Resisting the Allure of Variety: How Pursuing Self-Regulatory Goals Impacts Variety Seeking in Vice Consumption

Rafieian, Hoori; Huang, Yanliu; Kahn, Barbara E.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3954229

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Although seeking variety can signal autonomy and help achieve, or regain, control and efficacy, consumers sometimes exercise control by deliberately reducing variety-seeking behavior depending on their immediate goals. For instance, Rafieian et al (2021) found that pursuing a goal that requires consumers to regulate their responses leads them to choose less variety in consumption categories that are inconsistent with their goal. Similarly, Huang and Wyer (2015) showed that death-related thoughts (that are associated with loss of control) may increase or decrease variety-seeking tendencies among consumers depending on the situation.…”

Section: Autonomy: Variety Seeking Signals Agencymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research has shown that consumers may have differential varietyseeking motivations depending on whether the consumption category is vice or virtue (Rafieian et al, 2021). Therefore, a relevant question to explore is the potentially different benefits of variety seeking depending on the type of consumption.…”

Section: Factors Affecting the Effectiveness Of Variety As A Signalmentioning

confidence: 99%

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More than just the spice of life: Using variety as a signal for change and diversification

Kahn

Rafieian

2021

Consumer Psychology Review

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We consider the role of variety or diversity as a main goal for consumer experiences. We argue that consumers may incorporate variety in their choices of product or experiences for reasons other than merely increasing the consumption utility over time. Specifically, we develop a framework that shows two new roles that variety can play in consumer choice. First, it can serve as a signal to oneself and others that the consumer is able to accept change and be flexible. Second, we show that the meta role of variety, or diversity as a goal in and of itself, is beneficial because more variety in consumers' choice sets (a) provides a more optimal portfolio for future choices under uncertainty, (b) facilitates creative thinking and adoption of innovation, and (c) allows for the consumption of a fuller set of attributes, which satisfies goals of balancing and completeness.

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Section: Autonomy: Variety Seeking Signals Agencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Factors Affecting the Effectiveness Of Variety As A Signalmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than just the spice of life: Using variety as a signal for change and diversification

Kahn

Rafieian

2021

Consumer Psychology Review

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“…Choi, Kim, Choi, and Yi () propose that choosing more variety for oneself than one expects for others may occur because consumers believe that others will satiate faster from repeated consumption than themselves. In contrast, people may also choose less variety when they want to signal stronger, more self‐related preferences for options in the category and to more strongly associate themselves with those options (Sela, Morgan & Maimaran, ).…”

Section: Other Factors That Influence Variety‐seeking Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other researchers have shown that variety strategies can be used to fulfill individual goals. Rafieian, Huang, and Kahn () show that consumers refrain from variety in vice categories to minimize guilt, but engage in variety in virtue categories to maximize fulfillment toward their goals. Similarly, variety has been shown to be useful in achieving healthier behavior (Kopetz, Faber, Fishbach, & Kruglanski, ).…”

Section: Other Factors That Influence Variety‐seeking Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variety Seeking, Satiation, and Maximizing Enjoyment Over Time

Sevilla¹,

Kahn

2018

J Consum Psychol

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In this article, we examine the different ways in which consumers balance their consumption behavior in order to maximize utility. In particular, we focus on how people balance repeating the same options with the decision to seek variety. While earlier research represented variety seeking as a means of reducing physical satiation (McAlister, 1982), more recent research suggests that the relationship between choosing variety and minimizing satiation is more complex, as these behaviors may be motivated and influenced by exogenous factors. Past reviews have largely looked at the two processes separately. In this article, we discuss the nuanced relationship between these two constructs and point to future research directions that may help us further understand how consumers tackle the everyday challenge of maximizing enjoyment over time.

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Resisting the Allure of Variety: How Pursuing Self-Regulatory Goals Impacts Variety Seeking in Vice Consumption

Cited by 2 publications

References 47 publications

More than just the spice of life: Using variety as a signal for change and diversification

More than just the spice of life: Using variety as a signal for change and diversification

Variety Seeking, Satiation, and Maximizing Enjoyment Over Time

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