Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 11, 2025
13:04
Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods
Published on: September 19, 2012
12.3K
Lucky Events and the Need for Uniqueness.
Li-Huei Wang1, Zhaoyang Guo1, Xue Ke1
1Marketing School of Management, 12466Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Psychological Reports
|August 27, 2020
Summary
Experiencing lucky events makes people feel special, boosting self-enhancement and increasing their desire for uniqueness. This leads individuals to choose minority options over majority ones, seeking to stand out.
Area of Science:
- Consumer Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Previous research on luck focused on superstition and illusion of control.
- Limited understanding of how incidental luck influences conformity and uniqueness-seeking behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether experiencing luck influences consumers' motivation to conform or stand out.
- To examine the link between lucky events, self-enhancement, and the need for uniqueness.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses.
- Participants experienced incidental luck, and their subsequent choices and motivations were assessed.
- Mediation analysis was used to explore the role of self-enhancement.
Main Results:
- Experiencing a lucky event significantly increases the need for uniqueness.
- Individuals who perceive luck favoring them after a downward comparison are more likely to choose minority-endorsed options.
- Self-enhancement acts as a mediator between lucky events and uniqueness-seeking behavior.
Conclusions:
- Incidental luck can activate self-enhancement motivations, leading to a stronger need for uniqueness.
- This research extends the understanding of uniqueness-seeking behavior and the psychological impact of luck.
Keywords:
Lucky eventsconsumer behaviordownward comparisonmotivationneed for uniquenessperceptionself-enhancementMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:16Unusual Results
3.7K
Unusual results are those that have a very low chance of occurring. Unusual results can be identified using probabilities and the range rule of thumb. In problems involving probability, unusual results can be observed in 2 instances – an unusually high number of successes or an unusually low number of successes.
According to the range rule of thumb, any value above or below two standard deviations, 2σ from the mean, μ is considered unusual.
Maximum unusual value =...
According to the range rule of thumb, any value above or below two standard deviations, 2σ from the mean, μ is considered unusual.
Maximum unusual value =...
3.7K
01:16Second Uniqueness Theorem
2.5K
Consider a region consisting of several individual conductors with a definite charge density in the region between these conductors. The second uniqueness theorem states that if the total charge on each conductor and the charge density in the in-between region are known, then the electric field can be uniquely determined.
In contrast, consider that the electric field is non-unique and apply Gauss's law in divergence form in the region between the conductors and the integral form to the surface...
In contrast, consider that the electric field is non-unique and apply Gauss's law in divergence form in the region between the conductors and the integral form to the surface...
2.5K
01:29Magical Thinking
124
Magical thinking encompasses the belief in assumptions that defy logical reasoning yet appear intuitively convincing. It is a common psychological phenomenon that persists across various cultural and individual contexts. While these assumptions contradict empirical evidence and scientific laws, they often serve meaningful psychological roles in promoting emotional resilience and a sense of control, especially under stress or uncertainty.Thought-Action Fusion and the Law of SimilarityA key...
124
01:12Hindsight Biases
4.2K
Hindsight bias leads you to believe that the event you just experienced was predictable, even though it really wasn’t. In other words, you knew all along that things would turn out the way they did. Can you relate this to the phrase "Hindsight is 20/20" now?
4.2K
03:33Genetic Drift
42.5K
Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.
42.5K
01:14Probability in Statistics
21.0K
Probability is the likelihood of an event occurring. The term event is defined as a collection of results of a procedure. An event is a simple event when an outcome cannot be divided into simpler parts.
An example of a simple event is a coin toss. The result of a coin toss is either a head or a tail. Here, head and tail are two simple events. These two simple events make up the sample space. Further, the probability of an event occurring falls within the range of 0 to 1. The probability of an...
An example of a simple event is a coin toss. The result of a coin toss is either a head or a tail. Here, head and tail are two simple events. These two simple events make up the sample space. Further, the probability of an event occurring falls within the range of 0 to 1. The probability of an...
21.0K