规避群体模仿消费的形成机制、错配现象及其对被模仿群体的影响

Behavioral mimicry is a common phenomenon among consumers as prior research reveals that individual consumers often automatically imitate many aspects of the consumption behaviors (e.g., tastes or choices) of other people. While being mimicked is pervasive experience of many consumers, some of the mimicry behaviors are stemmed from members from dissociative out-groups, a type of social group that consumers usually avoid being associated with or dislike. In this project, we call this kind of behavioral mimicry as the mimicry purchase of dissociative out-group..In the domain of consumer behavior, research has consistently demonstrated a negative response toward choices or behaviors linked to dissociative out-group on the part of consumers. That is, consumers will consciously avoid associations with members from dissociative out-groups. This suggests that the mimicry purchase of dissociative out-group may lead to avoidant attitudes among consumers, making those being mimicked by the group dislike or unwilling to accept the group even more. Furthermore, the behavior of mimicry itself engenders assimilation effect, which undermines consumers’ need for uniqueness. Despite these negative impacts, why consumers still exhibit a tendency to mimic the behaviors of others who view them as members of dissociative out-groups? Prior research examining consumers’ behavior of mimicry mainly roots in reference group influence, conformity and imitation behavior. Relatively little attention has been paid to the mimicry behavior of dissociative out-group. The current project aims to explore this issue..Specifically, in this project, using self-discrepancy theory, egocentric categorization theory and stigma association theory, we investigate the underlying mechanism that drives the mimicry purchase of dissociative out-group members, the mismatching effect produced in the process of mimicry purchase from dissociative out-group members, and the influence of dissociative out-group members’ mimicry on the behaviors of those being mimicked, respectively..By based on theories of reference group and behavioral mimicry, this project mainly employs experimental methods to do research. The goal of this project is to uncover the underlying mechanism that drives the mimicry purchase of dissociative out-group members and the consequences of being mimicked. Thus this project will enrich the existing related literatures of mimicry purchase.

在消费中存在各种各样的模仿行为。消费者模仿一个群体的消费行为，但是被模仿者不喜欢模仿者，甚至将模仿者视为规避群体。被其他群体视为规避群体，也就很难被接纳为被模仿群体的群体成员；另外，模仿行为趋同性也使得模仿者失去了独特性，但为什么模仿者仍然模仿视他们为规避群体的群体？以往学者们主要从参照群体、从众行为、模仿行为等角度进行了探讨，缺乏规避群体模仿行为的研究。为此，本项目探讨规避群体模仿消费的形成机制，模仿中形成的错配现象，以及对被模仿群体的影响。研究内容是从自我偏差理论的角度，揭示模仿消费的形成机制；从自我中心理论的角度，探讨消费者如何评估自己不匹配的模仿行为；从污名联想的角度探讨对被模仿群体的影响，以及产生影响的边界条件。项目拟基于参照群体和模仿行为等理论基础，主要采用实验法开展相关研究。项目的预期目标是全面揭示规避群体模仿行为的形成机制及其对被模仿群体的影响，从而丰富模仿消费的相关研究。

根据申请书的申报内容，项目进行了规避群体模仿消费和相关消费行为的针对性研究；也开展了一定的拓展研究，例如放纵消费行为、线上消费行为和营销战略的相关研究。具体来看，本项目探讨了消费者在何种情境下愿意选择与规避群体关联的品牌；探讨他人模仿与自恋水平对傲慢品牌偏好的影响，以及产品消费场景、不同模仿水平的调节作用；从积极视角出发，探讨规避群体环保模仿行为可能产生的积极效应，以及存在意义感的中介作用；从污名联想的角度，探讨个体对品牌污名消费者的感知相似性对品牌新消费者污名性的负面影响；从消费者自豪情绪的视角出发，探讨如何弱化消费者对规避群体品牌的负面态度；基于刻板印象理论，探讨规避群体效应的作用机制以及信息处理方式对弱化该效应的作用；探讨处在不同目标追逐阶段的消费者对不同品牌群体标签的偏好；基于情感共鸣的角度解释消费者为何偏好消极情感诉求的广告。另外还进行了群体之间影响与消费行为，例如社会比较对消费行为的影响；群体影响与线上消费行为，例如消费者的“线上逛店、线下购买”行为，营销战略的相关研究。.从已经发表的成果看，本项目取得了22篇论文的成果，圆满完成原计划的发表论文质量层次和数量。具体来看：课题负责人以第一作者或通讯作者发表SSCI论文10篇，例如Journal of Business Research等期刊。课题负责人以第一作者发表在国内权威期刊《心理学报》发表1篇。课题负责人在《管理科学学报》发表1篇论文，在《南开管理评论》和《营销科学学报》各发表2篇论文。另外有多篇研究成果正在SSCI期刊和CSSCI索引期刊的准备投稿中。在人才培养上，依托本项目，培养了2名博士生、4名硕士毕业；另外3名在读博士和3名硕士在读。在项目的社会价值上，项目组成员多次参加国内的学术会议，并有论文汇报和交流，并有两次论文获奖，促进了营销研究成果的传播。