Impact Of Perceived Control And Self-Focused Attention On Hedonic Consumption

Object:This study aims at exploring the effect of perceived control and self-focused attention (SFA) to hedonic consumption. Based on the existing sad-spending effect and secondary control theory, the study is the development of the former and the empirical evidence of the later. As well, the marketers of hedonic or utilitarian consumption can get inspiration from this paper.Method:Before the main study, there are two preliminary experiments to check the effect of concept formation paradigm and mirror method respectively.The main study adopted the design of 2 (Control deprivation vs. Neutral-condition)×2 (self-focused attention vs. Neutral-condition),120 participants (66 female,54 male) were randomly assigned to the four teams. All the participants’age ranged from 17 to 30.Results:1. Concept formation paradigm does affect the sense of control, the score of neutral group is significantly higher than the group of lost control (control M=62.15, SD=6.48, lost control M=51.25, SD=6.94,t=5.13,p<0.01).2. Mirror method can improve SFA. The subjects before mirrors got higher SFA score than the others (mirror M=2.17, SD=1.22, none M=1.56, SD=0.80, t=-2.25, p≈0.03<0.05)3. The sense of control have a main effect on hedoric consumption. SFA and In the neutral condition of perceived control, more high SFA subjects chose utility product, while low SFA subjects tend to choose hedonic product, the difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05). Self-gift shows a significantly gender difference (p<0.01).4. Under the neutral condition, high SFA female have a higher probability to choose hedonic consumption than male (male M=9.41, female M=5.33, t=3.80, p=0.001). This difference is not significant in the other group.Conclusions:First, sad-spending effect is a compensatory secondary control strategy of high SFA individual who in the control deprivation situation.Second, according to the action-phase model of developmental regulation, in the high perceived control situation, self-gift is a use of success.Third, in high SFA condition, women are more inclined to self-gift than men. A gender differences of sense of accomplishment may be the answer. Fourth, SFA is an important phase after the deadline of action-phase model of developmental regulation. It’s the key of self regulation.