The Status Implications of Age Perception and Conspicuous Consumption: The Moderating Role of Sex
(A2025-125691)

AUTHORS

Ga-Eun (Grace) Oh, Lingnan University

ABSTRACT

This research examines how age perception has different implications regarding status among men and women. We propose that people draw different status implications of age towards men versus women and thus, subjective age perceptions have divergent effects on the desire for the status and conspicuous consumption of men and women. Across five studies, we demonstrate that young and old age are differently associated with status for men versus women and thus, the experiences of feeling young (vs. old) lead to different conspicuous consumption behaviors for men versus women. While prior research on conspicuous consumption has mainly shown the role of mating-related motives on luxury consumption, this research the unexplored antecedent of need for status and conspicuous consumption by showing the divergent associations with age for men versus women.