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Truly, Madly, Deeply: Consumers in the Throes of Material Possession Love

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  • John L. Lastovicka
  • Nancy J. Sirianni

Abstract

Our treatment of material possession love expands an understanding of the role that discrete emotional attachment forms play in identifying commercial value for marketers and in enhancing consumer well-being. Employing a mixed-methods research design--relying on both qualitative and quantitative data--we develop and empirically test a three-factor, but seven-faceted, conceptualization of material possession love in four separate consumption contexts (automobiles, computers, bicycles, and firearms). We find love-smitten consumers nurturing their beloved possessions, in part, by buying complementary products and services. We also find that material possession love is empirically tied to loneliness and social affiliation deficits, which suggests a compensatory basis of consumer well-being. We distinguish possession love from the construct of attitude and empirically demonstrate the distinct functionality of each. Our concluding discussion considers our mixed-methods findings and their implications for consumer research.

Suggested Citation

  • John L. Lastovicka & Nancy J. Sirianni, 2011. "Truly, Madly, Deeply: Consumers in the Throes of Material Possession Love," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 38(2), pages 323-342.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/658338
    DOI: 10.1086/658338
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Pace, 2013. "Does Religion Affect the Materialism of Consumers? An Empirical Investigation of Buddhist Ethics and the Resistance of the Self," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 112(1), pages 25-46, January.
    2. Schindler, Robert M. & Minton, Elizabeth A., 2022. "What becomes sacred to the consumer: Implications for marketers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 355-365.
    3. 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.
    4. Xueqin Wang & Yiik Diew Wong & Kum Fai Yuen, 2021. "Rise of ‘Lonely’ Consumers in the Post-COVID-19 Era: A Synthesised Review on Psychological, Commercial and Social Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Malhotra, Gunjan & Ramalingam, Mahesh, 2022. "Does impact of campaign and consumer guilt help in exploring the role of national identity and purchase decisions of consumers?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Karanika, Katerina & Hogg, Margaret K., 2020. "Self–object relationships in consumers’ spontaneous metaphors of anthropomorphism, zoomorphism, and dehumanization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 15-25.
    7. Martin Reimann & Sandra Nuñez & Raquel Castaño, 2017. "Brand-Aid," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(3), pages 673-691.
    8. Asma Amjad & Fiza Amjad & Khalid Jamil & Sharjeel Yousaf, 2018. "Moderating role of self-congruence: Impact of brand personality on Brand attachment through the Mediating role of Trust," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 10(1), pages 13-22.
    9. Alnawas, Ibrahim & Al Khateeb, Amr & El Hedhli, Kamel, 2023. "The effects of app-related factors on app stickiness: The role of cognitive and emotional app relationship quality," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    10. M. Joseph Sirgy & Dong-Jin Lee & Grace B. Yu, 2020. "Shopping-Life Balance: Towards a Unifying Framework," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(1), pages 17-34, March.
    11. Ferreira Pedro & Rodrigues Paula & Rodrigues Pedro, 2019. "Brand Love as Mediator of the Brand Experience-Satisfaction-Loyalty Relationship in a Retail Fashion Brand," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 14(3), pages 278-291, September.
    12. Sarah Diefenbach & Svetlana Jung & Thomas Diller & Christina Franze & Stina Maciejczyk, 2018. "The Secret of Self-Made: The Potential of Different Types of Consumer Participation for Product Attachment and Commercial Value," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-19, March.
    13. Ferreira, Marcia Christina & Scaraboto, Daiane, 2016. "“My plastic dreams”: Towards an extended understanding of materiality and the shaping of consumer identities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 191-207.
    14. Heidenreich, Sven & Killmer, Jan F. & Millemann, Jan A., 2022. "If at first you don't adopt - Investigating determinants of new product leapfrogging behavior," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    15. Xun (Irene) Huang & Zhongqiang (Tak) Huang & Robert S WyerJr & Darren DahlEditor & JoAndrea HoeggAssociate Editor, 2018. "The Influence of Social Crowding on Brand Attachment," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(5), pages 1068-1084.
    16. Jang, Eunyoung & Arens, Zachary G., 2023. "Compensating for interpersonal relationships with brand relationships: A two-dimensional view," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    17. Anubhav A. Mishra, 2018. "Consumer responses to brand deletion," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(2), pages 160-170, March.
    18. Markus Blut & Cheng Wang & Nancy V. Wünderlich & Christian Brock, 2021. "Understanding anthropomorphism in service provision: a meta-analysis of physical robots, chatbots, and other AI," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 632-658, July.
    19. 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.

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