The Impact of Private versus Public Consumption on Variety-Seeking Behavior
three experiments. People built more variety into consumption decisions when their behaviour was subject to public scrutiny. Studies 1 and 2: consumers expect others to evaluate their decision more favourably if they choose variety, and this sometimes leads them to put more variety into public than private decisions, with self-monitoring moderating the effect. Study 3: the pressure to choose variety in public is eliminated when a social cue signals that consuming one's favourites is appropriate. Stated scope: variety seeking under expected evaluation. Author order at the item record: Ratner first, Kahn second. This is the mechanism candidate for the table-ordering result and an independent l
three experiments. People built more variety into consumption decisions when their behaviour was subject to public scrutiny. Studies 1 and 2: consumers expect others to evaluate their decision more favourably if they choose variety, and this sometimes leads them to put more variety into public than private decisions, with self-monitoring moderating the effect. Study 3: the pressure to choose variety in public is eliminated when a social cue signals that consuming one's favourites is appropriate. Stated scope: variety seeking under expected evaluation. Author order at the item record: Ratner first, Kahn second. This is the mechanism candidate for the table-ordering result and an independent l
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Ratner, R. K., & Kahn, B. E. (2002). The Impact of Private versus Public Consumption on Variety-Seeking Behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 29(2), 246-257. doi:10.1086/341574.