The Effect of the Sense of Power on Chinese Consumers’ Uniqueness-Seeking Behavior

This research examines how the sense of power influences Chinese consumers’ uniqueness-seeking behavior. The authors propose that Chinese consumers experiencing a sense of power are more likely to seek uniqueness, whereas those experiencing a sense of powerlessness tend to seek conformity because power increases self-focus, which reduces the pressure to conform to others. This effect is supported by three studies. In Study 1, a survey dataset of 412 adult Chinese consumers revealed a positive correlation between consumers’ generalized sense of power and their need for uniqueness. Study 2 confirmed that Chinese consumers having (vs. lacking) power tend to choose less (vs. more) popular product options. Study 3 further demonstrated that Chinese consumers primed with high power generate more uniqueness-featured advertisement slogans than those primed with low power. Research implications in customer segmentation and marketing communications are discussed.