Publications
Publications
- March 2019
- Marketing Letters
Consuming Together (versus Separately) Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
By: Ximena Garcia-Rada, Lalin Anik and Dan Ariely
Abstract
Across three studies, we investigate how consumers in romantic relationships make decisions when choosing an item to share with their partner. We show that consumers will forgo their preferred alternative for an option that is more aligned with the preferences of their partner when consuming the same item together vs. separately. We theorize and show that when consuming together (vs. separately), consumers’ purchase motivation shifts from being utilitarian (e.g., satisfying one’s hunger) to hedonic (e.g., having an enjoyable evening). Consequently, when consuming together (vs. separately), consumers weigh more highly their partner’s affective reactions to the item and overall experience—leading them to pick a less preferred option in an effort to please their partner. In sum, we provide a framework that contributes novel insight into the trade-offs consumers make between their preferences and the preferences of others.
Keywords
Shared Consumption; Close Relationships; Conflicting Preferences; Spending; Decision Making; Relationships; Motivation and Incentives
Citation
Garcia-Rada, Ximena, Lalin Anik, and Dan Ariely. "Consuming Together (versus Separately) Makes the Heart Grow Fonder." Marketing Letters 30, no. 1 (March 2019): 27–43.