Expanding the experiential advantage model: exploring the mediating roles of a sense of meaning and moderating effects of motivational autonomy

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to test the experiential advantage argument from both the hedonic and eudaimonic well-being perspectives and seeks to explore the mediating roles of a sense of meaning, as well as the moderating effects of consumers’ motivational autonomy, in a novel context – China. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 (n = 203) used a between-subject experiment where participants role-played an imaginary purchase with experiential versus material focus; Study 2 (n = 290) used a recall method where participants were asked to recall their past experiential purchase or material purchase that cost more than RMB500 (about US$70); Study 3 (n = 185) used a between-subject experiment where participants were assigned to one of the four scenarios (two types of purchases (experiential vs material) × 2 levels of motivational autonomy (high vs low). Findings The authors find that the experiential advantage argument holds true for eudaimonic well-being as well as hedonic well-being in three studies with Chinese consumers. In addition, the authors find that a sense of meaning serves as an additional mediator for the experiential advantage argument. Further, the authors find that the level of motivational autonomy positively moderates the effect size of experiential advantages and the mediating roles of a sense of meaning. Research limitations/implications The authors only address the two ends of the experiential–material purchase continuum. Whether the discovered mediation roles of a sense of meaning and the moderation roles of motivational autonomy hold for hybrid experiential products remain unknown. Originality/value The authors enriched the experiential advantage literature through exploring the mediation roles of a sense of meaning and the moderating effects of motivational autonomy in the experiential advantage model.

Preference for Experiential or Material Purchases?The Impact of Message Framing

“…First, our findings extend the literature on experiential and material purchases by offering empirical evidence on the causes of consumers' preference for material or experiential purchases. Yet almost all of the studies on experiential and material purchases have centered on the effect of differential purchases, especially in happiness and well-being (e.g., Caprariello & Reis, 2013;Carter & Gilovich, 2012;Kumar & Gilovich, 2016Gilovich, & Gallo, 2020;Goodman, Malkoc, & Rosenboim, 2019;Li, Wang, Lei, & Li, 2022;Li, Zhang, & Feng, 2022;Li, Zhu, He, Li, & Wei, 2023;Nicolao et al, 2009;Rosenzweig & Gilovich, 2012;Tully, & Sharma, 2018;Van Boven & Gilovich, 2003;Weingarten & Goodman, 2021). However, little research has explored the antecedents of consumer decision-making in experiential and material purchases, which is the aim of this work.…”

“…Recently, both researchers and practitioners have paid increasing attention to experiential and material purchases (e.g., Caprariello & Reis, 2013;Carter & Gilovich, 2012;Kumar & Gilovich, 2016Gilovich, & Gallo, 2020;Goodman, Malkoc, & Rosenboim, 2019;Li, Wang, Lei, & Li, 2022;Li, Zhang, & Feng, 2022;Li, Zhu, He, Li, & Wei, 2023;Nicolao et al, 2009;Rosenzweig & Gilovich, 2012;Tully, & Sharma, 2018;Van Boven & Gilovich, 2003;Weingarten & Goodman, 2021;Weingarten et al, 2023). According to Van Boven and Gilovich (2003), experiential purchases are characterized by a main intention to attain a life experience, typically comprising an event or series of events that a person experiences.…”

“…On the other side, material purchases are defined as acquisitions primarily mean to procure a tangible object that can be retained. The experiential advantage, also known as the idea that experiential purchases are inclined to cause greater happiness compared with material purchases, has received significant attention in research (e.g., Carter & Gilovich, 2012;Gilovich, Kumar, & Jampol, 2015;Kumar, Killingsworth, & Gilovich, 2020;Li, Wang, Lei, & Li, 2022;Nicolao et al, 2009;Rosenzweig & Gilovich, 2012;Van Boven & Gilovich, 2003;Weingarten et al, 2023).…”

Unpacking the influence of anthropomorphism and stereotypes on consumer attitude towards luxury brand

“…Customers indulge in luxury goods to attain elite status or symbolic domination (Silva et al, 2022). Over time, consumer inclination towards luxury brands markedly increased, prompting brands to explore emerging market dynamics (Li et al, 2022). Luxury brands establish exclusivity and uniqueness through premium quality, high pricing and controlled distribution (Kapferer and Valette-Florence, 2021).…”

“…, 2022). Over time, consumer inclination towards luxury brands markedly increased, prompting brands to explore emerging market dynamics (Li et al. , 2022).…”