RESEARCH ARTICLE REVIEW

Research Article Review: Generous Paupers and Stingy Princes: Power

Drives Consumer Spending on Self versus Others

Research Problem, Rationale and Objectives3

Research Problem3

Objectives4

Rationale4

Overview of the Theories and Hypotheses5

Construal Level Theory5

System Justification Theory6

Overview of Methodology7

Main Findings9

Theoretical Contributions10

Managerial Implications10

Limitations of Research and New Directions for Future Research12

Study Limitations12

Directions for Future Research13

References15

Research Article Review: Generous Paupers and Stingy Princes: Power

Drives Consumer Spending on Self versus Others

Research Problem, Rationale and Objectives

Research Problem

This paper provides a review of the research article “Generous Paupers and Stingy Princes: Power Drives Consumer Spending on Self versus Others” written by Derek D. Rucker, David Dubois and Adam D. Galinsky, which offers a great insight on consumer behaviour. Several researchers have noted that consumer behaviour is the driving force behind decision making process. Consumers possess diverse behaviour about purchasing decision based on several different factors. Some studies asserted that consumer behaviour is a blend of economics, social anthropology, sociology and psychology. However, the research article of Rucker, Dubois and Galinsky provided a different perspective on this subject of consumer spending and addressed consumer spending on a self in against with others (Rucker, Dubois & Galinsky, 2010, pp.1015-1029). This research article takes in hand the aspect of consumer spending that is overlooked in the literature of consumer behaviour; thus, this paper sheds a light on the research problem: how psychological power influence consumer spending and how it develops a sense of powerless or powerful, which is one of the significant influencers of consumer spending behaviour as regards to purchase decision making for oneself opposed to others.

Objectives

The main objective of this research article is to examine how people make a decision regarding spending for themselves and for others, as well as how this can be affected by temporary shifts in the power shifts. Additionally, the purpose of this study is to hold implications on how power has an effect on consumers' social and psychological lives in the context of consumer spending. Rucker, Dubois and Galinsky article addresses the broader objective of how psychological states may dissimilarly influence consumer spending as a function of the planned recipient of purchase. This article also looks at how changes psychological utility influence spending. Another objective of this article is to illustrate how power could be influenced in an everyday means, such as print media.

Rationale

The rationale behind this study is the significant role of psychological states on decision of spending among consumers. Most of the time people spend directly in the market, purchasing things for them and for others. A considerable amount of time is spent thinking about services and goods, hearing or seeing advertisement, and conversing to friends about products or shopping (Wright, 2006, pp.22-420). Furthermore, the products or services people buy and the manner they take a decision regarding purchasing either of them or for others significantly influenced by their psychological states and by the notion of powerless and powerful. These general concerns provide enough rationale for this study. On the other hand, many search to understand the consumer behaviour for what are ...