Pleasure is Better Together: Consumers’ Preference to Conform in Non-Choice Situations
Type
doctoral thesis
Author(s)
Abstract
Consumers’ preferences for hedonic products are generally influenced by their social environment. Such influence may lead consumers to prefer different or the same products as others. While prior research has shown that consumers prefer consuming different products in choice situations, we investigate consumer preference in non-choice situations. In such situations, consumers are not given a choice between products (e.g., samples randomly handed out at a sales booth). Past literature has shown that in choice situations consumers’ need to be unique makes them opt for different products to signal identity. Drawing on this literature, we hypothesized that consumers’ preferences might shift when they are not given a choice and hence are unable to signal identity. Thus, consuming the same (vs. different) products enables consumers to express their need to conform, as reflected by product valuation. Evidence from two tightly controlled experiments compellingly supports this theorizing. We thus advance understanding of how social influence affects consumers’ hedonic product preferences in non-choice situations.
Language
English
Keywords
conformity
uniqueness
hedonic
non-choice
social identity
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
Global Center for Customer Insight
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
261721