Socioeconomic status moderates the relationship between self-esteem and attitudes towards conspicuous consumption: An electrophysiological study. Biological psychology Research on the impact of self-esteem on conspicuous consumption has shown inconsistent results. This study addresses this variability by examining how socioeconomic status (SES) moderates the relationship between self-esteem and conspicuous consumption. We hypothesized that the relationship varies with SES, predicting a positive relationship at high SES levels and a negative relationship at low SES levels. Our findings confirm this hypothesis. Using a Go/NoGo association task (GNAT) combined with event-related potentials (ERP), we investigated the cognitive processing speeds for congruent and incongruent pairings. This method provided insights into the implicit attitudes towards conspicuous products and revealed the complex dynamics between self-esteem and SES in influencing consumer behavior tendencies. This research advances our understanding of the interactions between self-esteem and SES in conspicuous consumption from an implicit cognitive perspective. It also offers significant practical implications, guiding the development of consumer marketing strategies that can be tailored to different socioeconomic contexts. 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2024.108862

Understanding the Changes in Brain Activation When Viewing Products with Differences in Attractiveness. Neurology international Product design and attractiveness are pivotal factors that determine people's positive reactions when viewing a product and may eventually affect their purchasing choices. Comprehending how people assess product design is crucial. Various studies have explored the link between product attractiveness and consumer behavior, but these were predominantly behavioral studies that offered limited insight into the neural processes underlying perceptions of product attractiveness. Gaining a deeper understanding of these neural mechanisms is valuable, as it enables the formulation of more objective design guidelines based on brain activity, enhancing product appeal and, ultimately, spurring consumer purchases. In our study, we sought to (1) elucidate the neural network engaged when individuals evaluate highly attractive product images, (2) delineate the neural network activated during the evaluation of less attractive product images, and (3) contrast the differences in neural networks between evaluations of highly and less attractive images. We utilized fMRI to investigate the neural activation patterns elicited by viewing product images of varying attractiveness levels. The results indicated distinct neural activations in response to the two types of attractive images. Highly attractive product images elicited activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the occipital pole, whereas less attractive product images stimulated the insula and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). The findings of this project provide some of the first insights of its kind and valuable insights for future product design, suggesting that incorporating more positive and rewarding elements could enhance product appeal. This research elucidates the neural correlates of people's responses to product attractiveness, revealing that highly attractive designs activate reward-related brain regions, while less attractive designs engage areas associated with emotional processing. These findings offer a neuroscientific basis for further studies on developing design strategies that align with consumers' innate preferences, potentially transforming product design and marketing practices. By leveraging this knowledge, designers can craft products that not only meet functional needs but also resonate more deeply on an esthetic level, thereby enhancing consumer engagement and purchase likelihood. 10.3390/neurolint16050069