When and How Consumers Defend Their Psychological Possessions

We propose that consumers perceive infringement, or threat, with respect to a psychologically owned target when they believe that another person is signaling PO of the same target. That is, consumers' perceptions of infringement and subsequent territorial responses are stronger when they infer...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kirk, Colleen P, Peck, Joann, Swain, Scott D
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Consumer behavior
Infringement
Perceptions
Stock prices
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:We propose that consumers perceive infringement, or threat, with respect to a psychologically owned target when they believe that another person is signaling PO of the same target. That is, consumers' perceptions of infringement and subsequent territorial responses are stronger when they infer that another individual is signaling control over, investment of self in, or intimate knowledge of their psychologically-owned target. Further, we argue that these effects are more intense when consumers believe they have strongly signaled their own PO of a target (i.e., their territory) in advance. Across five studies, we manipulate a consumer's PO of a target product and/or their communication (marking) of that PO. We also vary another person's PO signal of the same target. We then measure the consumer's infringement perception and observe and document their territorial behaviors. Across five studies in different contexts, these results demonstrate when and how psychological ownership signals of others, both consumers and employees, can result in consumers' territorial responses, and what kind of reactions may occur.
ISSN:0098-9258