Regulatory focus and consumption of counterfeit luxury goods: Roles of functional theories of attitudes and perceived similarity

• Published in: Journal of business research Vol. 107; pp. 50 - 61
• Main Authors: Wang, Li, Jin, Manhui, Yang, Zhiyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.02.2020
• Subjects: Counterfeit consumption; Perceived similarity; Prevention focus; Promotion focus; Social-adjustive function; Value-expressive function; Value-expressive function; Prevention focus; Perceived similarity; Counterfeit consumption; Promotion focus; Social-adjustive function
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.10.026

Four studies show that promotion (vs. prevention) focus leads to greater counterfeit consumption, and that social functions of attitudes and perceived similarity form a chain mediation underlying these effects. Study 1 links chronic regulatory focus to counterfeit consumption behavior in both China and South Korea. Study 2 replicates Study 1′s findings using primed regulatory focus and a behavioral measure of counterfeit preference. Study 3 tests the effect of regulatory focus on counterfeit consumption in a different context and demonstrates the mediating roles of social functions of attitudes and perceived similarity. Study 4 examines the boundary condition of social functions of attitudes: When social-adjustive function is made salient (compared to a control condition), prevention-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is elevated, whereas promotion-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is unaffected. However, when value-expressive function is made salient (compared to a control condition), promotion-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is reduced, whereas prevention-focused consumers’ counterfeit consumption is unaffected.