Susan A. Andrzejewski

An Examination of the Relationships Between Materialism, Conspicuous Consumption, Impulse Buying, and Brand Loyalty

Furthering the understanding of materialism has been of paramount concern to both consumer researchers and policymakers over the past several years. This paper examines the relationships between materialism, conspicuous consumption, impulse buying, and brand loyalty, as examining material-centric behavior is becoming evermore important in a consumption-based economy. This study first examines these constructs in detail and proposes hypotheses, then through the use of structural equation modeling, explores how materialism positively relates to conspicuous consumption, impulse buying, and brand loyalty utilizing survey data from over 500 respondents residing in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Managerial and consumer-oriented implications are discussed as we call for marketing managers to pay closer attention to societal outcomes stemming from the use of traditional marketing strategies.

The Effectiveness of Training to Improve Person Perception Accuracy: A Meta-Analysis

Making accurate perceptions of others is a valuable skill. This meta-analysis examines whether accurate person perception is a skill amenable to training in nonclinical adult populations and, if training can increase accuracy, what are the most effective training methods. Across person perception domains, training interventions significantly increased accuracy. Training approach mattered more than length of training. Practice and feedback were more effective approaches than instruction alone; however, a combination of training approaches was the most effective intervention. Results of this meta-analysis advance person perception theory and offer practical advice for future development of trainings to increase person perception accuracy.

Materialism, Conspicuous Consumption, and American Hip-Hop Subculture

ABSTRACT This article examines materialism, conspicuous consumption, race, and hip-hop subculture. Our study used survey data from over 1,200 individuals. Results show that African Americans scored higher in materialism and conspicuous consumption compared to non-African Americans. Additionally, those who prefer hip-hop music scored higher in materialism and conspicuous consumption than those who preferred to listen to music in other genres. Implications and historical context are discussed.

The value of knowing what customers really want: The impact of salesperson ability to read non-verbal cues of affect on service quality

Abstract Despite recognition of the importance of the retail environment to customer experience, relatively little systematic research considers how social environmental cues might affect this experience. Two experimental studies test the relationship between salesperson ability to read customer affect and perceived service quality between two samples of student participants. Consistent with the hypotheses, when a salesperson demonstrates an ability to read customer affect, customers perceive higher service quality (Study 1). Interestingly, it seems these effects hold only for customers who interact with the salesperson and not for those who observe an interaction between a salesperson and another customer (Study 2). For each study, participants imagined they were customers and judged scenarios that depicted a salesperson demonstrating ability or inability to read non-verbal cues to customer affect.

Consuming abjection: an examination of death and disgust in the black metal scene

ABSTRACT This paper examines abjection in the context of the extreme (black) metal scene. Moving beyond the ritual-heavy, community work that dominates much of the death-related consumption literature, our study pieces together death, violence, misanthropy, blood and social tensions to create novel insights into the consumption of disgust. Based on our interview and participant observation methodologies, we present work that explains how death-oriented consumption and abjection is manifested for some consumers and actually plays a role as an affront to mainstream orientations and the greater social order. Additionally, our work indicates that the use of abjection can be seen as a boundary and source of delineation between the “acceptable” and the “unacceptable” in society.

Attribution Processes in Cross-Cultural Heritage Tourism

ABSTRACT This article, utilizing a mixed methods approach, examines psychological processes of some global Jewish tourists and local hosts surrounding historic Holocaust sites located in Europe. These processes, which include stereotyping, the perseverance effect, and the role of atypical information, generate insights into social-psychological activity nested in cross-cultural tourism. Our research yields significant implications on collective memory and narrative and marketing management. It also indicates that current Holocaust tourism and its related marketing strategies can lead to further disconnect between tourists and hosts in Eastern Europe.

The Influence of Cognitive Load on Nonverbal Accuracy of Caucasian and African-American Targets: Implications for Ad Processing

ABSTRACT This article examines the influence of cognitively taxing consumers and their recognition of emotional nonverbal cues (e.g., happiness) presented in static images. Participants were randomly assigned to either a cognitive load (or no load) condition and then completed a standardized nonverbal accuracy test (judging emotional facial expressions). Building on research that suggests that ethnic majority and ethnic minority consumers may process ads differently, participants were randomly assigned to a nonverbal accuracy test that included facial expressions of either African-American or Caucasian targets. Our work demonstrates that cognitive load hinders Caucasian perceivers’ performance on African-American tests of nonverbal accuracy, but cognitive load does not always negatively influence accuracy on Caucasian tests of nonverbal accuracy. Thus, impact of the proximal state of cognitive load on nonverbal accuracy is dependent upon the race of the perceptual target. This has potential implications in terms of marketing ethics and marketing strategy and assists in theory building. It also helps continue the exploration as to why there is a differential impact of cognitive load on individuals from different target groups (based on race).