In search of a surrogate for touch: The effect of haptic imagery on perceived ownership

Previous research has shown that individuals value objects more highly if they own them, a finding commonly known as the endowment effect. In fact, simply touching an object can create a perception of ownership that produces the endowment effect. In this paper, we extend this line of research in sev...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of consumer psychology 2013-04, Vol.23 (2), p.189-196
Main Authors: Peck, Joann, Barger, Victor A., Webb, Andrea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Haptic
Haptic imagery
Imagery
Ownership
Perceived control
Perceived ownership
Surrogates
Touch
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Summary:Previous research has shown that individuals value objects more highly if they own them, a finding commonly known as the endowment effect. In fact, simply touching an object can create a perception of ownership that produces the endowment effect. In this paper, we extend this line of research in several ways. First, we show that haptic imagery, or imagining touching an object, can have the same effect on perceived ownership as physical touch. We then demonstrate that haptic imagery can lead to perceptions of physical control, which in turn increase feelings of ownership. Moreover, the more vivid the haptic imagery, the greater the perception of control and the feeling of ownership. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
ISSN:1057-7408
1532-7663
DOI:10.1016/j.jcps.2012.09.001