scholarly journals Economic Inequality Increases the Preference for Status Consumption

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Velandia-Morales ◽  
Rosa Rodríguez-Bailón ◽  
Rocío Martínez

Prior research has shown the relationship between objective economic inequality and searching for positional goods. It also investigated the relationship between social class and low income with conspicuous consumption. However, the causal relationship between economic inequality (the difference in wealth between individuals and groups living in a shared context and consumer behavior) has been less explored. Furthermore, there are also few studies looking for the psychological mechanisms that underlie these effects. The current research’s main goal is to analyze the consequences of perceived economic inequality (PEI) on conspicuous and status consumption and the possible psychological mechanisms that could explain its effects. Furthermore, the current research aims to examine whether there is a causal relationship between PEI and materialism preferences and attitudes toward indebtedness. This work includes two preregister experimental studies. In the Study 1 (n = 252), we manipulated PEI and its legitimacy through a 2 (high vs. low inequality) × 2 (Illegitimate vs. legitimate) between-participants experiment. Results showed a main effect of PEI on status consumption, status seeking, status anxiety, materialism, and attitude toward indebtedness. No interaction effect between legitimacy and inequality was found. In the Study 2 (n = 301), we manipulated the PEI through the Bimboola Paradigm. We replicated the effect of PEI on status consumption, status seeking, and materialism and found that status seeking mediated the relationship between PEI and status and conspicuous consumption. Economic inequality affects consumer behavior and favors consumption preferences for products that provide desirable symbolic values associated with status. These results could have important implications in the interpersonal and intergroup processes, including those related to consumption and purchase.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongfei Du ◽  
Peilian Chi ◽  
Ronnel B. King

Past studies on economic inequality and well-being have mostly relied on measures of objective inequality. However, individuals often misconstrue the actual degree of economic inequality, which might account for the ambiguity in the literature about the role that inequality plays in well-being. Instead of focusing on objective inequality, we propose a subjective-inequality approach by investigating the long-term association between subjective economic inequality and well-being, as well as the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between subjective inequality and well-being (N = 613). We found that subjective inequality predicted lower life satisfaction and higher depression one year later, which were accounted for by more upward socioeconomic comparison and lower trust. Furthermore, the negative association between subjective inequality and well-being remained the same, regardless of individuals’ objective socioeconomic status (SES), subjective SES, and mindset of SES. The effects of subjective inequality also remained robust after controlling for prior levels of well-being and multiple covariates. Our findings revealed that subjective inequality is detrimental to well-being and opens a new window into psychological research on economic inequality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daeun Chloe Shin ◽  
Byoungho Ellie Jin

AbstractAnimal fur garments have historically served as a status symbol. However, the fur fashion market has recently undergone two noteworthy transformations. Firstly, the anti-fur consumption movements have heavily stigmatized wearing fur for fashion. Secondly, due to technological advancements, fake alternatives made from synthetic fibers, referred to as faux fur, can be now made to look authentic. Through a survey, this study examined the effects of growing stigma around wearing fur on consumer behaviors. It investigated the moderating effects of perceived stigma on the relationship between the need for status and purchase intentions toward genuine fur coats as well as faux fur coats that look real. Two-hundred and twenty usable data were collected from 353 female participants recruited from an online panel. Results revealed that status-seeking consumers had higher purchase intentions toward both genuine fur coats and faux fur alternatives that look real. The moderating effects of perceived stigma were found only for genuine fur coats, indicating that perceived stigma can hurt the demand for genuine fur coats, but not necessarily for faux fur coats that look real. By incorporating stigma theory, this study goes beyond previous focus on the determinants of status consumption by demonstrating the transformation of a status symbol through perceived stigma’s effects on consumer purchasing decisions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Evana Jahan

Consumer behavior signifies the way of people’s purchasing and consuming products and services. It is a hotbed of research which is intensely associated with human psychology and is essential for companies that are trying to sell their products or services to as many consumers as possible. Since various facets of consumers’ lives affect what they purchase and why they purchase, research on consumer behavior resolves the issues of understanding – how individuals respond to advertising and marketing, individuality – if the process can determine consumers’ personalities, social status, decision-making process. Consumer behavior research is important to determine how best to sell products or services by influencing consumers’ fears, their least healthy habits or their worst tendencies. This study has examined the relationship between consumer needs and consumer purchase behavior in terms of consumer choices of Bangladeshi customers for apparel market. Types of consumers’ choices and types of consumers’ needs are associated with each other. Types of needs are the underlying determinant of types of choices to satisfy consumers’ apparel necessity and these three categories of needs, that are recognised to satisfy apparel necessity (i.e. functional needs, social needs and experiential needs), are fulfilled by consumers through three recognised categories of choices (i.e. choice freedom, choice difficulty and choice confidence). Different categories of consumers have different types of needs and they behave differently while purchasing clothes, therefore, this study has figured out how consumers of Bangladesh make their choices according to their needs in apparel purchases. This study also examined how income levels work as a moderator while consumers make decisions. The purpose of this thesis is to shed light on the relationship of the consumers’ needs and choices. The key objective is to investigate how the correlation between consumers’ needs and choices influences the insights of consumers and their decision-making process. This study also inspected the affiliation between the needs and choices for the population with respect to certain key questions. Consequently, it identified a better understanding of the links between needs and choices and set a special consideration of how choices interact with various situations which is very important to sell the apparel products in best way. The study employed a survey research design which is quantitative in nature. Quantitative survey quantifies the problems by generating numerical data which can be converted into functional statistics and it is mostly used to measure attitudes, opinions, behaviors and any other defined variables (DeFranzo, 2011). The data was collected through a structured Likert-scale questionnaire which fulfilled the quantitative research nature. The included questions were related to the types of needs and choices theories, with focus on consumers’ purchase behavior. Therefore, it was able to investigate quantitatively due to the nature of the research. Respondents completed the questionnaire which was administrated via online electronic form through SurveyMonkey. After collecting the data, it ran ordinal regression models on the basis of dependent and independent variables of the questionnaire and that provided a clear indication of consumers’ actual preference structure. This research paper was demonstrated with the broad overview about the consumers’ choices according to the types of their needs. The study found that types of needs are positively associated with types of choices and low-income level and high-income level have decreased and increased impact accordingly with the positive relationships of needs and choices. The findings of the paper offer some valuable considerations for related theories, especially on topic of consumers’ purchase behavior by highlighting the contextual differences between needs and choices and by highlighting the other influencing factors associated with these. It contributes to build up new concepts of consumer purchase behavior theory in terms of branding theory and consumers’ needs and selection process also demonstrates that how types of needs influence consumers’ purchase decision through types of choices. Moreover, new concepts or strategies and psychological explanations of consumers help the managers to sell their products appropriately.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.30) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Jayarathne . ◽  
. .

The aim of this paper is to examine the mediating role of fashion consciousness on cosmopolitanism and status consumption of young fashion consumers in Sri Lanka. A survey method is used. The result uncovers that the fashion consciousness fully mediates the relationship between cosmopolitanism and status consumption of young fashion consumers in Sri Lanka. Finally, the paper provides important implications and suggestions for practitioners as well as for academics in the field of consumer behavior.  


1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 20-28
Author(s):  
Sabeen Khan ◽  
Ruhi Khalid

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship among Narcissism, personality traits and conspicuous consumption of brands in youth. This used quantitative research design with a sample consisting of 50 Men and 50 Women. The age ranged between 18 – 22 years. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. The findings revealed that there was a relationship among conspicuous consumption and traits of personality. It was also uncovered that there are gender differences in conspicuous consumption of brands, narcissism and personality traits. Further it was concluded that narcissism is positively associated with conspicuous consumption of brands. Narcissism was likely to be a positive predictor of conspicuous consumption of brands and personality traits are likely to be a predictor of conspicuous consumption of brands.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Audu Onyemocho ◽  
Agwa Moses ◽  
Aboh Kisani ◽  
Omole Namben Victoria ◽  
Anejo-Okopi Joseph

Objective: Rabies, one of the oldest and fatal infectious diseases known to human race, is transmitted by infected dogs. The global target of zero dog-mediated rabies human deaths has been set for 2030; however, the realization of this goal poses challenges in most low-income countries where rabies is endemic due to weak surveillance. Dogs have been increasingly deployed for domestic uses over the years, especially for security purposes. This study assessed the assessment of knowledge and practice of vaccination of dogs against rabies by dog owners. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was employed to study 400 dog owners in Makurdi metropolis through multistage sampling techniques. Sighting of valid dog vaccination card was used as criteria for current vaccination. Bivariate analysis was carried out to establish the relationship between the respondent knowledge of rabies and dog vaccination with significant value set at P < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 31 (Â ± 0.8) years, majority of them had tertiary and secondary education (40.0% and 39.0%, respectively), 26.0% were traders, and 50.0% were married. Overall, 73.0% of the respondents had good knowledge score, 61.0% had seen at least a rabid dog in their life time, and 74.0% have a history of dog vaccination, but evidence of up to date vaccination of dogs by owners was seen in only 18.0% of all the vaccination cards sighted. The relationship between the educational status of the respondents, their knowledge score, and their dog vaccination was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Knowledge of rabies among dog owners in Makurdi was good, but the practice of dog vaccination was poor. Educational status was a good predictor of practice. Awareness campaign on dog vaccination should be strengthened and adequate measures should be put in place at the veterinary hospitals in Makurdi for vaccination of dogs.


Wahana ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-135
Author(s):  
Mesri Welhelmina N. Manafe ◽  
Zet Ena ◽  
Salmun Saul Adu

Local governments play a significant role in the life of the community and the national economy which can be achieved in fiscal health conditions reflected in the low disparity in income structure towards regional expenditure. The inability of regions to escape fiscal dependence is due to the low income, especially from Pendapatan Asli Daerah, which causes fiscal stress which then impacts on policies and implementation of regional spending through spending on programs and activities. This study will examine the relationship between Fiscal Stress and Pendapatan Asli Daerah and expenditure of East Nusa Tenggara Province through simple linear regression testing using secondary data Pertumbuhan Pendapatan Asli Daerah and Belanja Langsung using a sample of six (6) districts / cities in 2014-2016 The results of the study show that the fiscal stress variable does not affect the income structure through Pertumbuhan Pendapatan Asli Daerah and Belanja Langsung at a significance level of <0.05. The results of this study contribute to local budget policies and theoretically to the use of direct expenditure variables that are different from previous studies. Key Words: Fiscal Health, Fiscal Stress, Pendapatan Asli Daerah, dan Belanja Langsung


Wahana ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-135
Author(s):  
Mesri Welhelmina N. Manafe ◽  
Zet Ena ◽  
Salmun Saul Adu

Local governments play a significant role in the life of the community and the national economy which can be achieved in fiscal health conditions reflected in the low disparity in income structure towards regional expenditure. The inability of regions to escape fiscal dependence is due to the low income, especially from Pendapatan Asli Daerah, which causes fiscal stress which then impacts on policies and implementation of regional spending through spending on programs and activities. This study will examine the relationship between Fiscal Stress and Pendapatan Asli Daerah and expenditure of East Nusa Tenggara Province through simple linear regression testing using secondary data Pertumbuhan Pendapatan Asli Daerah and Belanja Langsung using a sample of six (6) districts / cities in 2014-2016 The results of the study show that the fiscal stress variable does not affect the income structure through Pertumbuhan Pendapatan Asli Daerah and Belanja Langsung at a significance level of <0.05. The results of this study contribute to local budget policies and theoretically to the use of direct expenditure variables that are different from previous studies. Key Words: Fiscal Health, Fiscal Stress, Pendapatan Asli Daerah, dan Belanja Langsung


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document