IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/mktlet/v35y2024i2d10.1007_s11002-023-09696-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Take me back to the past: the impact of social identity conflict on nostalgic consumption

Author

Listed:
  • Menglin Li

    (Shantou University)

  • Sining Kou

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Jun Pang

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Wangshuai Wang

    (International Business School Suzhou, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University)

Abstract

Social identity conflict (SIC) is a common experience that evokes undesirable emotions. Considerable research has examined how consumers think and behave in light of SIC, but it remains unclear how people cope with SIC as a negative experience. In this research, we examine whether nostalgic consumption can compensate for SIC as a means to restore threatened self-authenticity. In three experiments with real behavioral consequences, we find that SIC increases nostalgic consumption. This effect is mediated by self-authenticity threat and negatively moderated by consumers’ dialectical thinking. Our research advances knowledge about how SIC shapes consumer behavior and provides actionable suggestions for nostalgia marketing.

Suggested Citation

  • Menglin Li & Sining Kou & Jun Pang & Wangshuai Wang, 2024. "Take me back to the past: the impact of social identity conflict on nostalgic consumption," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 289-301, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:mktlet:v:35:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s11002-023-09696-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11002-023-09696-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11002-023-09696-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11002-023-09696-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Katherine E. Loveland & Dirk Smeesters & Naomi Mandel, 2010. "Still Preoccupied with 1995: The Need to Belong and Preference for Nostalgic Products," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(3), pages 393-408, October.
    2. repec:oup:jconrs:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:716-736. is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Dafna Goor & Nailya Ordabayeva & Anat Keinan & Sandrine Crener & Eileen Fischer & Linda L. Price & Pankaj Aggarwal, 2020. "The Impostor Syndrome from Luxury Consumption [Beyond Deserving More: Psychological Entitlement Also Predicts Negative Attitudes toward Personally Relevant Out-Groups]," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 46(6), pages 1031-1051.
    4. Maria A Rodas & Deborah Roedder John & Carlos J Torelli & Margaret C Campbell & Stefano Puntoni, 2021. "Building Brands for the Emerging Bicultural Market: The Appeal of Paradox Brands," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 48(4), pages 633-650.
    5. Zhou, Ling & Wang, Tao & Zhang, Qin & Mou, Yupeng, 2013. "Consumer insecurity and preference for nostalgic products: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(12), pages 2406-2411.
    6. Jannine D. Lasaleta & Katherine E. Loveland, 2019. "What’s New Is Old Again: Nostalgia and Retro-Styling in Response to Authenticity Threats," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(2), pages 172-184.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hartmann, Benjamin J. & Brunk, Katja H., 2019. "Nostalgia marketing and (re-)enchantment," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 669-686.
    2. Tan, Huey Yii “Daphane” & Hair, Michael, 2020. "The reciprocal effects of loneliness and consumer ethnocentrism in online behavior," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 35-46.
    3. Ho, Foo Nin & Wong, Jared & Brodowsky, Glen, 2023. "Does masstige offer the prestige of luxury without the social costs? Status and warmth perceptions from masstige and luxury signals," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    4. Justina GineikienÄ—, 2013. "Consumer Nostalgia Literature Review And An Alternative Measurement Perspective," Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies, Faculty of Economics, Vilnius University, vol. 4(2).
    5. Hawkins, Matthew A., 2020. "The moderating effect of need for belonging and communal-brand connection on counterfeit purchasing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    6. Zhou, Ling & Wang, Tao & Zhang, Qin & Mou, Yupeng, 2013. "Consumer insecurity and preference for nostalgic products: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(12), pages 2406-2411.
    7. Matthew Hawkins, 2020. "The moderating effect of need for belonging and communal-brand connection on counterfeit purchasing," Post-Print hal-02943037, HAL.
    8. Pilar Rojas Gaviria, 2012. "Three essays on how sharing and consuming support home place reconnection in contemporary liquid times," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/209597, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    9. Jared Wong & Glen Brodowsky & Foo Nin Ho, 2024. "You ain’t foolin’ me! Imposter judgments in luxury status signaling," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 129-141, March.
    10. Wang, Zi & Yuan, Ruizhi & Luo, Jun & Liu, Martin J., 2022. "Redefining “masstige” luxury consumption in the post-COVID era," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 239-254.
    11. Quach, Sara & Septianto, Felix & Thaichon, Park & Mao, Wen, 2022. "Art infusion and functional theories of attitudes toward luxury brands: The mediating role of feelings of self-inauthenticity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 538-552.
    12. Shrum, L.J. & Wong, Nancy & Arif, Farrah & Chugani, Sunaina K. & Gunz, Alexander & Lowrey, Tina M. & Nairn, Agnes & Pandelaere, Mario & Ross, Spencer M. & Ruvio, Ayalla & Scott, Kristin & Sundie, Jill, 2013. "Reconceptualizing materialism as identity goal pursuits: Functions, processes, and consequences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1179-1185.
    13. Kreuzer, Maria & Mühlbacher, Hans & von Wallpach, Sylvia, 2018. "Home in the re-making: Immigrants' transcultural experiencing of home," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 334-341.
    14. Hiroko Nakamura & Jun Kawaguchi, 2023. "Effect of Nostalgic Memory Retrieval on Anthropomorphism," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    15. Hungenberg, Eric & Slavich, Mark & Bailey, Andrew & Sawyer, Taylor, 2020. "Examining Minor League Baseball Spectator Nostalgia: A Neuroscience Perspective," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 824-837.
    16. Liu, Fu & Wei, Haiying & Zhu, Zhenzhong & Chen, Haipeng (Allan), 2022. "Warmth or competence: Brand anthropomorphism, social exclusion, and advertisement effectiveness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    17. Walasek, Lukasz & Matthews, William J & Rakow, Tim, 2015. "The need to belong and the value of belongings: Does ostracism change the subjective value of personal possessions?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 195-204.
    18. Kwan, Canice M.C. & Cheng, Shirley Y.Y. & Tsang, Alex S.L., 2023. "Societal reminiscence and decisions for a better society: A belief in progress explanation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    19. L. J. Shrum & Jaehoon Lee, 2012. "Cultural Differences in Response to Social Exclusion Two experiments tested the hypothesis that subtly different types of social exclusion (being ignored vs. being rejected) produce very different con," Working Papers 0001, College of Business, University of Texas at San Antonio.
    20. Das, Manish & Habib, Mohshin & Saha, Victor & Jebarajakirthy, Charles, 2021. "Bandwagon vs snob luxuries: Targeting consumers based on uniqueness dominance," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:mktlet:v:35:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s11002-023-09696-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.