When physical closeness induces psychological distance: The effects of psychological ownership and contagion threat on social connectedness

Abstract

AbstractThis research examines the effect of a contagion threat on consumers' social connectedness. Across two experiments, we show that when consumers are near others in public places during a pandemic (but not before or after), they psychologically distance themselves by perceiving lower social connectedness. This reduction in social connectedness is higher when consumers have more (vs. less) psychological ownership of the public place (Study 1). Further, the negative effect of psychological ownership on social connectedness found during (but not after) a pandemic is attenuated when consumers do not believe the disease is a severe threat to their own health (Study 2). We examine downstream effects by illustrating that both individual psychological ownership and social connectedness contribute to collective psychological ownership, which in turn enhances stewardship of the public place. The interacting effects of a contagion threat and psychological ownership on stewardship are not explained by territorial infringement, self‐esteem, perceived crowding, positive or negative affect, hope or nostalgia.