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This research extends the understanding of how self-construal plays a role in our consumption behavior using self-gifting as its context. By applying a four-dimensional self-construal model, we sought to examine differences in self-gifting behaviors among the four self-construal groups (i.e., Bicultural, Western, Traditional, and Alienated), composed of participants from four ethnic groups in the UK (White, Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi). The dependent variables included self-gift propensity, self-gift selection effort, and self-gift post-emotion. Our findings revealed significant differences in self-gifting patterns among different self-construal groups. Generally, the Bicultural and Western self-construal groups are similar, but differ in self-gifting behaviors from Traditional and Alienated self-construal groups. We demonstrate how the four-dimensional self-construal model allows a more precise conceptualization of self-construal and a more thorough investigation of cross-cultural consumption patterns than does the two-dimensional view.

The consumer journey metaphor emphasizes the steps that individuals take in their path toward relationships with brands or satisfying shopping experiences. However, in many non-Western cultures, these steps are less likely to be shaped by individual preferences and priorities. Instead, they emerge from a collectivistic motivation to adapt to prevailing norms and others’ expectations, and are shaped by a holistic thinking style that emphasizes context and relationships. As a result, the meaning of each step in the consumer journey is likely to be normatively infused and contextually embedded. This paper will review research showing cross-cultural differences in responses to prices, ads, store displays, retailer reputations, coupons, and other characteristics important to the retail context. Our focus is on contrasting the consumer journey in individualistic contexts versus collectivistic ones, but we also address emerging findings on other key cultural differences, such as power distance belief. Taken together, these findings suggest that the patterns and drivers of consumers’ pre-purchase activities, purchase decisions, and post-purchase commitment may differ significantly across cultures. In describing these culturally distinct processes, we illustrate how a deep consideration of cultural differences can enhance our understanding of the consumer journey.

Guilt appeals have been found effective in stimulating ethical consumption behaviors in western cultures. However, studies performed in Confucian cultural contexts have found contradictory results. We aim to investigate the inconclusive results of research on guilt and ethical consumption and to explain the inconsistencies. We aim to better understand the influence of guilt on ethical consumption in a Chinese Confucian context and to explore the culturally relevant individual-level concept of interdependent self-construal as a moderator. We build our argument on the Confucian ethics of ren-yi-li where the virtue of propriety (li ネ) specifies role-based obligations depending on the proximity of one's relationship to others and may thus limit ethical behaviors that are directed to those who are relationally distant. We hypothesize a positive relationship between guilt and ethical consumption that is, however, negatively moderated by interdependent self-construal. Put another way, consumers who define themselves strongly through their relationships with close others are less likely to compensate for guilt through ethical consumption. We find the hypothesized model supported in a survey of 314 Chinese consumers. The results suggest that guilt appeals can stimulate ethical consumption in Confucian cultures. However, guilt appeals may not be enough, as the moderating effect suggests that they will be most effective when combined with an ethical consumption initiative that conforms to the Confucian li principle. As this principle implies prioritizing close over distant relationships, it follows that consumers may be more likely to respond to guilt appeals which are linked to ethical consumption initiatives whose beneficiaries they feel connected to.

PurposeThis research draws on self-determination theory and self-construal theory to investigate the effects of achievement-related gamification features on customers' brand attachment in online brand communities.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data (N = 523) were collected from customers of typical gamified online brand communities. The research model was examined with structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 3.2.FindingsAchievement-related gamification features positively affect customers' brand attachment via the intrinsic motives of autonomy, competence and relatedness, but not extrinsic motives. Relatedness motive exerts the strongest mediating effect between achievement-related gamification features and brand attachment, followed by competence and autonomy. Moreover, interdependent self-construal positively moderates the effects of achievement-related gamification features on intrinsic (autonomy, competence and relatedness) and extrinsic motives.Originality/valueTheoretically, this study contributes to the brand marketing literature by identifying gamification as a new antecedent for brand attachment. It also contributes to the gamification literature by demonstrating that achievement-related gamification features strengthen brand attachment via intrinsic motives but not extrinsic motives in the specific context of the online brand community. Meanwhile, the relatedness motive exerts the strongest mediating effect between achievement-related gamification features and brand attachment, followed by competence and autonomy. Moreover, this research provides the first empirical evidence that interdependent self-construal moderates the effects of achievement-related gamification features on intrinsic and extrinsic motives. Practically, managers can learn from the results that achievement-related gamification features should be designed to foster customers' intrinsic motives and brand attachment, especially those high in interdependent self-construal levels.

Crowdfunding has emerged as an alternative means of financing new ventures wherein a large number of individuals collectively back a project. This research specifically examines reward-based crowdfunding, in which those who take part in the crowdfunding process receive the new product for which funding is sought in return for their financial support. This work illustrates that consumers make fundamentally different decisions when considering whether to contribute their money to crowdfund versus purchase a product. Six studies demonstrate that compared with a traditional purchase, crowdfunding more strongly activates an interdependent mindset and, as a result, increases consumer demand for social-good products (i.e., products with positive social and/or environmental impact). The research further highlights that an active involvement in the crowdfunding process is necessary to increase demand for social-good products: when a previously crowdfunded product is already to market, the effect is eliminated. Finally, it is demonstrated that crowdfunding participants exhibit an increased demand for social-good products only when collective efficacy (i.e., one's belief in the collective's ability to bring about change) is high.

During emerging adulthood, individuals’ subjective well-being declines owing to challenges regarding identity, work, and romantic relationships. Although the relationships among personality traits, self-construal, and well-being have been examined, studies have focused on personal rather than relational subjective well-being. Furthermore, self-construal’s moderating effect on the relationship between personality traits and subjective well-being remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined the relationships among the Big-five personality traits and subjective well-being (life satisfaction, happiness, and interdependent happiness) and the moderating effect of self-construal among 1548 Japanese emerging adults (Mage = 22.24, SD = 1.01). Regression analysis indicated that all aspects of subjective well-being were negatively associated with neuroticism and positively associated with extraversion, independent and interdependent self-construal. Further, agreeableness was positively associated with personal and relational well-being. Independent or interdependent self-construal can moderate the relationships between neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness and subjective well-being. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights for improving Japanese emerging adults’ well-being.

To explore the impact mechanism of service quality in the context of crowdsourcing communities on solvers’ innovation behavior, taking organizational psychological ownership and continuous knowledge contribution intention as mediators, and interdependent self-construal as moderator, this study uses structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) with 802 samples of crowdsourcing solvers to verify the theoretical model. The results show that service quality in the context of crowdsourcing communities is divided into three dimensions, all of which positively promote solvers’ innovation behavior. Organizational psychological ownership and continuous knowledge contribution intention play a chain-mediating role in this process. Interdependent self-construal positively moderates the relationship between environmental quality and organizational psychological ownership. The results of the fsQCA using environmental quality, interaction quality, outcome quality, organizational psychological ownership, continuous knowledge contribution intention, and interdependent self-construal as antecedent conditions, with solvers’ innovation behavior as the outcome condition, support the above conclusions. Additionally, the analysis identifies three configurations of antecedent conditions to enhance solvers’ innovation behavior.

Existing research have revealed the positive impact of trust on employee’s creativity. Given that perception is the precursor of action, influence of trust on creativity tends to occur through employees’ perception and the process of the perceptual reaction of the self, which, however, fail to gain extensive attention in literature. Drawing on theories of social exchange and self-consistency, we develop a model to understand how employees in collectivistic cultures evaluate feeling trusted and regulate themselves in creativity by considering the role of self-concept. We test our model using a time-lagged design to collect data from the supervisor–subordinate dyads in two stages in China. Results show that organization-based self-esteem mediate the positive relationship between feeling trusted and creativity, and interdependent self-construal plays a moderating role in such relationship. Specifically, for subordinates with high interdependent self-construal, the positive relationship between organization-based self-esteem and creativity is not significant. Our research provide insight into how self-concept shapes the impact of leadership in term of trust on creativity theoretically, and practically contribute to management of trust and encouragement on employees’ creativity.

This research examines how self-construal (i.e., independent vs. interdependent) and goal type (i.e., attainment vs. maintenance) are conceptually linked and jointly impact consumer behavior. The results of five experiments and one field study involving different operationalizations of self-construal and goal pursuit activities suggest that attainment (maintenance) goals can be more motivating for participants with a more independent (interdependent) self-construal and that differences in salient knowledge about pursuing the goals are one potential mechanism underlying this effect. This interaction effect was found within a single culture, between cultures, when self-construal was experimentally manipulated or measured, and when potential confounding factors like regulatory focus were controlled for. The effect was also found to impact consumer behavior in real life—self-construal, as reflected by the number of social ties consumers had, impacted the likelihood that they opted to reduce versus maintain their bodyweight. Further, after setting their goal, consumers who were more independent exhibited more (less) motivation, as measured by the amount of money they put at stake, when their goal was weight reduction (maintenance). These findings shed light on the relationship between self-construal and goal type, and offer insights, to both consumers and managers, on how to increase motivation for goal pursuit.

Is the suppression of negative emotions ever associated with beneficial outcomes in relationships? The study reported here drew on research and theory on emotion regulation, self-construal, and sacrifice to test the hypothesis that individual differences in interdependent self-construal moderate the association between negative-emotion suppression and the personal and interpersonal outcomes of sacrifice. In a 14-day daily-experience study of people in romantic relationships, people with higher levels of interdependence experienced boosts in personal well-being and relationship quality if they suppressed their negative emotions during sacrifice, whereas those who construed the self in less interdependent terms experienced lower well-being and relationship quality if they suppressed their negative emotions during sacrifice. Feelings of authenticity for the sacrifice mediated these associations. These findings identify a critical condition under which the suppression of negative emotions may be personally and interpersonally beneficial.