The general idea of this master thesis is to investigate the phenomenon of conspicuous consumption in Russia from a totally new perspective – the perspective of a young generation of consumers with a set of motivation. Thus, the aim of this research is to examine the interdependence between narcissism and conspicuous consumption in young generation of Russian consumers.
The purchasing of goods in order to demonstrate the wealth and power for the further purpose of the status maintenance is not a new tendency for Russia nowadays. Conspicuous consumption is frequently linked with the post-communist countries, consumers of those are the worldwide famous for their love to luxury goods. Thus, historically the term refers to the upper-class people, who purchase expensive brand products in a pursuit of prestige and honor.
However, with the time and many political, economic, and social media influences, the phenomenon itself has developed. Goods-demonstrators, main players and the initial purposes have been shifted significantly. As one of the main change, the self-related motives became one of the most important group of drivers of the purchasing decision, what is especially interesting to see among the non-mature consumer segment of the country, young generation.
Being grown in modern consumer societies and spoiled by wide variety of choices, ironically young people tend to consume goods to feed their self-love. Having purchased a novelty of the season, a modern youngster hurries to make “selfie” and post it in social network to get some approvals and/or admiration, measuring in “likes”. Many scientists worldwide claim that such a habit may root in much deeper reason than just the age of technology, and even assign it to personal complexes. Deriving from the childhood, those complexes cause in the chronicle narcissism, which is dramatically increasing in people of modern society.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1. Research background
1.2. Problem statement
1.3. Purpose of research
1.4. Research questions
1.5. Structure
CHAPTER 2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Conspicuous consumption
2.2.1. Motivation types of conspicuous consumption
2.2.2. Individual differences
2.2.3. Conspicuous consumption in Russia
2.3. Narcissism
2.3.2. Narcissism types
2.4. Reference of both phenomenon to the young generation
2.5. Narcissism and conspicuous consumption
2.6. Hypotheses formulating
CHAPTER 3 PRIMARY DATA RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Research design
3.3. Sample decision
3.4. Questionnaire design
3.5. Data collection methods
3.6. Data analyses methods
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1. Data screening and cleaning
4.2. Descriptive statistics
4.2.1. Total sample profile
4.3. Effect of factors on narcissism
4.4. Effects of factors on conspicuous consumption
4.5. Hypotheses testing
4.5.1. Correlation between both phenomenon
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
5.1. Summary of research findings
5.2. Managerial Implications
5.3. Limitations and future research
Research Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between narcissism and conspicuous consumption within the young generation of consumers in Russia, utilizing a correlational study design to evaluate their interdependence and predictive nature.
- Examination of the theoretical link between narcissism as a personality trait and conspicuous consumption patterns.
- Analysis of specific motivational types behind conspicuous consumption, such as status, prestige, and individuality.
- Investigation of demographic factors, including age, family size, and income, as potential influencers of these phenomena.
- Application of quantitative research methods, specifically survey-based data collection, to establish empirical evidence.
- Development of managerial recommendations for companies targeting the Russian youth segment based on identified consumer behaviors.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.1. Motivation types of conspicuous consumption
Ever since Veblen (1899) theorized the nature of conspicuous consumption, has sparked a lively and continuous debate on whether the demonstrative behavior of customers is determined by the extreme wealth and social status or the childhood complex and lowest social class of those. In “The theory of leisure class” he highlighted two possible motives of phenomenon: “invidious comparison” and “pecuniary emulation”. First means a motivation, which refers to the attempt of a member of higher social class to distinguish himself from members of a lower ones. And second, contrary, represented by lower class members, who are struggling to pretend be seen as a higher ones. No matter what is the reasoning, consumer behavior remains the same in both cases – they mimic the consumption of desired others, adding to the goods a symbolic value of demonstration.
Following the initial theory, the later researches tried to find motives of such behavior, and contingently divided them into several socio-psychological concepts. First of those, as mentioned already, demonstration behavior as a way to maintain membership in the social group, or in other words – to keep up with Joneses (Abel, 1990). The decision to possess the certain good comes from a desire to keep up with the particular social group’s level, which members of those are having yet. Such consumption rooted in deep childhood, when children ask their parents to buy the same items (toys, school accessories, etc.) as their classmates have.
Chapter Summaries
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides the background for the master thesis, defines the problem statement, and outlines the main purpose and research questions.
CHAPTER 2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: This section reviews existing literature on conspicuous consumption and narcissism, defining the key concepts and establishing the theoretical basis for the formulated hypotheses.
CHAPTER 3 PRIMARY DATA RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This chapter details the research design, including the construction of the questionnaire, sampling decisions, and the data analysis methods adopted.
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This chapter presents the empirical findings gathered from the survey, including descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and a discussion of the observed correlations.
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This final chapter summarizes the research findings, offers managerial implications for marketing in Russia, and discusses the study's limitations and suggestions for future research.
Keywords
narcissism, conspicuous consumption, demonstration, young generation, consumer behavior, Russia, status, motivation, self-esteem, social comparison, materialism, personality, survey, quantitative analysis, correlational study
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this master thesis?
The thesis explores the phenomenon of conspicuous consumption among the young generation in Russia and investigates its relationship with narcissism as a personality trait.
What are the primary themes discussed in the research?
The research covers consumer behavior theories, the psychological roots of narcissism, the history and motivation of conspicuous consumption, and the specific impact of social and demographic factors on these behaviors.
What is the main research question of the study?
The main objective is to determine if there is a statistically significant, positive relationship between the level of narcissism and the propensity for conspicuous consumption in young Russian consumers.
Which methodology was employed for the data collection?
The author conducted a self-administered survey in schools and universities across four Russian cities, collecting primary data from 246 respondents.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The body includes a comprehensive theoretical framework, detailed research methodology, empirical analysis of gathered survey data, and an evaluation of various hypotheses concerning demographic influences.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as narcissism, conspicuous consumption, Russian youth, consumer behavior, and status-seeking motives.
How does the author define narcissism in this study?
The author views narcissism not as a pathological disorder, but as a normally distributed personality trait that manifests in various facets like authority, superiority, and entitlement.
What impact does age have on conspicuous consumption?
The study finds that age significantly affects consumption patterns, with adolescents aged 17 and 21 showing higher levels of conspicuousness compared to other age groups within the 16–24 range.
Did the study find a gender difference in consumption?
The results indicate that while there is no significant gender difference in the general level of narcissism, gender has a statistically significant influence on the high-level consumption patterns of the participants.
- Quote paper
- Maria Ushakova (Author), 2017, Narcissism and Conspicuous Consumption of Adolescents in Russia, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/379169
