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Escape from self: Stress increase consumers' preference for experiences over material possessions
Yurou Zhao1, Xiaotong Jin1, Taiyang Zhao2
1School of Business and Management, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Frontiers in Public Health
|January 23, 2023
Summary
Stress increases consumer preference for experiences over material goods, driven by a desire for self-escape. This effect is moderated by the cognitive demands of the experience.
Area of Science:
- Consumer Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
- Social Psychology
Background:
- The theory of self-escape suggests individuals seek to escape negative self-perceptions.
- Understanding consumer choices between experiential and material consumption is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how stress influences consumer preference for experiences versus material possessions.
- To explore the mediating role of self-escape motivation and the moderating role of experience type.
Main Methods:
- One survey and two experiments were conducted.
- Participants' preferences for experiential versus material consumption under stress were assessed.
- Mediating and moderating effects were statistically analyzed.
Main Results:
- Stress significantly increases preference for experiences over material possessions.
- Self-escape motivation mediates the relationship between stress and experiential consumption.
- High cognitive demand experiences diminish the effect of stress on preference.
Conclusions:
- Stress enhances the appeal of experiential consumption as a coping mechanism via self-escape.
- The type of experience, specifically its cognitive load, influences this stress-induced preference.
- Findings offer insights into consumer behavior and public mental health strategies.
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