I see where you're coming from. Hopefully I can defend some some of the researchers in that field :)
Although most applications of that research are often applied to business and marketing, the underlying research has broader implications. For example, some of those studies progressed our understanding of cognition in general (the researchers merely used numbers in their study - which was then adapted for pricing applications). But we now understand more about our brain's processes than we did before.
And ,with a better understanding of cognition, we can help pave the way toward other, more benevolent applications (e.g., curing psychological ailments).
So even though that research may not produce benevolent results directly, I would argue that it helps indirectly (among many other benefits too).
And, with a better understanding of cognition, we can help pave the way toward other, more benevolent applications (e.g., curing psychological ailments).
An example of progress would be equally intensive research on how consumers could tip the balance back in our favor. I'm skeptical that it will happen for a couple of reasons:
1. Research supporting business and marketing probably has infinitely more generous funding. We are hopelessly out-gunned.
2. Research into how people respond to abuse (manipulation) doesn't necessarily translate into benevolent applications.
I agree with you, but the benefits of this kind of research have to be balanced with the harms as well. Rampant consumerism has driven environmental and economic damage, and while it's hard to weigh these kinds of benefits against these kinds of harms, my intuition is that if even a small percentage of the consumerism was caused by this research, the upsides far outweigh the downsides. Of course that's entirely subjective.
Although most applications of that research are often applied to business and marketing, the underlying research has broader implications. For example, some of those studies progressed our understanding of cognition in general (the researchers merely used numbers in their study - which was then adapted for pricing applications). But we now understand more about our brain's processes than we did before.
And ,with a better understanding of cognition, we can help pave the way toward other, more benevolent applications (e.g., curing psychological ailments).
So even though that research may not produce benevolent results directly, I would argue that it helps indirectly (among many other benefits too).
So that's my two cents.