The objective of our study is twofold. Firstly, we aim to enhance the understanding of intergroup conflict, in particular, to illuminate subtle manifestations of discrimination that follow from ambiguous feelings toward outgroups. Secondly, we follow Crusius et al.’s (2012) call for addressing the underlying psychological mechanisms that shape economic behavior, here in precise the phenomenon of CC.
For this purpose, we adopt a sociological perspective on prejudice which allows us to consider how individual psychology and behavior might be driven by social structures, specifically intergroup relations. We integrate theories of cognitive automatisms, emotions, stereotype formation, and group identity into a holistic framework and propose an empirical study to test the model. By doing so, we attempt to answer the following research question: Can conspicuous consumption in some cases be identified as a group-based bias mediated by envy?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Theoretical Background
- Social Categorization
- Stereotype Content Model (SCM)
- Group-based Emotions
- Envy from an Evolutionary Perspective
- Adaptive Behaviors
- CC as a Contradiction to the Rational Socio Economicus
- Conceptual Model
- Methodology
- Experiment 1
- Experiment 2
- Expected Results and Discussion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This research aims to shed light on the subtle manifestations of discrimination that stem from ambiguous feelings towards outgroups. Specifically, it examines conspicuous consumption (CC) as a possible expression of group-based bias mediated by envy. The research seeks to understand the psychological mechanisms underlying CC and its connection to intergroup relations.
- Intergroup Conflict and Prejudice
- Social Categorization and Stereotype Activation
- The Role of Envy in Conspicuous Consumption
- Status Comparisons and Adaptive Behaviors
- Subtle Forms of Discrimination and Group-based Bias
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction lays out the research problem, highlighting the shift from overt to more subtle forms of racism and the need to understand their impact on consumer behavior. It introduces the concept of conspicuous consumption and its potential connection to envy as a group-based emotion. The theoretical background delves into social categorization, the Stereotype Content Model, and the role of envy from an evolutionary perspective. It explains how social categorization can lead to stereotype activation and how envy can drive adaptive behaviors like increased willingness to pay for luxurious goods. The study's methodology is outlined, describing the experimental design and the research question: can conspicuous consumption be identified as a group-based bias mediated by envy?
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The research focuses on intergroup conflict, subtle discrimination, conspicuous consumption, envy, social categorization, stereotype content model, group-based emotions, adaptive behaviors, and the influence of social structures on individual behavior. The study utilizes a sociological perspective to understand how individual psychology and behavior are shaped by intergroup relations.
- Citation du texte
- Eva Lang (Auteur), 2022, A Subtle Manifestation of Stereotypes? Investigating Conspicuous Consumption, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1268811
