty, Richard E., Carmen Valle, Derek D Rucker, Alberto Becerra. 2007. The effects of message recipient power on persuasion: A self-validation analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 93(6): 1040-1063.
Petrocelli, John, Zakary Tormala and Derek D Rucker. 2007. Unpacking Attitude Certainty: Attitude Clarity and Attitude Correctness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 92(1): 30-41.
Rucker, Derek D, Richard E. Petty. 2006. Emotional Intelligence. Psicothema. 18: 26-33.
Rucker, Derek D and Richard E. Petty. 2006. Increasing Effectiveness of Communications to Consumers: Recommendations Based on the Elaboration Likelihood and Attitude Certainty Perspectives. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. 25(1): 29-52.
Bizer, George Y., Zakary Tormala, Derek D Rucker and Richard E. Petty. 2006. Memory-Based Versus On-Line Processing: Implications for Attitude Strength. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 42(5): 646-653.
Barden, Jamie, Derek D Rucker and Richard E. Petty. 2005. Saying One Thing and Doing Another: Examining the Impact of Event Order on Hypocrisy Judgements of Others. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 31(11): 1463-1474.
Preacher, Kristopher, Derek D Rucker, Robert MacCallum and Al Nicewander. 2005. Use of the extreme groups approach: A critical reexamination and new recommendations. Psychological Methods. 10(2): 178-92.
Rucker, Derek D and Richard E. Petty. 2004. An Emotion Specificity Approach to Consumer Decision Making. Motivation and Emotion. 28(1): 3-21.
DeSteno, David, Richard E. Petty, Derek D Rucker, Duane Wegener and Julia Braverman. 2004. Discrete Emotions and Persuasion: The Role of Emotion-Induced Expectancies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 86(1): 43-56.
Bizer, George Y., Jon A. Krosnick, Allison L. Holbrook, S. Christian Wheeler, Derek D Rucker and Richard E. Petty. 2004. Impact of Personality on Cognitive, Behavioral, and Affective Political Processes: The Effects of Need to Evaluate. Journal of Personality. 72(5): 995-1028.
AbstractLink
Rucker, Derek D, Mark Polifroni, Philip Tetlock and Amanda Scott. 2004. On the Assignment of Punishment: The Impact of General-Societal Threat and the Moderating Role of Severity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 30(6): 673-684.
AbstractLink
Rucker, Derek D and Richard E. Petty. 2004. When Resistance is Futile: Consequences of Failed Counterarguing for Attitude Certainty. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 86(2): 219-235.
Rucker, Derek D and Richard E. Petty. 2003. Effects of Accusations on the Accuser: The Moderating Role of Accuser Culpability. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 29(10): 1259-1271.
Rucker, Derek D. 2003. Functional Food Labels: Experimental Evidence of the role of claims and endorsements. Journal of Nutrition. 133
MacCallum, Robert, Shabo Zhang, Kristopher Preacher and Derek D Rucker. 2002. On the Practice of Dichotomization of Quantitative Variables. Psychological Methods. 7(1): 19-40.
DeSteno, David, Richard E. Petty, Duane Wegener and Derek D Rucker. 2000. Beyond Valence in the Perception of Likelihood: The Role of Emotion Specificity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 78(3): 397-416.
Rucker, Derek D and Anthony Pratkanis. 2000. Projection as an Interpersonal Influence Tactic: The Effects of the Pot Calling the Kettle Black. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 27(11): 1494-1507.
Working Papers
Rucker, Derek D, Richard E. Petty. Forthcoming. What's in a Frame Anyway?: A Meta-cognitive Analysis of One Versus Two Sided Message Framing on Attitude Certainty. Journal of Consumer Psychology.
Gal, David and Derek D Rucker. Answering the Unasked Questions The Effect of Missing Questions on Consumer Response to Surveys.
Clarkson, Joshua, Zakary Tormala and Derek D Rucker. 2008. Attitude Certainty: The Amplifcation Hypothesis.
Labroo, Aparna and Derek D Rucker. 2008. Avoiding Threat or Seeking Nurturance? Negative Emotions and Preferred Positive Outcomes.
Barden, Jamie, Derek D Rucker and Richard E. Petty. 2008. Judgments of Hypocrisy are in the Eye of the Beholder.
Rucker, Derek D and Richard E. Petty. 2008. The Knowledge Transference Hypothesis.
Rucker, Derek D, Zakary Tormala, Richard E. Petty. 2008. The Psychology of Conviction.
Rucker, Derek D, David DuBois and Zakary Tormala. 2008. WOM and the Transference of Certainty.
Book Chapters
Rucker, Derek D, Richard E. Petty and Joseph Priester. 2007. "Understanding Advertising Effectiveness from Psychological Perspectives: The Importance of Attitudes and Attitude Strength." In The SAGE Handbook of Advertising, edited by Gerard J. Tellis, Tim Ambler, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Rucker, Derek D and Timothy Brock. 2005. "Assessing Advertising Effects: The Importance of Matching Measurement and Goals." In Applying Social Cognition to Consumer-Focused Strategy, edited by Frank R. Kardes, Paul M. Herr and Jacques Nantel, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Mazzoco, Philip, Derek D Rucker and Timothy Brock. 2005. "Implications for Advertising Effectiveness of Divergence Among Measured Advertising Effects." In Applying Social Cognition to Consumer-Focused Strategy, edited by Frank R. Kardes, Paul M. Herr, Jacques Nantel, 297-318. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Rucker, Derek D, Zakary Tormala, Richard E. Petty. 2004. "Individual Differences in Resistance to Persuasion: The Role of Beliefs and Meta-Beliefs." In Resistance and Persuasion, edited by Eric S. Knowles, Jay A. Linn, 83-104. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Petty, Richard E., Zakary Tormala and Derek D Rucker. 2004. "Resistance to Persuasion: An Attitude Strength Perspective." In Perspectivism in Social Psychology: The Yin and Yang of Scientific Progress, edited by John T. Jost, Mahzarin R. Banaji, Deborah A. Prentice, William James Mcguire, Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Petty, Richard E., Derek D Rucker, George Y. Bizer and John Cacioppo. 2003. "The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion." In Perspectives on Persuation, Social Influence, and Compliance Gaining, edited by John S. Seiter, Robert H. Gass, Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Petty, Richard E., David DeSteno and Derek D Rucker. 2001. "The Role of Affect in Attitude Change." In Handbook of Affect and Social Cognition, edited by Joseph P. Forgas, 212-236. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Other
Calkins, Timothy and Derek D Rucker. "Does a $3M Super Bowl Ad Make Sense in a Recession?." Advertising Age, January 12, 2009.
Link
Calkins, Timothy and Derek D Rucker. "Don’t Overemphasize ROI as Single Measure of Success." Advertising Age, February 2008.
Rucker, Derek D. "The Role of Power in Consumer Behavior." Advances in Consumer Research.
Rucker, Derek D. "Anticipatory Attitude Change.".
Rucker, Derek D, Richard E. Petty, Carmen Valle, Alberto Becerra. "The Role of Power in Consumer Persuasion." Advances in Consumer Research.
Rucker, Derek D and Richard E. Petty. "When counterarguing fails: Effects on attitude strength." Advances in Consumer Research.
Preacher, Kristopher and Derek D Rucker. "Dumbing it Down: The Dangers of Appealing to the Lowest Common Denominator." Dialogue.

 
Print Teaching
Teaching Interests
Advertising strategy
Full-Time / Part-Time MBA
Advertising Strategy (MKTG-454-0)

This course counts toward the following majors: Marketing, Marketing Management

$250 billion is spent on advertising in the United States. Much of it has no effect--not because of an absence of creativity, but because the problem is due to an absence of a compelling ad strategy to serve as a foundation for developing creative executions and media plans. This course provides a balanced analysis of advertising strategy and execution. The first half focuses on selecting an attractive target for advertising and developing an effective brand position. This section stresses the importance of customer insight as a basis of creating coherence between target and position. Following the approach of the introductory marketing course, students examine in depth how planning is made operational in terms of advertising and other communication devices. The remainder of the course examines the execution of the strategy. We also examine ways to evaluate the likely impact of ad copy and review approaches to measuring the effectiveness of advertising as a vehicle for enhancing the impact of ad campaigns. Prerequisite: MKTG-430.