When the reaper becomes a salesman: The influence of terror management on product preferences

Tom van Bommel (), Cormac O’Dwyer, Tim W. M. Zuidgeest and Fenna H. Poletiek
Additional contact information
Tom van Bommel: AmsterBrand: Implicit Marketing Research.
Tim W. M. Zuidgeest: AmsterBrand: Implicit Marketing Research.
Fenna H. Poletiek: Leiden University, The Netherlands.

Journal of Economic and Financial Studies (JEFS), 2015, vol. 3, issue 5, 33-42

Abstract: The present research investigates how consumer choice is affected by Terror Management Theory’s proposition of Mortality Salience increasing one’s cultural worldview defense and self-esteem striving. The study builds empirically upon prior theorizing by Arndt, Solomon, Kasser and Sheldon (2004). During an experiment, we manipulated Mortality Salience and measured product preferences for conspicuousness and familiarity. Participants primed with death were more likely to choose conspicuous products, corroborating previous research of mortality salience raising materialistic tendencies. In addition, participants showed a tendency to prefer familiar brands. These results are in line with the Terror Management Theory framework.

Keywords: Brand Preferences; Mortality Salience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M30 M31 M37 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:lrc:lareco:v:3:y:2015:i:5:p:33-42

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