Abstract

People desire luxury products because they are highly valued by society, among other reasons, but little is known about how wearing luxury products influences consumers' self-identity and behavior. This research demonstrates that wearing luxury products can lead consumers to engage in behaviors that are highly valued by society. Study participants who wear or simply imagine themselves wearing luxury products subsequently work harder at difficult tasks, donate time and money to charity, and are willing to pay more to help local businesses. However, this only occurs when wearing luxury does not involve the conspicuous display of status and wealth. When the luxury consumption experience is conspicuous, people are less likely to display socially valued behavior.

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Citation

Wilcox, Keith, Henrik Hagtvedt, and Bruno Kocher. "The Less Conspicuous Road to Virtue: The Influence of Luxury Consumption on Socially Valued Behavior." Columbia Business School, 2014.

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