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Multiple cultural identities in the domain of consumption: influence on apparel product response and brand choices of bicultural consumers

Chattaraman, Veena
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163443932

Abstract Details

2006, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Textiles and Clothing.
This study proposed a model of ethnic consumer behavior by integrating enduring and momentary mechanisms of cultural identity salience. The study expected that bicultural consumers who enduringly identify with the ethnic or the mainstream cultures will prefer brands/products congruent with that identity, in spite of the momentary salience of the competing identity. Balanced bicultural consumers identifying with both cultures were expected to prefer brands/products congruent with the momentarily salient identity. The model and the eleven hypotheses were empirically tested among Hispanic consumers in Ohio through a two-session online experiment. The first session grouped consumers into three bicultural identification levels – Hispanic-identified, Balanced Bicultural and Mainstream-identified. In the second session, the three groups were exposed to two sets of either Hispanic or Mainstream cultural primes that momentarily activated or made salient one of two cultural identities. The primes were followed by two types of dependent measures that tapped consumers’ implicit and explicit attitudes toward Hispanic and Mainstream apparel products and brands. The key propositions of this study were supported only in consumers’ explicit relative attitudes (and purchase intent) toward Hispanic and Mainstream apparel brands. In line with the predictions, this study found that bicultural consumers who identify enduringly with one or the other (Hispanic or Mainstream) cultural identity are less responsive to cultural cues in the environment and are less likely to demonstrate significant preference shifts in response to cultural primes. However, the activation of one of the two cultural identities (Hispanic or Mainstream) in the minds of balanced bicultural consumers resulted in significant shifts in their attitudes and purchase intent such that responses were stereotypical to the activated or salient social identity in one counterbalance condition. Hispanic consumers’ implicit attitudes toward culturally relevant apparel colors in response to cultural primes revealed a different picture. The prime influenced color preference across all consumers, irrespective of their bicultural identification level. Specifically, the prime influenced the color preferences such that they shifted toward being stereotypical to the primed cultural identity. Numerous theoretical, methodological and practical implications are discussed based on the findings of this study.
Nancy Rudd (Advisor)
Sharron Lennon (Other)
378 p.
Social identity; Cultural Identity; Bicultural consumers; Hispanic conusmers; Ethnic consumer behavior; Apparel consumption

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Chattaraman, V. (2006). Multiple cultural identities in the domain of consumption: influence on apparel product response and brand choices of bicultural consumers [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163443932

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Chattaraman, Veena. Multiple cultural identities in the domain of consumption: influence on apparel product response and brand choices of bicultural consumers. 2006. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163443932.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Chattaraman, Veena. "Multiple cultural identities in the domain of consumption: influence on apparel product response and brand choices of bicultural consumers." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163443932

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1163443932
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© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.