低阶层大学生的炫耀性消费:自尊补偿与地位追求

The Conspicuous Consumption of Lower-class Undergraduate Students: Self-esteem Compensation and Status Symbol

近年来低阶层大学生炫耀性消费负性事件频发,研究以补偿性消费理论为基础,考察低阶层大学生炫耀性消费的内因与外因。实验一通过比较高、低状态自尊条件下不同阶层被试的炫耀性消费倾向来考察自尊的作用,结果表明低阶层大学生的炫耀性消费倾向受到其状态自尊的调节;实验二通过比较不同阶层被试对地位及非地位符号商品的支付意愿来考察商品符号价值的作用,结果表明低阶层大学生只有在商品具有地位符号价值时,才会表现出比高阶层大学生更强烈的炫耀性消费倾向。

Recently,many lower-class students take loans to consume.Based on the theory of compensatory consumption,the present research intend to explore the internal cause(self-esteem)and external cause(status symbol)of lower-class students’ conspicuous consumption.In Experiment 1,we selected the typical high/middle/low class students,randomly assigned participants to two different priming conditions(high state self-esteem vs.Low state self-esteem),and then measured their conspicuous consumption tendency.The results of experiment 1 demonstrated that the conspicuous consumption of lower-class undergraduate students is higher than higher-class undergraduate students when they were under Low state self-esteem priming condition.However,there didn’t exist significant difference,under higher state esteem.Study 1 proved that the conspicuous consumption of lower-class undergraduate students is aim to compensate their self-esteem.In Experiment 2,after using an experimental procedure to manipulate the subjective social class(high/low)and the symbol of pen(status/quality),we measure the willingness of participants to pay for the pen.The results of experiment demonstrated that the lower-class undergraduate students who under the high status symbol condition reported higher willingness to pay than higher-class.But,when they see the high quality pen,their willingness to pay is lower than higher-class undergraduate students.Study 2 proved that the conspicuous consumption of lower-class undergraduate students is seeking for status symbol as compensation.