Cross-Cultural Differences in Proneness to Social Influence Strategies

Professor Kellaris will present recent research concerning French-American cross-national differences in proneness to two specific influence strategies:  scarcity and authority.

The “scarcity effect” is often used by marketers to increase the subjective desirability of products. A recent study by Jung & Kellaris (2004) explores cross-national differences in proneness to the scarcity effect and attempts to explain observed differences in terms of boundary conditions. Results of a shopping simulation experiment show a positive effect of scarcity on purchase intent and a greater proneness to such among participants from a lower (USA) versus higher (France) context culture. Moreover, the scarcity effect is moderated by product familiarity, uncertainty avoidance, and need for cognitive closure. Differential familiarity levels may help explain the observed cross-national differences. Managerial implications concern the conditions under which marketing appeals based on scarcity should be more (versus less) persuasive.

Similarly, the “authority effect” is frequently used to increase compliance. Young adult consumers, however, often resent authority. Such resentment can result in negative reactions to authority-based persuasion attempts. A recent study by Jung & Kellaris (in press) examines reverse authority effects among young adults and the boundary conditions within which such effects operate. Results show that before 9/11 Americans had more positive attitudes when an ad spokesperson is low (vs. high) in authority. The reverse authority effect did not obtain among French subjects or among Americans after 9/11. Perceived source credibility and power distance appear to moderate the effect of authority on attitudes and purchase intentions.

Date : Mardi le 9 novembre à 10h.

Lieu : La salle Salle Cogeco (1er étage, section bleu), HEC Montréal, 3000 Côte Ste Catherine.

James J. Kellaris is a Professor of Marketing and PhD Program Coordinator at the University of Cincinnati and a Visiting Professor on the International faculty of the École Superièur de Commerce in Toulouse, France. He holds an AB degree in French from the College of Arts and Sciences, Georgia State University, and MS and PhD degrees in marketing from the Robinson College of Business. He has taught at the ESCEM in Tours, France, and Bond University in Queensland, Australia. His research concerns the affective, cognitive, and behavioral influences of music on consumers, including effects of music in advertisements and retail environments, the hedonic consumption of music as an aesthetic product, and the influence of music on time perception. Marketing ethics, including contextual influences and judgmental biases in ethical decision-making, and cross-cultural issues are also strong research interests. Dr. Kellaris' work has appeared in the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Psychology & Marketing, Advances in Consumer Research, Marketing Letters, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Ethics, and widely cited in the popular press. Dr. Kellaris is an active member of the American Marketing Association, Association for Consumer Research, Society for Consumer Psychology, and other professional organizations. He has served on the editorial boards of two journals and has conducted seminars and colloquia for General Electric, Ssang Business Group, Children's Hospital Medical Center, and numerous colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, France, and Australia.

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