Neural and psychological antecedents of preferences for luxury

Abstract

The general purpose of this thesis was to investigate the link between values (materialism), goals (intrinsic and extrinsic) and preferences for luxury. In this work, we present empirical evidence from five studies using various measures (i.e. self-reported questionnaires, behavioural data, eye-tracking data, and fMRI) to uncover the neural and psychological bases for luxury preferences. Results demonstrate that (i) both intrinsic and extrinsic goals predict luxury consumption, (ii) materialistic tendencies are related to higher consideration of brands, while (iii) non-materialistic tendencies are related to higher consideration of quality, (iv) materialism and luxury brands modulate the neural network involved in reward processing, and (v) materialism modulates impulsive tendencies toward luxury in a threatening context. Our findings highlight the importance of considering personal goals and values, such as materialism, in the context of luxury consumption. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.