Tell me what you buy, and I will tell you how you are: Luxurious cars increase perceptions of status, social dominance, and attractiveness

Abstract

Luxury products impact the physical, emotional, and social well-being. This research investigated the impact of premium products on mating value, social dominance, and social status in a Brazilian sample. Two studies were conducted. The first study examined whether the evaluation of mating value and social dominance is affected by consumption choices. For this purpose, 171 participants assessed the mating value and the social dominance of opposite-sex stimulus subjects who owned cars in the premium or popular categories. The second study examined whether owning premium cars influences self-perception of social status, social dominance, and mating value. In this study, 409 participants with different consumption patterns (no car ownership, non-premium car ownership, and premium car ownership) rated their subjective social status, social dominance orientation, and mating value. The results indicate that stimulus subjects with premium cars were evaluated with higher mating value and dominance. Similarly, participants who owned a premium car exhibited higher levels of mating value and social dominance. The findings suggest that the consumption of luxury products influences social perception that matches with self-perceived characteristics. This information provides insights for the development of consumer decision-making models and enables informing consumers about the consequences of their choices in the social environment.