The influence of others on symbolic consumption: an experimental study of consumers' evaluation of destination brands

It is commonly agreed that consumer products have significance that goes far beyond their utilitarian, functional and commercial value (e.g., Levy, 1959). People engage in consumption behaviour in part to construct their self-concepts and, in doing so, to signify group affiliations and social standing. Consumers‟ leisure travel is seen as a highly symbolic form of consumption and has been little studied from an identity signalling perspective. This study has extended the knowledge of symbolic consumption by examining the mediating role of the influence of others on the self-congruity effect, in the Self-Other Congruity Model. The influence of others was examined using the social risk construct which captured the consumers concern for how others would judge their consumption choices. The model was tested using an experimental design, in the context of the evaluation of destinations for the purpose of a leisure holiday. Reference group destination brand associations were manipulated using age-based member and dissociative reference group associations. The model evaluation for both the exciting destination and sophisticated destination provided strong support for the influence of self-congruity on behavioural intentions, thereby providing added support to the notion that an individual‟s leisure travel behavior may be explained in the context of symbolic consumption. In the case of the destination with the sophisticated personality only, there was full support for the mediating influence of social risk on behavioural intentions and for a significant influence of self-congruity on social risk. This study found that age-related reference group associations (young and old tourist imagery) differently influenced perceptions of self-congruity, social risk and behaviour. It was posited the nature of the differing personalities of the destination influenced consumer perceptions and evaluations. In summary, this dissertation offers new insights into the nature of symbolic consumption through a focus on the individuals‟ need to create and express liked identities to others.

Submission note: A thesis submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Management, Faculty of Law and Management, La Trobe University, Bundoora.

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