infonet-economy

Humans tend to own material objects that relate to certain self-defining meanings. They wear clothes that suit their personalities. They own furniture that embodies their lifestyles. They keep souvenirs of vacations they like to remember, and they attach to pictures of moments and people that compose essential parts of their selves. A vast amount of research has dealt with this self-extending nature of possessions. Little theoretical knowledge, however, exists about the processes by which objects do acquire their self-extension function.

The specific aim of this research project is to develop a framework that relates the graspability and physical distance of an object to its self-extending symbolized meaning. Five experimental studies support the presumption that physical proximity to a symbolic object reduces subjects' perceived distance to the object's meaning and in turn increases subjects' perceived self-extension towards the object's meaning. Furthermore, findings indicate that this affiliation positively transfers into subjects' behavior towards the symbolized meaning. This process is moderated by the strength of the symbolic connection between the object and its meaning.

Overall, the results support the notion that the physical graspability of economic goods exerts an essential self-defining use to consumers and a relevant impact on their behavior. This notion is particularly emphasized against a prevailing tendency of research and management to focus on immaterial components and utilities of economic offerings. Regarding management, this project hence promotes an object-dominant logic that accentuates the relevance of the graspability of products and services. Concerning consumer theory, this project proposes a revised understanding of the extended self concept that accounts for the graspability of possessions.