2010/05/14 by Lisa E. Bolton, Hean Tat Keh, Joseph W. Alba · 1 citation
Business, Management and Accounting · Psychology · #Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification #Cultural Differences and Values #Customer Service Quality and Loyalty
paper · doi:10.1509/jmkr.47.3.564
openalex publication_date 2010/05/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15
This research investigates the effects of across-consumer price comparisons on perceived price fairness as a function of culture. Collectivist (Chinese) consumers are more sensitive to in-group versus out-group differences than individualist (U.S.) consumers. The collectivist perspective orients consumers toward the in-group and heightens concerns about “face” (i.e., status earned in a social network) that arise from in-group comparisons. Process evidence for the causal role of cultural differences derives from manipulated self-construal and measurement of the emotional role of shame evoked by face concerns. Finally, in a robustness test, an alternative operationalization of the in-group/out-group distinction extends the findings to the context of firm relationships.