Conspicuous consumption of pricey status symbols, like designer clothes and accessories, may be viewed as self-centered, but new research shows that it may be a behavior that charities could use to their advantage.
In a study published recently in the journal Psychology and Marketing, researchers at the 麻豆原创 found that when people used objects perceived as high-status, they donated more money to charity.
鈥淏ased on conventional wisdom, people may think that if someone engages in status consumption, it will probably decrease their charitable donation behavior,鈥� says the study鈥檚 lead author Sona Klucarova 鈥�20PhD, a graduate of 麻豆原创鈥檚 business administration鈥搈arketing doctoral program. 鈥淲e find the opposite. Self-centered behavior can increase pro-social outcomes.鈥�
Previous research studies have often positioned status consumption and charitable donations as polar opposites, but the researchers sought to explore if the two concepts influenced, rather than opposed, each other.
Through multiple studies the researchers found that status consumption led to increased charitable donations and that this process was driven by a sense of empowerment that consumers receive from consuming high-status goods.
The researchers ruled out alternative explanations for the donations, including wealth, guilt and self-presentation. They also found that just ownership of a high-status item wasn鈥檛 enough for charitable donations to be made. The high-status item also had to be used or consumed.
鈥淭he implication for charitable organizations is to try to induce high-status consumption during fundraising efforts,鈥� Klucarova says. 鈥淭his could involve things such as making potential donors use fancy pens at donation events or partnering with high-status brands.鈥�
Xin He, an associate professor in 麻豆原创鈥檚 , was the study鈥檚 co-author and Klucarova鈥檚 adviser. He says teasing out what drives the connection between status consumption and charitable donations is what helps make the research unique.
鈥淭hroughout our research, we prioritize rigor in our overall approach,鈥� He says. 鈥淔or example, we demonstrated the effect and our theorizing in a total of seven studies, and we tested the empowerment mechanism using both mediation and moderation approaches.鈥�
He studies behavioral decision making, particularly behaviors and decisions related to consumption. He says both he and Klucarova, who is now an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, will continue their work in this domain, including new studies on status consumption.
He joined 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Marketing, part of the , in 2004. He received his doctoral degree in business administration (marketing) from the University of Pittsburgh.
Study title: Status consumption and charitable donations: The power of empowerment
