Face as a mediator of the relationship between material value and brand consciousness

Although the relationship between materialism and name-brand consumption has been documented in literature, its relational mechanism is not well addressed. It can hardly explain why people buy brand products without really knowing about the brands. In this case, people may consume brand products not for material possessions but for social needs, such as a desire to have favorable social self-worth and to be respected in relation to others and social activities, which is defined as face (Ting-Toomey & Kurogi, 1998). The present study explored how the relationship between materialism and brand consciousness is influenced by face. The role of face was tested both as a moderator and as a mediator. The results showed that face consciousness, material values, and brand consciousness were significantly correlated but did not exhibit significant interaction. Multiple regression analyses support face not as a moderator, but as a partial mediator. The results provide new insights into the mechanisms of how materialism and face influence brand consciousness differently. The theoretical meaning and implications for marketing management are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[1]  M. Gelfand,et al.  Culture, gender, and self: a perspective from individualism-collectivism research. , 1995, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[2]  J. Xiao,et al.  Consumer Decision‐Making Styles of Young‐Adult Chinese , 1998 .

[3]  R. Belk,et al.  CHINESE CONSUMER READINGS OF GLOBAL AND LOCAL ADVERTISING APPEALS , 2004 .

[4]  George B. Sproles,et al.  A methodology for profiling consumers' decision-making styles , 1986 .

[5]  Marie J. Lachance,et al.  Adolescents’ brand sensitivity in apparel: influence of three socialization agents , 2003 .

[6]  C. Su,et al.  How Face Influences Consumption - A Comparative Study of American and Chinese Consumers , 2007 .

[7]  Russell W. Belk,et al.  Becoming a Consumer Society: A Longitudinal and Cross-Cultural Content Analysis of Print Ads from Hong Kong, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan , 1989 .

[8]  Miriam Tatzel.  ''Money worlds'' and well-being: An integration of money dispositions, materialism and price-related behavior , 2002 .

[9]  Heung Soo Park,et al.  High‐versus low‐Context culture: A comparison of Chinese, Korean, and American cultures , 1998 .

[10]  S. G. Redding,et al.  The Role of “Face” in the Organizational Perceptions of Chinese Managers , 1983 .

[11]  Charmine Härtel,et al.  Cross‐cultural differences in consumer decision‐making styles , 2005 .

[12]  Rajeev Kamineni,et al.  Influence of materialism, gender and nationality on consumer brand perceptions , 2005 .

[13]  D. Ho.  On the Concept of Face , 1976, American Journal of Sociology.

[14]  R. Belk.  Materialism: Trait Aspects of Living in the Material World , 1985 .

[15]  Richard P. Bagozzi,et al.  An Investigation of Construct Validity and Generalizability of the Self-Concept: , 1996 .

[16]  K. Zhou,et al.  Face consciousness and risk aversion: Do they affect consumer decision‐making? , 2003 .

[17]  Marsha L. Richins.  Valuing Things: The Public and Private Meanings of Possessions , 1994 .

[18]  M. Friedman,et al.  The Changing Language of a Consumer Society: Brand Name Usage in Popular American Novels in the Postwar Era , 1985 .

[19]  Lalita A. Manrai,et al.  A cross‐cultural comparison of style in Eastern European emerging markets , 2001 .

[20]  B. Browne,et al.  Conceptualizing self‐monitoring: links to materialism and product involvement , 1997 .

[21]  D. A. Kenny,et al.  The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. , 1986, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[22]  Gilbert A. Churchill,et al.  Consumer Socialization: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis , 1978 .

[23]  Marsha L. Richins.  The Material Values Scale: Measurement Properties and Development of a Short Form , 2004 .

[24]  Marsha L. Richins,et al.  A Consumer Values Orientation for Materialism and Its Measurement: Scale Development and Validation , 1992 .

[25]  E. Goffman.  On face-work; an analysis of ritual elements in social interaction. , 1955, Psychiatry.

[26]  Richard P. Bagozzi,et al.  The year 2000: Looking forward , 2000 .

[27]  H. Markus,et al.  Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. , 1991 .

[28]  Stanley C. Hollander,et al.  Desire-Induced, Innate, Insatiable? , 1986 .

[29]  Allan K. K. Chan,et al.  The Influence of Hedonic Values on Consumer Behaviors , 2000 .

[30]  John C. Schweitzer,et al.  Cultural values reflected in Chinese and U.S. television commercials , 1996 .

[31]  Marsha L. Richins.  Special Possessions and the Expression of Material Values , 1994 .

[32]  Stella Ting-Toomey,et al.  Facework competence in intercultural conflict: an updated face-negotiation theory , 1998 .

[33]  Russell W. Belk,et al.  MATERIALISM AND STATUS APPEALS IN JAPANESE AND US PRINT ADVERTISING , 1985 .

[34]  Andrew N. Christopher,et al.  Materialism and Attitudes Toward Money: An Exploratory Investigation , 2004 .

[35]  Jean C. Darian.  Parent‐child decision making in children’s clothing stores , 1998 .

[36]  R. Belk.  Possessions and the Extended Self , 1988 .

[37]  Susan H. C. Tai,et al.  A lifestyle analysis of female consumers in greater China , 1997 .

[38]  Claire S. Wong,et al.  Parental influence on the purchase of luxury brands of infant apparel: an exploratory study in Hong Kong , 2003 .

[39]  K. Hwang.  Face and Favor: The Chinese Power Game , 1987, American Journal of Sociology.

[40]  N. Wong,et al.  Personal taste and family face: Luxury consumption in Confucian and western societies , 1998 .