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From Compensatory Consumption to Adaptive Consumption: The Role of Self-Acceptance in Resolving Self-Deficits

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  • Soo Kim
  • David Gal

Abstract

Recent research in consumer behavior has documented the phenomenon of compensatory consumption, whereby individuals respond to information about deficits in their abilities, skills, status, and so forth by consuming products that symbolically compensate for the self-deficits. However, the examination of factors that might lead individuals to take more productive action in response to self-deficit information is limited. This article identifies self-acceptance as a moderator of when individuals engage in compensatory consumption versus adaptive consumption (i.e., consumption intended to help the individual improve in the area of deficit) in response to self-deficit information. Three studies show that, through self-acceptance, individuals reduce compensatory consumption and are more likely to engage in adaptive consumption to address self-deficits. Evidence suggests that self-acceptance affects individuals' responses to self-deficit information by changing their appraisal of self-deficits from harmful to benign to their self-worth. We distinguish self-acceptance from the related constructs of self-esteem, self-affirmation, and apathy.

Suggested Citation

  • Soo Kim & David Gal, 2014. "From Compensatory Consumption to Adaptive Consumption: The Role of Self-Acceptance in Resolving Self-Deficits," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 41(2), pages 526-542.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/676681
    DOI: 10.1086/676681
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    Cited by:

    1. Mahnaz Mansoor & Justin Paul, 2022. "Consumers' choice behavior: An interactive effect of expected eudaimonic well‐being and green altruism," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 94-109, January.
    2. Kim, Joo Young & Kim, Jungkeun & Koo, Chulmo, 2024. "Understanding compensatory travel," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    3. Zheng, Xiaoying & Baskin, Ernest & Peng, Siqing, 2018. "Feeling inferior, showing off: The effect of nonmaterial social comparisons on conspicuous consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 196-205.
    4. Hugo Hanbury & Christoph Bader & Stephanie Moser, 2019. "Reducing Working Hours as a Means to Foster Low(er)-Carbon Lifestyles? An Exploratory Study on Swiss Employees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Dahana, Wirawan Dony & Miwa, Yukihiro & Morisada, Makoto, 2019. "Linking lifestyle to customer lifetime value: An exploratory study in an online fashion retail market," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 319-331.
    6. Karanika, Katerina & Hogg, Margaret K., 2016. "Being kind to ourselves: Self-compassion, coping, and consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 760-769.
    7. Friedmann, Enav & Weiss-Sidi, Merav & Solodoha, Eliran, 2024. "Unveiling impact dynamics: Discriminatory brand advertisements, stress response, and the call for ethical marketing practices," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    8. Tiwari, Veenus & Mishra, Abhishek, 2023. "The effect of a hotel's star-rating-based expectations of safety from the pandemic on during-stay experiences," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    9. Dang, Ngoc Bich & Bertrandias, Laurent, 2023. "Social robots as healing aids: How and why powerlessness influences the intention to adopt social robots," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    10. Meng, Lu (Monroe) & Bie, Yongyue & Yang, Mengya & Wang, Yijie, 2024. "Watching it motivates me to become stronger: Virtual influencers' impact on consumer self-improvement product preferences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    11. Rodrigo S Dias & Eesha Sharma & Gavan J Fitzsimons, 2022. "Spending and Happiness: The Role of Perceived Financial Constraints [Does Spending Money on Others Promote Happiness?: A Registered Replication Report]," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 49(3), pages 373-388.
    12. Haithem Zourrig & Kamel El Hedhli, 2023. "Consumption coping strategies and well‐being among refugee consumers," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(1), pages 140-170, January.
    13. Jia, Yanli & Wyer, Robert S., 2022. "The effect of control deprivation on consumers’ adoption of no-pain, no-gain principle," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 678-698.
    14. Wang, Yaming & Wang, Xingyuan & Chen, Haipeng (Allan) & Ouyang, Qiang, 2024. "Effect of status threat on preference for cross-domain self-improvement products: The moderation of trade-off beliefs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    15. Zhimin Zhou & Fucheng Zheng & Jialing Lin & Nan Zhou, 2021. "The interplay among green brand knowledge, expected eudaimonic well‐being and environmental consciousness on green brand purchase intention," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(2), pages 630-639, March.
    16. Ga Young Ko & Donghyuk Shin & Seigyoung Auh & Yeonjung Lee & Sang Pil Han, 2023. "Learning Outside the Classroom During a Pandemic: Evidence from an Artificial Intelligence-Based Education App," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(6), pages 3616-3649, June.
    17. Philp, Matthew & Pyle, Martin A., 2021. "The “easy win” preference: Negative consumption experiences, incompetence, and the influence on subsequent unrelated loyalty behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 1-10.

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