Conspicuous Consumption and its Relation to Brand Consciousness, Status Consumption and Self-Expression

ABSTRACT This paper presents and discusses the results of an empirical research whose objective was to discuss the relationship between the concepts of conspicuous consumption, status consumption and self-expression. For this, we have used the model proposed by Mann and Sahni (2015), which suggests the existence of three fundamental dimensions in the explanation of conspicuous consumption, setting the discussion under the aegis of lifestyle, brand consciousness, consumption of status and self-expression. An online survey was implemented, which generated a database composed of 398 respondents who had attended a marriage ceremony in the last six months. For data analysis, the modeling of structural equations using the PLS approach was used. The results of the study suggest, among other findings, that there is a relatively strong association between the constructs status consumption and self-expression, it was also possible to verify a significant and positive influence between the dimensions of the construct conspicuous consumption with status consumption. In addition, we found that there is a strong influence between social conformity and status consumption and between status consumption and self-expression. Thus, the article contributes to the studies of consumption by advancing the discussion about the antecedents and consequences of conspicuous consumption and the relationship between conspicuity and status.

摘要 本文呈现并讨论一项实证研究的成果，该研究旨在探讨炫耀性消费（conspicuous consumption）、地位消费（status consumption）与自我表达（self-expression）三大概念间的关联。本研究采用曼恩与萨尼（2015）提出的研究模型，该模型指出，阐释炫耀性消费需依托三大核心维度，并将讨论框架置于生活方式、品牌意识、地位消费与自我表达的范畴之下。本次研究通过线上问卷调查开展调研，最终收集得到由398名受访者组成的有效样本库，所有受访者均为近六个月内参加过婚礼的人群。数据分析环节采用偏最小二乘（PLS）方法构建结构方程模型进行分析。研究结果显示，除其他发现外，地位消费与自我表达这两大构念间存在较强关联；同时可验证，炫耀性消费构念的各维度对地位消费具有显著正向影响。此外，本研究还发现，社会从众性对地位消费、以及地位消费对自我表达均存在较强影响。综上，本文通过拓展关于炫耀性消费的前因与后果，以及炫耀性与地位间关联的讨论，为消费领域相关研究贡献了新的学术价值。