Experiential vs. material conspicuous consumption as romantic signals: evidence from South Korea and the United States

초록

Purpose This study examines how material conspicuous consumption (MCC) and experiential conspicuous consumption (ECC) influence perceptions and romantic responses across cultural contexts. While earlier research emphasized MCC as a dominant status signal in mate selection, this study explores whether ECC now functions as a more effective signal, and whether effects vary by culture and gender.Design/methodology/approach Two online experiments were conducted with single adults from South Korea and the United States using a between-subjects design. Participants were randomly assigned to evaluate a potential romantic partner who displayed either material or experiential conspicuous consumption on social media.Findings In South Korea, participants responded more favorably to ECC than MCC, an effect mediated by perceived competence and moderated by gender: women viewed men who engaged in ECC as more competent and desirable, whereas men showed no differences. In the US, overall differences in romantic behavioral intention were nonsignificant, as were indirect effects, but a gender-contingent pattern emerged in the opposite direction, with men evaluating ECC partners more positively than MCC partners.Originality/value This study examines how different forms of conspicuous consumption shape mate selection across cultural contexts. It extends research on mate choice and shifting luxury norms by showing how the romantic signaling value of conspicuous consumption varies with cultural norms and gender.

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