Social Exclusion and Conspicuous Consumption: The Moderating Effect of Power State

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shichang Liang ◽  
Yaping Chang ◽  
Jinshan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
High Power ◽  
Undergraduate Student ◽  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Socially Excluded ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Inhibition Theory

Drawing on the compensation motivation of consumption, and the power, approach, and inhibition theory, we proposed that power state would moderate the effect of social exclusion on conspicuous consumption. We conducted a study with 223 undergraduate student participants to test our hypotheses. Results showed that individuals in a low-power state were more prone to conspicuous consumption when they were in social exclusion than when they were socially included. In contrast, individuals in a high-power state did not exhibit any significant difference in terms of conspicuous consumption, whether or not they were socially excluded or included. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Reversing the endowment effect by empowering buyers and sellers

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1827-1844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Chan ◽  
Najam Saqib
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Low Power ◽  
High Power ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Endowment Effect ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gift Card ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Potential Moderator

Purpose The endowment effect is well-established in economics, psychology and marketing where sellers place a higher value on a good than buyers. One potential moderator, namely, power is explored. The authors predicted that feeling powerful can reverse the effect, making buyers place a higher value on a good than sellers. Design/methodology/approach The authors manipulated power to assess the effects on the valuation of three different products (keychain, gift card and iPhone case). They also assessed participants’ focus on parting with the good (money), which is a loss, and receiving money (the good), which is a gain, for sellers (buyers). Findings Feelings of power reduced sellers’ prices but they increased buyers’. Crucially, the authors observed the endowment effect, but only under conditions of low power. When participants had high power, the effect reversed, with buyers placing a higher value on the good under transaction than sellers. Process data indicated that powerful buyers and sellers focused on what they gained and less on what they lost, compared to powerless buyers and sellers. Research limitations/implications The authors link the construct of power with the endowment effect, showing that the former can moderate the latter. Certainly, the endowment effect is well-established, but there are moderators and boundary conditions that warrant consideration. Practical implications The results suggest a case where the market may clear, where buyers value a consumer product more than sellers, and thus buyers would likely accept the offer made by sellers. Originality/value The authors are the first to link the power literature with the endowment effect. They also show a possible moderator for the well-established endowment effect.

How power states and others’ statuses influence status consumption: The role of signaling effectiveness

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 531-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaotong Jin ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Yan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
High Power ◽  
Interaction Effect ◽  
Status Consumption ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Power Scale ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Fundamental Mechanism

This research aims to examine how power states and others’ statuses interact to influence status consumption. Specifically, consumers in low-power states are more inclined to engage in status consumption than those in high-power states when others’ statuses are superior. However, consumers in high-power states are more inclined to engage in status consumption than those in low-power states when others’ statuses are inferior. Signaling effectiveness plays a mediating role in the interaction effect of power states and others’ statuses on status consumption. Two studies were conducted to test our hypotheses. Study 1 tested how others’ statuses moderate the effects of power states on status consumption and how signaling effectiveness mediates the moderating role of others’ statuses on the effects of power states on status consumption. Study 2 further tested the two hypotheses in a different scenario through the sense of the power scale used to measure the power state. This research confirms the effects of power states on status consumption depending on others’ statuses and the fundamental mechanism of status consumption. The theoretical contributions and practical implications are of value for both researchers and managers.

scholarly journals Loudness Perceptions Influence Feelings of Interpersonal Closeness and Protect Against Detrimental Psychological Effects of Social Exclusion

2021 ◽  
pp. 014616722110158
Author(s):  
Deming Wang ◽  
Ignazio Ziano ◽  
Martin S. Hagger ◽  
Nikos L. D. Chatzisarantis
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognition ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Compensatory Strategies ◽  
Total N ◽  
Interpersonal Closeness ◽  
The Social ◽  
Socially Excluded ◽  
Natural Settings ◽  
Practical Implications

We propose that perceptions of auditory loudness and interpersonal closeness are bidirectionally related. Across 12 experiments (total N = 2,219; 10 preregistered; with Singaporean, British, U.S. American, and Australian participants), we demonstrated that louder audio made people feel physically (Study 1a) and socially (Study 1b) closer to others, presumably because loudness activates interpersonal closeness-related concepts implicitly (Studies 1c and 1d). This loudness–interpersonal closeness effect was observed across diverse samples (Studies 2a, 3a, and S1), for longer listening intervals (Study 2b), and in natural settings (Studies 3a and 3b). Conversely, individuals made to feel socially excluded rated their surroundings as quieter (Study 4). Furthermore, following social exclusion, individuals showed a preference for louder volume (Study 5). Finally, exposure to loud stimuli mitigated detrimental psychological effects of social exclusion (Study 6). Theoretical implications for the social cognition of loudness, social exclusion and compensatory strategies, and practical implications for ameliorating loneliness are discussed.

Filling an Empty Self: The Impact of Social Exclusion on Consumer Preference for Visual Density

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 808-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Su ◽  
Echo Wen Wan ◽  
Yuwei Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Socially Excluded ◽  
Short Time ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Busy Schedule ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Shed Light

Abstract This research examines the effect of social exclusion on consumers’ preferences for visual density. Based on seven experimental studies, we reveal that consumers who perceive themselves as socially excluded evaluate products with dense visual patterns more positively than their nonexcluded peers. This effect occurs because social exclusion triggers a feeling of psychological emptiness and dense patterns can provide a sense of being “filled,” which helps to alleviate this feeling of emptiness. This effect is attenuated when consumers physically fill something or experience a feeling of “temporal density” (i.e., imagining a busy schedule with many tasks packed into a short time). These results shed light on consumers’ socially grounded product aesthetic preferences and offer practical implications for marketers, designers, and policy makers.

What Makes Some Intercultural Negotiations More Difficult Than Others? Power Distance and Culture-Role Combinations

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meina Liu ◽  
Lin Zhu ◽  
Ioana A. Cionea
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
High Power ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
High Status ◽  
Culturally Different ◽  
Negotiation Processes ◽  
High Power Distance ◽  
Intercultural Negotiation ◽  
Practical Implications

This study examines whether and how intercultural negotiation dyads that vary in culture-role combinations experience different negotiation processes and outcomes. Participants completed an employment contract negotiation with a culturally different counterpart. Results indicated that high-status, high-power distance negotiators paired with low-status, low-power distance negotiators experienced more anger, placed less emphasis on cooperative goals, used less priority information exchange, and, consequently, gained less joint profits than high-status, low-power distance negotiators paired with low-status, high-power distance negotiators. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.

scholarly journals “Scapegoat” for Offline Consumption: Online Review Response to Social Exclusion

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shichang Liang ◽  
Yuxuan Chu ◽  
Yunshan Wang ◽  
Ziqi Zhang ◽  
Yunjie Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Brand Awareness ◽  
Online Review ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Socially Excluded ◽  
Self Protection

Previous research has mostly focused on Internet use behaviors, such as usage time of the Internet or social media after individuals experienced offline social exclusion. However, the extant literature has ignored online response behaviors, such as online review responses to social exclusion. To address this gap, drawing on self-protection and self-serving bias, we proposed three hypotheses that examine the effect of offline social exclusion on online reviews, which are verified by two studies using different simulating scenarios with 464 participants. The results show that when individuals are socially excluded offline, regardless of where the exclusion comes from (businesses or peers), they will be more likely to give negative online reviews. In addition, brand awareness moderates the effect of offline social exclusion on online reviews. Specifically, if the brand is less known, compared with social inclusion, offline social exclusion will lead individuals to give more negative online reviews; conversely, for well-known brands, no significant difference exists in the online reviews between social exclusion and inclusion.

Attract customers with a cold look: when do we prefer cold representative

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 344-358
Author(s):  
Zhipeng Xie ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
Tao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
High Power ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Brand Names ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Logo Design ◽  
Target Consumer ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the contradictory effect of coldness in advertisement and brand logo design. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct four experiments to test the influences of coldness on consumers’ attitude. In the first two experiments, the researchers use real/virtual brand names to test the moderating effect of brand status and customer power; in Study 3, the researchers test the moderating effect of autonomy; while in the last experiment, the findings in the previous experiments are extended to explain similar effect of cold/warm brand logo designs. Findings This research finds that coldness also brings benefit to brands under certain circumstances. More specifically, cold endorsers/brand logo designs are only beneficial for brands of high (vs low) status, and can only attract consumers who experience high power (vs low power). Such effects are mediated by consumers’ perceived brand autonomy. Research limitations/implications This research urges the managers to analyze the characteristics of the brand and its target consumer. It also points out that the effectiveness of warm/cold representative derives from the customer perceived brand autonomy. Originality/value The authors’ contributions to the literature are as follows. First, this research examines the relationship between coldness and autonomy, which enables us to expand the findings to various contexts; second, this research expands the horizon of autonomy theory by identifying customer power and brand status as its moderators.

scholarly journals Perceived Community Support, Users’ Interactions, and Value Co-Creation in Online Health Community: The Moderating Effect of Social Exclusion

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenlong Liu ◽  
Xiucheng Fan ◽  
Rongrong Ji ◽  
Yi Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Affective Value ◽  
General Topic

Online health communities (OHCs) face the same problem as other social media platforms in terms of decreasing activity and user attrition. Drawing upon organizational support theory, this study explores how perceived community support affects user interactions and value co-creation which in turn influence their continuous participation. OHCs act as both health knowledge-sharing platforms and important social media for patients, and thus, interpersonal interactions in OHCs are categorized into health-related and general topic interactions. Considering the identity of patients, this study also examines the moderating effect of user-perceived social exclusion on the relationship between community support and user interaction. A total of 292 valid samples from a diabetic patient community in China were used to examine the proposed hypotheses through structural equation modeling. The results show that: (1) Community support has a positive effect on health topic and general topic interactions; (2) both types of interactions have significant positive effects on users’ perceived functional and social values, while general topic interaction is also related positively to users’ perceived affective value; (3) perceived functional value can result directly in continuous participation, while perceived social value contributes indirectly to continuous participation intention through perceived affective value; and (4) users perceived higher social exclusion are more influenced by community support to participate in health topic interactions than those who perceived lower social exclusion, while no significant difference in general topic interactions between two groups. The results of this study can provide implications for both researchers and practitioners.

scholarly journals Mating Goals Moderate Power’s Effect on Conspicuous Consumption Among Women

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 147470491772391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taiyang Zhao ◽  
Xiaotong Jin ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Xiaomeng Zuo ◽  
Hongjing Cui
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Young Woman ◽  
High Power ◽  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Intimate Relationship ◽  
Mate Attraction ◽  
Consumption Index ◽  
Mating Goals

This study aimed to use evolutionary psychology to explain conspicuous consumption’s relationship with mating goals among women. We used experiments to show that power moderates conspicuous consumption’s relationship with mating goals among women through an underlying relationship with women’s social comparison tendencies. In Study 1, the participants read a passage describing a young woman wearing a coat made by a conspicuous brand (vs. an ordinary brand) who aimed to attract a desired man (vs. aiming to guard against potential competitors’ attempts to disrupt her established intimate relationship). Participants in the conspicuous-brand condition were more confident that the young woman would succeed in mate attraction and guarding than participants in the ordinary-brand condition, suggesting the participants believed the conspicuous brands facilitated mate attraction and mate guarding more than ordinary brands. Study 2 manipulated the participants’ power states and mating goals and measured participants’ social comparison tendencies and conspicuous consumption index values. In the mate-guarding condition, high-power participants showed more inclination toward conspicuous consumption than low-power participants. In the mate-attraction condition, low-power participants showed a greater inclination toward conspicuous consumption than did high-power participants. Comparison orientation also mediated power’s effect on conspicuous consumption inclination. The evolutionary psychological basis for the above findings is discussed, and suggestions are offered regarding product marketing.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document