The effect of the physical versus mental presence of a high-powered person on consumers' healthy food choices |
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| Authors: | Yunzhi Huang Yi (Fionna) Xie Jun Ye |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Marketing, School of Management, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China;2. Department of Agribusiness and Food Industry Management, Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture, California Polytechnic Pomona, Pomona, California, USA |
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| Abstract: | Consumers make distinct food choices when they see versus when they think about a powerful person. This research identifies two scenarios involving the presence of a high-powered other, physical presence versus mental presence, and examines the effect of the physical and mental presence of a high-powered other on consumers' healthy food choices. Conducting six experiments, we show that the physical presence of a high-powered other increases one's self-enhancement motivation and leads to healthier food choices, while the mental presence of a high-powered other increases one's perceived constraints and leads to unhealthy food choices. We also find that interpersonal closeness moderates the positive effect of the physical presence of a high-powered other on healthy food choices but does not moderate the negative effect of the mental presence of a high-powered other on healthy food choices. |
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