2021/06/11 by Danielle J. Brick, Lingrui Zhou, Tanya L. Chartrand +1
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Attachment and Relationship Dynamics #Psychology of Social Influence #Social and Intergroup Psychology
paper · doi:10.1002/jcpy.1260
openalex publication_date 2021/06/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Shared consumer decisions, particularly those made with a relationship partner, can be very different from decisions that are made alone. Across multiple studies, we investigate how shared consumer decision making affects perceptions of power and relationship satisfaction. We integrate two streams of research to create a novel theory about consumer decision making and perceived power. Specifically, we suggest that shared consumer decision making combines two necessary components of power—an individual's influence over and a partner's engagement in the decision—and that these combined components drive power perceptions. In other words, individuals who relinquish some control and make a decision with their partner, ironically, perceive having greater power than if they had made the decision alone. We further find that shared decision making and greater perceived power lead to greater satisfaction with the relationship in which the decisions are made. By focusing on consumer decision making within relationships, the current research contributes to the literatures on decision making, social influences in consumer behavior, close relationships, consumer well‐being, and power.