Abstract
A profusion of recent research on consumer responses to individualized messages points to an enduring interest in the psychology of web-based customization. Across disciplines, the consensus is that highly individualized messages will generate more favorable outcomes than less individualized ones because they match message recipients' need for unique self-identity. We challenge this popular notion by arguing that highly individualized messages will not be as effective in collectivistic cultures that discourage unique self-identity. We test this proposition in a 2 × 3 experiment by randomly assigning participants (N = 120) representing either an individualistic or collectivistic culture (American, Chinese, respectively) to one of two levels of a customized message (highly individualized vs. less highly individualized) or a noncustomized, generic message (control condition). The experimental findings suggest a significant mediated moderation effect: Culture moderates the relationship between message type and attitude such that American participants report a more favorable attitude toward highly individualized messages and Chinese participants report a more favorable attitude toward less highly individualized messages, and this moderation is mediated by a psychological sense of community. Besides theoretical implications, we also highlight an original methodological procedure for manipulating customized messages in online environments.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 272-294 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Media Psychology |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 2013 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Communication
- Applied Psychology
- Social Psychology
Cite this
"I, Me, Mine" or "Us, We, Ours?" : The Influence of Cultural Psychology on Web-Based Customization. / Li, Cong; Kalyanaraman, Sriram.
In: Media Psychology, Vol. 16, No. 3, 07.2013, p. 272-294.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - "I, Me, Mine" or "Us, We, Ours?"
T2 - The Influence of Cultural Psychology on Web-Based Customization
AU - Li, Cong
AU - Kalyanaraman, Sriram
PY - 2013/7
Y1 - 2013/7
N2 - A profusion of recent research on consumer responses to individualized messages points to an enduring interest in the psychology of web-based customization. Across disciplines, the consensus is that highly individualized messages will generate more favorable outcomes than less individualized ones because they match message recipients' need for unique self-identity. We challenge this popular notion by arguing that highly individualized messages will not be as effective in collectivistic cultures that discourage unique self-identity. We test this proposition in a 2 × 3 experiment by randomly assigning participants (N = 120) representing either an individualistic or collectivistic culture (American, Chinese, respectively) to one of two levels of a customized message (highly individualized vs. less highly individualized) or a noncustomized, generic message (control condition). The experimental findings suggest a significant mediated moderation effect: Culture moderates the relationship between message type and attitude such that American participants report a more favorable attitude toward highly individualized messages and Chinese participants report a more favorable attitude toward less highly individualized messages, and this moderation is mediated by a psychological sense of community. Besides theoretical implications, we also highlight an original methodological procedure for manipulating customized messages in online environments.
AB - A profusion of recent research on consumer responses to individualized messages points to an enduring interest in the psychology of web-based customization. Across disciplines, the consensus is that highly individualized messages will generate more favorable outcomes than less individualized ones because they match message recipients' need for unique self-identity. We challenge this popular notion by arguing that highly individualized messages will not be as effective in collectivistic cultures that discourage unique self-identity. We test this proposition in a 2 × 3 experiment by randomly assigning participants (N = 120) representing either an individualistic or collectivistic culture (American, Chinese, respectively) to one of two levels of a customized message (highly individualized vs. less highly individualized) or a noncustomized, generic message (control condition). The experimental findings suggest a significant mediated moderation effect: Culture moderates the relationship between message type and attitude such that American participants report a more favorable attitude toward highly individualized messages and Chinese participants report a more favorable attitude toward less highly individualized messages, and this moderation is mediated by a psychological sense of community. Besides theoretical implications, we also highlight an original methodological procedure for manipulating customized messages in online environments.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883622282&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84883622282&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15213269.2013.815049
DO - 10.1080/15213269.2013.815049
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84883622282
VL - 16
SP - 272
EP - 294
JO - Media Psychology
JF - Media Psychology
SN - 1521-3269
IS - 3
ER -