Title: 'I shop therefore I am': social and psychological transformations in conspicuous consumption

Authors: Hadeer Hammad; Noha El-Bassiouny

Addresses: Faculty of Management Technology, The German University, Cairo, Egypt ' Faculty of Management Technology, The German University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: The current research aims at conceptualising the multi-faceted relationship between conspicuous consumption and the associated social and psychological transformation processes. The study aims at expanding the understanding of the compensatory account of conspicuous consumption and the role of self-compassion as a coping mechanism against self-threats. The paper puts forth several propositions to guide future research efforts at the overlap between conspicuous consumption and its socio-psychological implications. The paper also provides insights about how materialism plays a compensatory role in responding to self-threats. The paper suggests that promoting self-compassion would act as an antidote against materialistic orientations. The research is important for different stakeholders including consumers, marketers, and policy makers. The research is novel in its approach at linking social and psychological dimensions, including self-esteem, self-concept clarity, satisfaction with life, susceptibility to influence, need for support and need to belong, to conspicuous consumption and the role of materialism as a mediator in this relationship.

Keywords: conspicuous consumption; social transformations; psychological transformations; self-compassion and materialism; compensatory consumption.

DOI: 10.1504/LRJ.2018.090974

Luxury Research Journal, 2018 Vol.1 No.4, pp.303 - 324

Received: 03 Mar 2017
Accepted: 21 Apr 2017
Published online: 05 Apr 2018 *

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