Stand out or fit in: Understanding consumer minimalism from a social comparison perspective

Abstract

Consumer minimalism has been gaining popularity globally over the past few years. Drawing from social comparison theory, the current research investigates how social comparison affects minimalist consumption (i.e., reduced possessions and mindful purchases). Specifically, four studies convergently show that consumers who make downward (vs. upward) social comparisons are more (vs. less) likely to engage in minimalist consumption (Study 1). Notably, status (vs. affiliation) motives mediate this effect (Study 2). Furthermore, the core effect will be strengthened among consumers with strong (vs. weak) spending-implies-wealth (SIW) beliefs (Studies 3 and 4). In addition to contributing to the literature on social comparison and consumer minimalism, these findings also suggest new insights for managers and policymakers to promote minimalist campaigns and consequently facilitate sustainable marketing.