The majority premium: Competence inferences derived from majority consumption

Observers infer consumers’ values and personality from their consumption behaviors. Recent literature highlights the benefits of minority consumption, typically by comparing several qualitatively different options. In seven studies (total N = 1555; one pre-registered), the current research instead c...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pandelaere, M. (Author), Ziano, I. (Author)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier Inc. 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:View Fulltext in Publisher
LEADER 01804nam a2200217Ia 4500
001 10.1016-j.jbusres.2018.08.002
008 220706s2018 CNT 000 0 und d
020 |a 01482963 (ISSN) 
245 1 0 |a The majority premium: Competence inferences derived from majority consumption 
260 0 |b Elsevier Inc.  |c 2018 
856 |z View Fulltext in Publisher  |u https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.08.002 
520 3 |a Observers infer consumers’ values and personality from their consumption behaviors. Recent literature highlights the benefits of minority consumption, typically by comparing several qualitatively different options. In seven studies (total N = 1555; one pre-registered), the current research instead compares inferences derived from the acquisition of the same products, framed as either bought by a numerical minority or a numerical majority, which eliminates any potentially different associations of the majority and minority options. Majority consumers (i.e., who purchase products bought by a large majority) are perceived as more competent - but not warmer - than minority consumers. This positive effect of majority consumption on purchasers’ perceived competence is mediated by expected product quality, such that the majority options appear to be of higher quality than minority options, which prompts the more favorable competence inferences about buyers. This effect persists for functional products, but not for hedonic products. The data and materials for all studies are available at osf.io/u6zmn/. © 2018 
650 0 4 |a Competence 
650 0 4 |a Impression formation 
650 0 4 |a Inferences 
650 0 4 |a Majority 
650 0 4 |a Minority 
650 0 4 |a Product quality 
700 1 |a Pandelaere, M.  |e author 
700 1 |a Ziano, I.  |e author 
773 |t Journal of Business Research