IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v70y2023ics0969698922002752.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How and why a touchscreen interface impacts psychological ownership and its downstream consequences

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Yunxin

Abstract

Touchscreen interfaces (e.g., smartphones and tablets) provide marketers with an excellent opportunity to reach more consumers. This research investigated how and why the interface mode (touchscreen vs. non-touchscreen) impacts psychological ownership and its downstream consequences in the food domain. In a series of three experiments, participants were asked to complete food-related tasks through either a touchscreen (e.g., smartphone) or a non-touchscreen (e.g., personal computer) interface. The results show that touchscreen (vs. non-touchscreen) interfaces induce higher psychological ownership. Two experiments demonstrated the mediating role of mental imagery using the measurement-of-mediation (experiment 1) and experimental-causal-chain design (experiment 2), respectively. The results also show that touchscreens (vs. non-touchscreens) result in positive product evaluations (i.e., willingness to pay and purchase intentions), and these effects are mediated through mental imagery and psychological ownership (experiment 3). Additionally, the results show that the effect of interface mode on mental imagery and the corresponding mediation effects are more likely to occur among unrestrained (vs. restrained) eaters (experiments 1&3). The results of an exploratory study found that consumers think these effects are undesirable and that they would benefit from avoiding these effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Yunxin, 2023. "How and why a touchscreen interface impacts psychological ownership and its downstream consequences," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:70:y:2023:i:c:s0969698922002752
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103182
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698922002752
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103182?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. Potdar, Balkrushna & Guthrie, John & Gnoth, Juergen & Garry, Tony, 2018. "The role of psychological ownership in shoplifting prevention: An exploratory study," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 253-265.
    2. Kumar, Vikas & Kaushal, Vikrant, 2021. "Perceived brand authenticity and social exclusion as drivers of psychological brand ownership," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    3. Xiaoyu Wang & Hean Tat Keh & Hongrui Zhao & Yijie Ai, 2020. "Touch vs. click: how computer interfaces polarize consumers’ evaluations," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 265-277, September.
    4. Joann Peck & Suzanne B. Shu, 2009. "The Effect of Mere Touch on Perceived Ownership," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 36(3), pages 434-447.
    5. De Canio, Francesca & Fuentes-Blasco, Maria, 2021. "I need to touch it to buy it! How haptic information influences consumer shopping behavior across channels," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    6. Ozgun Atasoy & Carey K Morewedge & Vicki MorwitzEditor & Kristin DiehlAssociate Editor, 2018. "Digital Goods Are Valued Less Than Physical Goods," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(6), pages 1343-1357.
    7. Zhu, Ying & Meyer, Jeffrey, 2017. "Getting in touch with your thinking style: How touchscreens influence purchase," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 51-58.
    8. Peck, Joann & Childers, Terry L, 2003. "Individual Differences in Haptic Information Processing: The "Need for Touch" Scale," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 30(3), pages 430-442, December.
    9. Petit, Olivia & Javornik, Ana & Velasco, Carlos, 2022. "We Eat First with Our (Digital) Eyes: Enhancing Mental Simulation of Eating Experiences via Visual-Enabling Technologies," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 277-293.
    10. Kim, Minjeong & Kim, Jung-Hwan & Park, Minjung & Yoo, Jungmin, 2021. "The roles of sensory perceptions and mental imagery in consumer decision-making," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    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. Johannes D. Hattula & Walter Herzog & Ravi Dhar, 2023. "The impact of touchscreen devices on consumers’ choice confidence and purchase likelihood," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 35-53, March.
    2. Xiaoyu Wang & Hean Tat Keh & Hongrui Zhao & Yijie Ai, 2020. "Touch vs. click: how computer interfaces polarize consumers’ evaluations," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 265-277, September.
    3. Racat, Margot & Capelli, Sonia & Lichy, Jessica, 2021. "New insights into ‘technologies of touch’: Information processing in product evaluation and purchase intention," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    4. Leah Warfield Smith & Randall Lee Rose & Alex R. Zablah & Heath McCullough & Mohammad “Mike” Saljoughian, 2023. "Examining post-purchase consumer responses to product automation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 530-550, May.
    5. Bong-Goon Seo & Do-Hyung Park, 2020. "The Effective Type of Information Categorization in Online Curation Service Depending on Psychological Ownership," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-13, April.
    6. Shi, Savannah Wei & Kalyanam, Kirthi, 2018. "Touchable Apps: Exploring the Usage of Touch Features and Their Impact on Engagement," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 43-59.
    7. Jan Vrána & Stanislav Mokrý, 2020. "Haptics and its Effect on Consumers' Intentions Using Neuroscientific Methods: Literature Review," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 68(2), pages 451-457.
    8. Jha, Subhash & Balaji, M.S. & Peck, Joann & Oakley, Jared & Deitz, George D., 2020. "The Effects of Environmental Haptic Cues on Consumer Perceptions of Retailer Warmth and Competence," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 96(4), pages 590-605.
    9. Sabrina V. Helm & Victoria Ligon & Tony Stovall & Silvia Riper, 2018. "Consumer interpretations of digital ownership in the book market," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 28(2), pages 177-189, May.
    10. Pathak, Kanishka & Prakash, Gyan, 2023. "Exploring the role of augmented reality in purchase intention: Through flow and immersive experience," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    11. Duarte, Paulo & e Silva, Susana Costa, 2020. "Need-for-touch and online purchase propensity: A comparative study of Portuguese and Chinese consumers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    12. Pino, Giovanni & Amatulli, Cesare & Nataraajan, Rajan & De Angelis, Matteo & Peluso, Alessandro M. & Guido, Gianluigi, 2020. "Product touch in the real and digital world: How do consumers react?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 492-501.
    13. Madzharov, Adriana V., 2019. "Self-Control and Touch: When Does Direct Versus Indirect Touch Increase Hedonic Evaluations and Consumption of Food," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 95(4), pages 170-185.
    14. Pantoja, Felipe & Borges, Adilson & Rossi, Patricia & Yamim, Amanda Pruski, 2020. "If I touch it, I will like it! The role of tactile inputs on gustatory perceptions of food items," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    15. Liu, Wumei & Batra, Rajeev & Wang, Haizhogn, 2017. "Product Touch and Consumers’ Online and Offline Buying: The Role of Mental Representation," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(3), pages 369-381.
    16. Yoo, Kiwoong & Welden, Roman & Hewett, Kelly & Haenlein, Michael, 2023. "The merchants of meta: A research agenda to understand the future of retailing in the metaverse," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 173-192.
    17. Ringler, Christine & Sirianni, Nancy J. & Gustafsson, Anders & Peck, Joann, 2019. "Look but Don’t Touch! The Impact of Active Interpersonal Haptic Blocking on Compensatory Touch and Purchase Behavior," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 95(4), pages 186-203.
    18. Mulcahy, Rory Francis & Riedel, Aimee S., 2020. "‘Touch it, swipe it, shake it’: Does the emergence of haptic touch in mobile retailing advertising improve its effectiveness?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    19. Petit, Olivia & Velasco, Carlos & Spence, Charles, 2019. "Digital Sensory Marketing: Integrating New Technologies Into Multisensory Online Experience," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 42-61.
    20. Krishna, Aradhna & Cian, Luca & Aydınoğlu, Nilüfer Z., 2017. "Sensory Aspects of Package Design," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 43-54.

    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:eee:joreco:v:70:y:2023:i:c:s0969698922002752. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    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.