Abstract: Understanding Materialistic Consumption: A Terror Management Perspective This study adopted terror management theory (TMT) to explore why people engage in materialistic consumption. By using survey data from a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, the influence of mortality salience on two consumption behaviors—brand name consumption and compulsive consumption—was examined, along with the moderating effects of global self-esteem and ego involvement. This study extends the development of TMT by evidencing mortality salience effects outside of laboratory settings and in consumption behaviors. Results showed that mortality salience increased consumer propensity to engage in materialistic consumption; ego involvement in materials moderated the effect of mortality salience, but global self-esteem did not. Implications for academic researchers, advertisers, and consumer educators are discussed. |
Location: http://www.jrconsumers.com/page/4659
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