It’s often remarked that individuals purchase items they don’t truly need, using money they don’t possess to impress those they scarcely care for. This practice is termed conspicuous consumption, and it is characterised by the consumers’ desire for these items to be noticed by others.

Previously, it was believed that conspicuous consumption resulted from irrational behaviour heavily influenced by marketing and advertising strategies. However, recent findings from a study by Dr. Jim Swaffield of Athabasca University and Dr. Jesus Sierra Jimenez of Vancouver Island University propose a different perspective on this phenomenon.

According to Dr. Swaffield, who led the research, the inclination to showcase these products stems from an interplay between environmental stimuli and inherent biological tendencies. Ownership or use of such products sends a clear message to observers, potentially indicating wealth, physical strength, or elevated social standing. Some items may even serve to deter or intimidate others.

A gene-environment interaction sparks the motivation to use products as a means of communication. Dr. Swaffield describes this using the analogy: “Genetics is the gun, and the environment is the trigger.” The study illustrates that conspicuous consumption has historically aided our ancestors in surviving and attracting mates.

In their peer-reviewed research, Drs. Swaffield and Jimenez explore how genetic predispositions and environmental factors influence the desire for signalling products. They investigated how varying degrees of financial, social, and physical harshness affect this desire. Dr Swaffield, with his doctorate in evolutionary psychology, explains that the human brain is wired to favour survival and reproductive success, evolving to detect even minor changes in environmental conditions that might signal safety or danger.

These subtle shifts can unconsciously activate the desire for products that promote survival, intimidate rivals, or enhance attractiveness to potential mates. For instance, in environments perceived as hostile and unsafe, the conspicuous display of items that project toughness could serve a protective role by deterring potential threats. Conversely, the inclination towards conspicuous consumption may wane in extremely harsh conditions as individuals prefer not to draw attention.

The study further delved into how different environmental stressors, such as social isolation, financial constraints, and concerns for physical safety, influence the desire for these signalling products. An online experiment involving Canadian men and women assessed their initial interest in various products, which ranged from beautifying to wealth and toughness-signalling items.

Participants were then placed into one of six experimental groups and exposed to narratives that evoked specific environmental conditions. Their subsequent product desires were measured to see how they adjusted from their initial preferences. The findings indicated that while mild environmental stress increased the desire for signalling products, acute financial or physical insecurity led to a decline in this desire.

Interestingly, the study noted minimal variation in product desire under safe versus harsh social environments. Dr Swaffield suggests that these results call for a paradigm shift in understanding consumer behaviour, challenging the traditional view that advertising is the primary driver of conspicuous consumption.

These insights prompt reconsideration of marketing strategies and raise questions for government policymakers about the effectiveness of advertising bans in addressing issues like compulsive buying disorders and overconsumption. The study positions conspicuous consumption within a broader context of evolutionary biology and environmental interplay, suggesting that consumer behaviour is as much a result of nature and nurture as commercial influence.

More information: Jim Swaffield et al, Unconscious Drivers of Consumer Behavior: An Examination of the Effect of Nature–Nurture Interactions on Product Desire, Behavioral Sciences. DOI: 10.3390/bs14090789

Journal information: Behavioral Sciences Provided by Athabasca University