Making Similarity Versus Difference Comparison Affects Perceptions After Bicultural Exposure and Consumer Reactions to Culturally Mixed Products. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Luluo; Xie, Tian
• Other Names: Hao Jia guest-editor.; Li Dongmei guest-editor.; Peng Luluo guest-editor.; Peng Siqing guest-editor.; Torelli Carlos J. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of cross-cultural psychology. Volume 47:Number 10(2016)
• Page Start: 1380
• Page End: 1394
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: culture mixing -- perceived creativity -- similarity focus -- difference focus -- comparison focus -- bicultural exposure effect; Ethnopsychology -- Periodicals; 155.805
• DOI: 10.1177/0022022116668409
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0221

Abstract

This research examines the effect of making similarity or difference comparisons on perceptions after bicultural exposure and consumer reactions to culture mixing. Results indicate that after bicultural exposure, focusing on differences bolstered ingroup cultural stereotyping (Study 1) and enhanced perceived differences between cultures (Study 2), whereas focusing on similarity comparison reduced perceived differences between cultures (Study 2). Moreover, a similarity focus reduced positive reactions to a culturally mixed product, and this effect was mediated by reduced creativity perception of the product (Studies 1 and 3). These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the boundary conditions of the bicultural exposure effect and suggest a new mechanism of integrative consumer reactions to culturally mixed products.