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Facing Dominance: Anthropomorphism and the Effect of Product Face Ratio on Consumer Preference

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  • Ahreum Maeng
  • Pankaj Aggarwal
  • Vicki MorwitzEditor
  • Zeynep Gürhan-CanlıAssociate Editor

Abstract

A product’s front face (e.g., a watch face or car front) is typically the first point of contact and a key determinant of a consumer’s initial impression about the product. Drawing on evolutionary accounts of human face perception suggesting that the face width-to-height ratio (fWHR: bizygomatic width divided by upper-face height) can signal dominance and affect its overall evaluation, this research is based on the premise that product faces are perceived in much the same way as human faces. Five experiments tested this premise. Results suggest that like human faces, product faces with high (vs. low) fWHR are perceived as more dominant. However, while human faces with high fWHR are liked less, product faces with high fWHR are liked more as revealed by consumer preference and willingness-to-pay scores. The greater preference for the high fWHR product faces is motivated by the consumers’ desire to enhance and signal their own dominant status as evidenced by the moderating effects of type of goal and of usage context. Brand managers and product designers may be particularly interested in these findings since a simple design feature can have potentially significant marketplace impact, as was also confirmed by the field data obtained from secondary sources.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahreum Maeng & Pankaj Aggarwal & Vicki MorwitzEditor & Zeynep Gürhan-CanlıAssociate Editor, 2018. "Facing Dominance: Anthropomorphism and the Effect of Product Face Ratio on Consumer Preference," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(5), pages 1104-1122.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:1104-1122.
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    Cited by:

    1. Johnson, Samuel G.B. & Park, Seo Young, 2021. "Moral signaling through donations of money and time," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 183-196.
    2. Sharma, Monika & Rahman, Zillur, 2022. "Anthropomorphic brand management: An integrated review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 463-475.
    3. Yunjeong Ahn & Jieun Lee, 2021. "The Role of Anthropomorphic Messengers in Sustainable Participatory Corporate Social Responsibility: Focusing on Messenger’s Facial Expression and Participation Effort," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-13, April.
    4. Jamel Khenfer & Steven Shepherd & Olivier Trendel, 2020. "Customer empowerment in the face of perceived Incompetence: Effect on preference for anthropomorphized brands," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-03189338, HAL.
    5. Jamel Khenfer & Steven Shepherd & Olivier Trendel, 2020. "Customer empowerment in the face of perceived Incompetence: Effect on preference for anthropomorphized brands," Post-Print hal-03189338, HAL.
    6. Khenfer, Jamel & Shepherd, Steven & Trendel, Olivier, 2020. "Customer empowerment in the face of perceived Incompetence: Effect on preference for anthropomorphized brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 1-11.

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