From experience to expectation: The reverse effect of power on purchasing impulsiveness

Area of Science:

• Consumer Psychology
• Behavioral Economics
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Existing research primarily examines the impact of power experience on impulsive buying.
• The influence of power expectations on consumer purchasing impulsiveness remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extend the understanding of power's influence on impulsive buying by incorporating the role of power expectations.
• To propose a two-facet model of power (experience and expectations) affecting purchase impulsiveness.

Main Methods:

• Four laboratory experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses.
• ANOVA was used for verification, and a moderated mediation path model was established.

Main Results:

• Powerless consumers impulsively buy hedonic products; powerful consumers buy utilitarian products.
• Power expectations and perceived deservingness mediate the relationship between power experience, product type, and impulsive buying.
• Consumers' sense of deservingness significantly influences impulsive purchasing of hedonic products based on power dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Introduces a novel experience-expectation model of power in relation to purchasing impulsiveness.
• Demonstrates that both the experience and expectations of power jointly affect consumer impulsivity.
• Highlights the mediating role of deservingness in the complex interplay between power, product attributes, and impulsive purchasing.