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When Consumption Embraces Faith When Consumption Embraces Faith: How Religious Beliefs and Practices Influence Consumption by Vivian Yue Qin Business Administration Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: _____________________________ Gavan J. Fitzsimons, Co-Chair _____________________________ Richard Staelin, Co-Chair _____________________________ Bryan Bollinger _____________________________ Aaron C. Kay Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the reQuirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in the Graduate School of Duke University 2016 ABSTRACT When Consumption Embraces Faith: How Religious Beliefs and Practices Influence Consumption by Vivian Yue Qin Business Administration Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: _____________________________ Gavan J. Fitzsimons, Co-Chair _____________________________ Richard Staelin, Co-Chair _____________________________ Bryan Bollinger _____________________________ Aaron C. Kay An abstract of the dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the reQuirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in the Graduate School of Duke University 2016 Copyright by Vivian Yue Qin 2016 Abstract Marketers have long looked for observables that could eXplain differences in consumer behavior. Initial attempts have centered on demographic factors, such as age, gender, and race. Although such variables are able to provide some useful information for segmentation (Bass, Tigert, and Longdale 1968), more recent studies have shown that variables that tap into consumers’ social classes and personal values have more predictive accuracy and also provide deeper insights into consumer behavior. I argue that one demographic construct, religion, merits further consideration as a factor that has a profound impact on consumer behavior. In this dissertation, I focus on two types of religious guidance that may influence consumer behaviors: religious teachings (being content with one’s belongings), and religious problem-solving styles (reliance on God). Essay 1 focuses on the well-established endowment effect and introduces a new moderator (religious teachings on contentment) that influences both owner and buyers’ pricing behaviors. Through fifteen eXperiments, I demonstrate that when people are primed with religion or characterized by stronger religious beliefs, they tend to value their belongings more than people who are not primed with religion or who have weaker religious beliefs. These effects are caused by religious teachings on being content with one’s belongings, which lead to the overvaluation of one’s own possessions. iv Essay 2 focuses on self-control behaviors, specifically healthy eating, and introduces a new moderator (God’s role in the decision-making process) that determines the relationship between religiosity and the healthiness of food choices. My findings demonstrate that consumers who indicate that they defer to God in their decision- making make unhealthier food choices as their religiosity increases. The opposite is true for consumers who rely entirely on themselves. Importantly, this relationship is mediated by the consumer’s consideration of future conseQuences. This essay provides an explanation to the existing mixed findings on the relationship between religiosity and obesity. v Dedication To God, my wonderful husband Bobby, and my best friend Theodore vi Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. Xi List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. xii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... xiii 1. Introduction: Religion and God .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Religious Values ................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Perceptions of God ........................................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Omnipresence .......................................................................................................... 5 1.2.2 Omniscience ............................................................................................................. 6 1.2.3 Omnipotence ............................................................................................................ 7 1.2.4 The Model of Self-Control and Religion ............................................................ 7 1.3 How Are the Above Religious Aspects Tied to Consumption Behaviors ................ 8 1.3.1 The Endowment Effect ........................................................................................... 8 1.3.2 Healthy Eating ....................................................................................................... 11 2. Essay 1: The Price of Faith .................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 12 2.2 Related Literature and Conceptualization .................................................................. 15 2.2.1 Previous Research on the Endowment Effect ................................................... 15 2.2.2 Religious Beliefs and the Endowment Effect .................................................... 16 2.3 Overview of Sampling Procedure and Measurement of Price ................................ 20 vii 2.4 Testing the Endowment Effect with Dispositional Measures of Religiosity .......... 21 2.4.1 Study 1 Overview .................................................................................................. 21 2.4.2 Study 1a: Measuring Religious Practice ............................................................. 22 2.4.3 Study 1c: Measuring Religious Practice Without Prescreening ..................... 25 2.4.4 Study 1e: Measuring Religious Practice With Real Transactions ................... 27 2.5 Testing the Endowment Effect with Experimental Manipulation of Religion ...... 28 2.5.1 Study 2 Overview .................................................................................................. 31 2.5.2 Study 2a: Manipulating Religion with Writing Tasks ..................................... 31 2.6 Exploring the Process that Leads to the Endowment Effect .................................... 35 2.6.1 Study 3 Overview .................................................................................................. 35 2.6.2 Study 3a: Manipulating Different Aspects of Religion .................................... 36 2.6.3 Study 3e: Measuring “You shall not covet” and Manipulating Religion ..... 39 2.7 Secondary Data Analysis: Actual Selling Prices ......................................................... 42 2.7.1 Study 4 Overview .................................................................................................. 42 2.7.2 Study 4a: The Asking Prices of iPhone 5s .......................................................... 44 2.7.2.1 Data Collection and Measures ....................................................... ….44 2.7.2.2 Results and Discussion ......................................................................... 45 2.7.3 Study 4b: The Asking Prices of Used Cars .................................................. 47 2.7.3.1 Data Collection and Measures ............................................................. 47 2.7.3.2 Results and Discussion ......................................................................... 48 2.8 Conclusions and General Discussion ........................................................................... 50 viii 3. Essay 2: You Cannot Spell Faith Without F-A-T ................................................................. 56 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 56 3.2 Overall Sampling Procedure ......................................................................................... 62 3.3 Study 1: Measuring God’s Role in Decision-making ................................................. 64 3.3.1 Method ............................................................................................................. 64 3.3.2 Results and Discussion .................................................................................. 66 3.4 Study 2: Testing of the Structure of Decision-making Styles ................................ 69 3.4.1 Method ............................................................................................................. 69 3.4.2 Results and Discussion .................................................................................. 70 3.5 Study 3: Measuring Decision Styles ............................................................................. 72 3.5.1 Method ............................................................................................................. 72 3.5.2 Results and Discussion .................................................................................. 73 3.6 Study 4: Measuring
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