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

Yunxin Liu

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2023, vol. 70, issue C

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.

Keywords: Sensory marketing; Touchscreen; Mental imagery; Psychological ownership; Restraint behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:70:y:2023:i:c:s0969698922002752

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103182

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