Title: Brand attitudev: the role of social presence in mortality salience effects
Abstract: The present study is based on the Terror Management Theory, which provides a framework to examine the effects of mortality salience on human behaviour. According to this theory a reminder of death promotes the defence of one’s own worldview in order to provide high levels of self-esteem, which can function as a buffer against existential anxiety. Since consumerism and materialism can be considered part of the western worldview it is assumed that they can also be influenced by the fear of death. A reminder of death thus leads to materialistic behaviour to the extent that materialism is a cultural value. Social presence influences choices of consumers in such a way that they will behave in ways that they expect to be evaluated positively by others. Therefore, living up to cultural standards by means of consumption can be seen as a method to gain social approval. Accordingly, the gained social approval leads to enhanced self-esteem, which is, according to Terror Management Theory, essential for coping with death-related thoughts. The current article describes research that was conducted to investigate the influence of mortality salience on the attitude towards a luxury brand compared to a control brand. It was hypothesized that social presence would moderate the influence of mortality salience in such a way that the effect of mortality salience on the luxury brand attitude is stronger under conditions of social presence
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Language: en
Type: dissertation
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