The Influence Of Power Perception On The Shape Preference Of Consumers' Product Choices

Objectives: With the development of economy and the improvement of people’s living standards,consumers not only pay attention to the price and the quality of products when they make daily consumption,but also the shapes of products.The shapes of products have gradually become an important factor for consumers to buy the product.Therefore,it is very important to take the influence of the shapes of products to different consumers into account when doing product design.Combining with previous research and phenomena in life,this article focuses on the impact of power on consumer’s attitude towards shape preference and the mediating impact of selfconstruction.Methods:In the first experiment,a total of 197 data were collected by distributing questionnaires to verify the influence of the trait power on consumer’s shape preference.In the second experiment,a total of 83 participants were recruited.Episode memorizing was used to control the level of situational power and the impact of situational power is tested.In the third experiment,a total of 88 participants were recruited.Role playing was used to control the level of situational power.The impact of situational power is tested and the mediating impact of self-construction is explored.Results:In the first experiment,the variance of the scores in round and square watches between the low trait power group and the high trait power group is significant( =0.016 < 0.05);The variance of the scores in round and square mirrors between the low trait power group and the high trait power group is significant( = 0.029 < 0.05).In the second experiment,it is effective to activate the level of situational power through episode memorizing( = 0.024 < 0.05).The variance of the scores in round and square sunglasses between the low situational power group and the high situational power group is significant( = 0.028 < 0.05).The variance of the scores in round and square plate between the low situational power group and the high situational power group is not significant( = 0.524 > 0.05).In the third experiment,it is effective to activate the level of situational power through role playing( = 0.000 < 0.05).The variance of the scores in round and square handbags between the low situational power group and the high situational power group is significant( = 0.008 < 0.05).The variance of the scores in round and square table between the low situational power group and the high situational power group is not significant( = 0.850 > 0.05).Conclusions:(1)Trait power affects consumers’ preference for products of different shapes.Consumers with low level of trait power prefer round products,consumers with high level of trait power prefer square products.(2)Situational power affects consumers’ preference for products of different shapes.Consumers with a low level of situational power prefer round products,consumers with a high level of situational power prefer square products.(3)Self-construction plays an intermediary role in the influence of situational power on consumer’s shape preference.Consumers with low level of situational power prefer round products,and interdependent self-construction plays an intermediary role.Consumers with high level of situational power prefer square products,and independent self-construction plays an intermediary role.