›› 2017, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (9): 155-166.

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The Effects of Product Popularity on Two-dimensional Perceived Face:The Moderating Role of Self-construal

Song Xiaobing, Wu Yuzhen, Ma Pengfei   

  1. Faculty of Management and Economics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024
  • Received:2016-04-19 Online:2017-09-28 Published:2017-10-09

Abstract:

This research identifies gaining face and protecting face as two dimensions of consumers' perceived face based on the current researches of social psychology. We examined the effects of product popularity in a social group on the two dimensions of perceived face and the moderating role of consumers' self-construal. The results of a cross cultural consumer survey and a lab experiment show that self-construal has different moderating effects on the relationships between product popularity and the two dimensions of perceived face. As for gaining face, self-construal determines the valence of the effect of product popularity. Product popularity has negative effect on gaining face in independent consumers, while it has positive effect in interdependent consumers. As for protecting face, self-construal determines the strength of the effect of product popularity. Product popularity has positive effect on protecting face in both independent and interdependent consumers. Its effect is more robust in the interdependent consumers.

Key words: face consumption, product popularity, reference group, self-construal