Regulatory focus and consumption of counterfeit luxury goods: Roles of functional theories of attitudes and perceived similarity

Abstract

Four studies show that promotion (vs. prevention) focus leads to greater counterfeit consumption, and that social functions of attitudes and perceived similarity form a chain mediation underlying these effects. Study 1 links chronic regulatory focus to counterfeit consumption behavior in both China and South Korea. Study 2 replicates Study 1′s findings using primed regulatory focus and a behavioral measure of counterfeit preference. Study 3 tests the effect of regulatory focus on counterfeit consumption in a different context and demonstrates the mediating roles of social functions of attitudes and perceived similarity. Study 4 examines the boundary condition of social functions of attitudes: When social-adjustive function is made salient (compared to a control condition), prevention-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is elevated, whereas promotion-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is unaffected. However, when value-expressive function is made salient (compared to a control condition), promotion-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is reduced, whereas prevention-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is unaffected.