Better than sex: further development and validation of the consumption gender scale

Abstract

Purpose Biological sex is an important segmenting variable in marketing. Yet its ability to meaningfully distinguish beyond the female/male dichotomy is limited. With traditional gender roles continuously shifting and contemporary fluid conceptualizations of gender altering the consumption mainstream, the diverse and multi-faceted behaviours related to gender elude market segment distinctions that are based on biological sex alone. Thus far, researchers have had only limited success applying the concept of gender identity and gender schema theory to inform marketing research and management. The purpose of this study is to further develop a consumer decision-oriented scale that addresses this gap by providing a more sensitive method of segmentation. Design/methodology/approach The scale was validated according to common psychological scale development techniques. Findings Not only does the Consumption Gender Scale predict the behaviours and media preferences of traditional, gender-schematic male and female consumer segments, but it also accounts for the variance in the behaviours of gender-aschematic non-traditional men and women. We demonstrate the scale’s predictive power in two experimental studies and discuss its potential to serve as an intermediary variable that can predict product attitudes and purchase intentions on social media. Research limitations/implications The Consumption Gender Scale was based on surveys and experiments conducted in the USA. Future research could examine the suitability of the scale in other cultural contexts. Practical implications The Consumption Gender Scale provides a finer taxonomy for organizations to use in segmenting their target market on the basis of consumption-relevant gender rather than biological sex. Consequently, it also provides opportunities for managers to fine-tune their media-planning efforts. Originality/value Biological sex as the main segmenting variable has become inadequate because of ongoing shifts in gender roles and changes in associated consumption behaviours. To address the shortcomings of traditional methods, we advocate for and validate a continuous measurement scale.

Insights on Metrosexuality and Consumption for Marketers in South-East Europe

“…The Break of Traditional Masculine Taboos by Metrosexuals Throughout human history, social norms have evolved in terms of gendered-behaviour shared beliefs and expectations about the males' and females' characteristics (Berkowitz et al, 2010;Pohlmann & Chen, 2020). Contemporary culture often reinforces traditional norms, making it difficult to contest deep-rooted stereotypes.…”

“…The term "metrosexual" was coined by Mark Simpson in his article entitled "Here Comes the Mirror Men" (Simpson, 1994). Henceforward, the hegemonic masculinity diminished (Anderson & McCormack, 2018) and the "transformed man," who is different from the traditional dominant macho male, emerged and transformed the market (Pohlmann & Chen, 2020).…”

“…Contemporary culture often reinforces traditional norms, making it difficult to contest deep-rooted stereotypes. However, traditional archetypes, which have been standard for centuries, are now questioned, and new concepts have emerged (Pohlmann & Chen, 2020). A new notion, which has gained attention and encouraged debates among scholars and practitioners, is metrosexuality (Casanova et al, 2016; Pompper, 2010; Souiden & Diagne, 2009).…”

Segmenting the Malaysian female young adolescent market based on gender roles and identities

“…Gender identity is a fluid concept that varies and fluctuates depending on the situation and time (Kacen, 2000). GenZ consumers challenged conventional gender stereotypes and considered themselves more acceptable towards non-traditional gender schema (Pohlmann and Chen, 2020). Despite the pandemic, Malaysia has achieved a record-high of 37% women in senior leadership positions, surpassing the global average of 31% (Number of women holding senior leadership positions in Malaysia at record-high of 37pc, 2021).…”

Can Digit Ratio and Gender Identity Predict Preferences for Consumption Options With a Distinct Gender Image?

“…The relationship between self-perceived gender identity and preferences for consumption options with a distinct gender image should arguably mirror that between digit ratios and said preferences ( P1 ), such that people with a masculine gender identity – regardless of their biological sex – should be more prone to prefer options with a masculine rather than feminine gender image ( Palan, 2001 ; Fugate and Phillips, 2010 ; Neale et al, 2016 ; Pohlmann and Chen, 2020 ). We base this assumption on ample academic work in marketing and consumer behavior, which has documented that people’s preferences tend to be congruent with their own gender identity ( Fry, 1971 ; Worth et al, 1992 ; Fischer and Arnold, 1994 ; Feiereisen et al, 2009 ; Grohmann, 2009 ).…”