JCP Best Paper Awards for 2026

San Diego, CA – The Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Journal of Consumer Psychology (JCP) Best Paper Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to the field of consumer psychology.

JCP Best Paper Award
The JCP Best Paper Award honors the most outstanding refereed article published three years prior in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. The selection process involves nominations from members of the Editorial Review Board, followed by evaluation by a committee of distinguished scholars who identify the final recipient.

Winner
“I share, therefore I know? Sharing online content—even without reading it—inflates subjective knowledge”
Adrian F. Ward, University of Texas
Susan M. Broniarczyk, University of Texas
Jianqing (Frank) Zheng, University of Texas

Honorable Mention
“What makes people happy? Decoupling the experiential-material continuum”
Evan Weingarten, Kristen Duke, Wendy Liu, Rebecca W. Hamilton, On Amir, Gil Appel, Moran Cerf, Joseph K. Goodman, Andrea C. Morales, Ed O’Brien, Jordi Quoidbach, Monic Sun

JCP Best Paper by an Early Career Contributor
The JCP Best Paper by an Early Career Contributor Award recognizes the most outstanding refereed article led by an early career scholar. Eligible contributors include those within two years of receiving their Ph.D. (or those who had not yet received their Ph.D. at the time of publication). Nominations are reviewed by a committee of scholars who select the final award recipient.

Winner
“Anthropomorphizing Personal Goals as Dependent Persons Empowers Consumer Goal Pursuit”

Ria Mishra, Indian Institute of Management Udaipur
Ritu Mehta, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and
Sara Kim, HKU Business School

Honorable Mention
“Customizing Your Way to Health: How Self-Customization Influences Food Choices”
Ilyung Cheong, Jeehye Kim, Young Eun Huh, Ralf Van der Lans

Both awards reflect SCP’s commitment to recognizing rigorous and impactful research published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. The Society congratulates this year’s award recipients and honorees for their outstanding contributions.

The awards were presented during the 2026 SCP Annual Conference, held at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp District and chaired by Tracy Rank-Christman (University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee), Sonja Prokopec (ESSEC Business School, Singapore), and Anthony Salerno (Vanderbilt University). The conference brought together over 550 attendees and centered on the theme “Cultivating Connections,” emphasizing the importance of community, collaboration, and advancing impactful research in consumer psychology.

About SCP:
The Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP) is the premier organization dedicated to the advancement of consumer psychology as a scientific discipline. Through its vibrant community of scholars and practitioners, SCP fosters research, professional development, and mentorship within the field. With a global focus, SCP strives to promote diversity, ethical standards, and the application of consumer psychological research to enhance consumer welfare.

For more information about SCP and individual awards, please visit www.myscp.org

Contact:
SCP Staff
Email: scp@myscp.org