When genetic data meets marketing

Researchers from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that assesses the implications of the growth of private genetic testing for the field of marketing and evaluates ethical challenges that arise. The researchers review past research in the field of behavioral genetics and use these findings to incorporate genetic influences into existing consumer behavior theory. They then survey potential uses of genetic data for marketing strategy and research, and raise concerns regarding significant ethical challenges that arise from unique features of genetic data.