Consumption narratives of extended possessions and the extended self

Abstract

This paper investigates the nature of the boundaries between the extended self and possessions (including potentially extended possessions) in the context of gift giving for Hong Kong Chinese consumers. Our findings showed that informants narrated stories not only about the gifts that they themselves had received as being their important possessions and thus constituting part of their extended self, but they also described objects that they had given as gifts to close others as part of their own possessions. These extended possessions potentially constituted part of their own extended selves. In addition, by the virtue of their material presence, these extended possessions acted as continuous reminders of these extended selves. The extended possessions hence provided the informants with an anchoring point to increase the relatively stability of their relationships with others, thereby countering the labile nature of ever-changing identity narratives. This paper contributes to current debates concerning the relationships between the self, possessions, and gift giving providing a richer explanation and extending previous work on possessions and the extended self.

Consuming counterfeit: A study of consumer moralism in China

“…Counterfeit products have in fact become an ‘ethical’ option for many young consumers in the current context. To a certain extent, hedonic consumption was frowned upon, as a good student and responsible son or daughter should concentrate on his/her studies, in accordance with traditional Confucian beliefs on social relations (Wong, Hogg, & Vanharanta, ). Most of the informants were happy with their counterfeit products, as they equated buying fakes and thereby spending less on personal pleasures and enjoyment with being a moral consumer.…”

Rethinking Worldly Possessions: The Relationship between Materialism and Body Appearance for Female Consumers in an Emerging Economy

“…Objects can become part of the self or, as Belk (1988) suggests, extend the self. Material possessions owned by a person, such as gifts, typically have a higher propensity to represent the extended self than things not owned by the person (Wong, Hogg, & Vanharanta, 2012). However, not all material possessions form part of the extended self (Ahuvia, 2005).…”

Factors explaining shared clothes consumption in China: Individual benefit or planet concern?

“…Online sharing platforms for shared clothes include MS Paris (http://www.msparis.com), YCloset (http://www.y123.net) and physical store YIJIAHE in Shenyang, China. Wong, Hogg, and Vanharanta () in Chinese context note that clothes are part of possessions and accentuates extended self in Chinese culture. Clothes are shared within close‐knit circles as gifts to highlight the strength of the relationship between the gift giver and receiver.…”