The influence of optimal social identities on consumption in public and private contexts.

Abstract

Optimal distinctiveness theory posits that individuals attempt to strike a balance between assimilation and distinctiveness in maintenance of optimal social identities. Individuals can achieve this by modifying their buying decisions and adopting or avoiding popular choices of products. They may further differentiate their buying decisions when the decisions are private decisions or potentially public decisions. Sixty undergraduates from Nanyang Technological University were recruited for this computerized study and the results showed that the three way interaction between need state, popularity of products and nature of decision was not found. Participants were found to be more likely to choose the popular products over unpopular products in all conditions.