Does “hot” lead to “not so hot?”

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Tuan Chang ◽  
Dickson Tok ◽  
Xing-Yu (Marcos) Chu ◽  
Yu-Kang Lee ◽  
Shr-Chi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Context Effects ◽  
Romantic Love ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Sexual Imagery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
And Gender

Purpose This paper aims to examine how exposure to sexual images activates the urge to yield to temptation in a subsequent unrelated context. Design/methodology/approach In Study 1, this paper uses empirical data based on an automobile expo to examine the correlational relationship between sexual imagery and indulgence. In Studies 2 and 3, this study examines the moderating effects of self-construal and gender differences on indulgent consumption, with different dependent measures. Study 4 distinguishes the sexual images into gratuitous sex and romantic love and tests the mediating role of sensation seeking. Findings For men, an independent self-construal increases indulgent consumption. In contrast, an interdependent self-construal facilitates women’s indulgent consumption. Having an interdependent self-construal has the opposite impact on indulgent consumption for the two genders: sexual images of romantic love attenuate the effect on men but boost the effect on women. Perceived sensation-seeking serves as the underlying mechanism. Research limitations/implications This paper contributes to the literature on sex, reward-processing, context effects in marketing and indulgent consumption. Practical implications Advertisers, retailers, food courts and restaurants may use sexual imagery to promote more indulgent consumption with gender and self-construal as segmentation variables. Public policymakers and other concerned parties should also raise consumers’ awareness of the priming effect found in this research. Originality/value This research advances the literature on sex by demonstrating the priming effects of sexual imagery and further considers the simultaneous impacts of gender and self-construal on consumers’ subsequent indulgent consumption.

Through the lens of self-construal

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Haberstroh ◽  
Ulrich R. Orth ◽  
Tatiana Bouzdine-Chameeva ◽  
Justin Cohen ◽  
Armando Maria Corsi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Self ◽  
Consumer Evaluations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavior Understanding ◽  
Individual Difference Variable ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Positive Effect

Purpose Extending research on cultural differences in aesthetic appreciation, the purpose of this paper is to show how a more interdependent self-construal, a cultural and individual difference variable related to one’s social self, impacts the influence of visual harmony on consumer evaluations of marketing artifacts’ attractiveness. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained via three studies from a total of 1,498 consumers in Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, and Italy. Marketing visuals included the design of products, packages, typefaces, and logos. Self-construal was both measured and manipulated. Findings The results indicate that a person’s self-construal moderates the effect of visual harmony on attractiveness. Specifically, the positive effect of visual harmony on attractiveness – through self-congruity – is more pronounced with consumers possessing a more interdependent self-construal, and with products that are more hedonic than utilitarian. Practical implications Given the pivotal role attractiveness has in influencing consumer behavior, understanding what differences, at the individual and cultural levels, impact the harmony-attractiveness relationship helps marketers to better match the visual design of marketing stimuli to target audiences. Originality/value This study is among the first to show how the social-self impacts consumer response to marketing visuals. Further, value stems from adopting a holistic perspective on design, clarifying the process mechanism, and identifying boundary conditions.

Strategies to enhance consumers’ identification with a service firm

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min-Hsin Huang ◽  
Zhao-Hong Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Firm ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose Enhancing consumer-company identification (CCI) is a useful means by which to build deeper, more committed relationships with consumers. The purpose of this paper is to examine how consumers’ perceptions about the company (service quality and corporate social responsibility) and construal of the self (independent self-construal and interdependent self-construal) affect their identification with a service firm. This study also investigates how consumers’ involvement with the service firm moderates the relationships between CCI and four specific drivers. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model is developed and empirically tested through two field-based studies (restaurant services and financial services) and one follow-up laboratory experiment. Findings The results of this research show that service quality, corporate social responsibility and interdependent self-construal positively affect CCI and that independent self-construal has a negative effect on CCI. In particular, the greater the involvement of the consumer with the service firm, the more positive the effects of service quality and corporate social responsibility are on CCI. Practical implications This research provides new insight into services marketing management by suggesting that service firms can enhance CCI and, consequently, consumer loyalty by adopting different strategies for specific consumer segments. Originality/value This is the first empirical study to simultaneously incorporate both company characteristics and consumer personal factors into a framework, and provide an integrative understanding of what factors determine consumers’ identification with a service firm.

Effect of achievement-related gamification on brand attachment

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Congcong Yang ◽  
Pianpian Yang ◽  
Yuanyue Feng
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Brand Attachment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
Construal Levels

PurposeThis research draws on self-determination theory and self-construal theory to investigate the effects of achievement-related gamification features on customers' brand attachment in online brand communities.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data (N = 523) were collected from customers of typical gamified online brand communities. The research model was examined with structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 3.2.FindingsAchievement-related gamification features positively affect customers' brand attachment via the intrinsic motives of autonomy, competence and relatedness, but not extrinsic motives. Relatedness motive exerts the strongest mediating effect between achievement-related gamification features and brand attachment, followed by competence and autonomy. Moreover, interdependent self-construal positively moderates the effects of achievement-related gamification features on intrinsic (autonomy, competence and relatedness) and extrinsic motives.Originality/valueTheoretically, this study contributes to the brand marketing literature by identifying gamification as a new antecedent for brand attachment. It also contributes to the gamification literature by demonstrating that achievement-related gamification features strengthen brand attachment via intrinsic motives but not extrinsic motives in the specific context of the online brand community. Meanwhile, the relatedness motive exerts the strongest mediating effect between achievement-related gamification features and brand attachment, followed by competence and autonomy. Moreover, this research provides the first empirical evidence that interdependent self-construal moderates the effects of achievement-related gamification features on intrinsic and extrinsic motives. Practically, managers can learn from the results that achievement-related gamification features should be designed to foster customers' intrinsic motives and brand attachment, especially those high in interdependent self-construal levels.

The effect of materialism on conspicuous vs inconspicuous luxury consumption: focused on need for uniqueness, self-monitoring and self-construal

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minyoung Lee ◽  
Joonheui Bae ◽  
Dong-Mo Koo
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Luxury Brands ◽  
Luxury Consumption ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Need For Uniqueness ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
Luxury Products ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposePrevious research on luxury consumption has focused on conspicuous consumption; however, research on consumers' self-conceptual mechanism in inconspicuous luxury consumption context is scarce. The present study aims to investigate various self-concepts and their mechanisms for inconspicuous and conspicuous luxury consumption.Design/methodology/approachAn experiment with 215 participants from online survey website was conducted, and the hypotheses were tested using PROCESS Macro 3.4.FindingsThe study findings are as follows. Materialistic consumers' preference between inconspicuous and conspicuous luxury products is dependent on distinctive self-conceptual mechanism. More specifically, materialistic consumers with independent self-construal prefer inconspicuous luxury brands because of high need for uniqueness, whereas non-materialistic consumers with interdependent self-construal prefer conspicuous luxury products because of high self-monitoring.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study uniquely shows conditions (moderated mediation) that the link between need for uniqueness (self-monitoring) and luxury consumption is stronger for those with independent (interdependent) self-construal than for those with interdependent (independent) self-construal. The present results extend and help better understanding of mechanisms and conditions of conspicuous and inconspicuous luxury consumption.Practical implicationsMarketers are advised to design and produce unique vs popular luxury brands depending on consumer's motives and different self-concepts.Originality/valueThis research contributes to extant literature by distinguishing between conspicuous and inconspicuous luxury consumption with two different mechanisms (need for uniqueness and self-monitoring). The present study further demonstrates that the two mechanisms are strongly sustained differently depending on consumer's levels of self-construal.

Factors affecting Taiwanese consumers’ responses toward pop-up retail

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 370-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Chen Chen ◽  
Ann Marie Fiore
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Western Society ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Experiential Marketing ◽  
Consumer Innovativeness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the desired benefits affecting consumer’s attitude and attitude’s consequent influence on behavioral intentions toward pop-up retail, an experiential marketing practice emerging in Taiwan, and to explore the effect of individual differences (consumer innovativeness and materialism) on desired benefits and the moderating effect of cultural values (independent self/interdependent self-construal). Design/methodology/approach A survey containing modified scales, distributed to college students from various majors in ten Taiwanese universities, produced 902 useable responses. Structural equation modeling was employed to investigate the hypothesized relationships. Findings Hedonic benefits and a new utilitarian benefits variable (self-enhancement (SE)) influenced Taiwanese consumers’ attitude toward pop-up retail, and attitude affected patronage intentions. Consumer innovativeness and materialism affected desired benefits. Interdependent self-construal moderated the relationship between materialism and the perceived utilitarian benefit of SE. Research limitations/implications Respondents from one narrow, but appropriate, demographic group in one non-western society were examined. Comparison across demographic groups and non-western and western societies would reveal the prevalence of SE associated with pop-up retail acceptance. Practical implications Pop-up shop design that emphasizes hedonic experience and social status of consumers could lead to successful experiential marketing in Taiwan and perhaps other Chinese societies. Originality/value This appears to be the first empirical study in English examining consumer acceptance of pop-up retail in a non-western society. It verifies the importance of the perceived utilitarian benefit (self-enhancement), absent in previous pop-up retail studies, and the impact of individual differences and cultural values on Taiwanese consumer behavior.

Persuasiveness of anti-smoking messages: self-construal and message focus

2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Yang ◽  
Xiaoli Nan ◽  
Xinyan Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Smoking Prevention ◽  
General Belief ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Prevention Messages ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
Personal Consequences ◽  
Construal Priming

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of independent vs interdependent self-construal in non-smokers’ responses to an anti-smoking message that focuses on either personal or relational consequences of smoking. Design/methodology/approach Two web-based experimental studies were conducted among US college non-smokers. In the first study, participants’ self-construal was measured. Then participants were randomly assigned to view an anti-smoking message emphasizing either relational or personal consequences of smoking. Message evaluation, smoking attitudes, and behavioral intentions were assessed after message exposure. The second study followed the same procedure except that participants’ self-construal was manipulated by randomly assigning participants to an independent or interdependent self-construal priming task prior to message exposure. Findings Both studies showed a noticeable pattern of interaction between message focus and self-construal: non-smokers with a salient interdependent self-construal responded more favorably to an anti-smoking message emphasizing personal (vs relational) consequences of smoking whereas non-smokers with a salient independent self-construal responded more favorably to an anti-smoking message emphasizing relational (vs personal) consequences of smoking. However, the interaction effect was small in the first study. Originality/value Findings from this study are original in that they run counter to the general belief that messages matching people’s self-perceptions will be more persuasive. On the other hand, matching health risk messages with people’s dominant self-construal may reduce the messages effectiveness due to defensive processing. As a result, communication practitioners should take a great caution of tailoring threatening smoking prevention messages to target audiences’ self-perceptions.

scholarly journals The Association Between Prosocialness, Relational-Interdependent Self-construal and Gender in Relation to Burnout Among Swedish Clergy

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-602
Author(s):  
Sandra Buratti ◽  
Martin Geisler ◽  
Carl Martin Allwood
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Stressful Situation ◽  
Role Clarity ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Female Clergy ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
And Gender

AbstractServing as a clergyperson is a highly variable profession and in recent decades, the role has evolved and expanded even further. Consequently, the demands have increased and with it the risk for stress-related ill-health and absenteeism. The aim of the current study was to evaluate, in a larger sample of Swedish clergy (N = 871), two possible antecedents of burnout, namely prosocialness and relational-interdependent self-construal. A further aim was to explore potential gender differences in the investigated associations. The direct and indirect relationships of prosocialness and relational-interdependent self-construal to two dimensions of burnout, exhaustion, and disengagement were investigated in a structural equation-modelling framework. The results showed that clergy who reported higher prosocialness experienced more stress in their work, in terms of both quantitative and emotional demands, which in turn was associated with higher levels of exhaustion and disengagement. But prosocialness was also found to be directly associated with lower levels of disengagement, as well as indirectly associated with higher levels of role clarity. However, no direct or indirect associations were found between relational-interdependent self-construal and any dimension of burnout. Regarding gender differences, female clergy reported higher levels of prosocialness and job demands, less role clarity, and in turn more exhaustion compared to male clergy. This indicated a more stressful situation for female clergy. Our study contributes new insights into the role that personality plays in different dimensions of burnout in clergy, as well as insights into an understanding of gender differences in burnout among clergy.

Together or alone on the prosocial path amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: the partitioning effect in experiential consumption

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoon-Na Cho ◽  
Ha Eun Kim ◽  
Nara Youn
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Social Safety Net ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Experiential Consumption ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Interdependent Self ◽  
High Control

PurposeDuring these unprecedented times, acts of charity are deemed essential to help individuals in need and support the social safety net. Given the importance of prosocial behavior for survival through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, the authors investigate the effects of partitioning experiential consumption and self-construal on consumer responses.Design/methodology/approachBased on the literature on partitioning and self-construal, the findings across three experimental studies provide novel insights into the interplay between partitioning and self-construal, and offer psychological processes on prosocial and behavioral intention.FindingsIndividuals with predominantly independent (vs. interdependent) self-construals and those primed with independent (vs. interdependent) self-construals showed higher prosocial intention when the experiential product ad was in an aggregated (vs. partitioned) format. The fit between the type of format and self-construal leads to the high control coping mechanism, and ultimately prosocial intention.Originality/valuePartitioning experiential consumption has not been directly examined using self-construal, providing novel insights into consumer reactions during the pandemic. This paper provides practical implications to practitioners and researchers to better understand and adapt to shifting digital consumption patterns.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document