The influence of gender and self-monitoring on the products consumers choose for joint consumption

We examine how impression management can influence the types of products consumers suggest for joint consumption in same-gender and mixed-gender situations. We show that when motivated to engage in impression management, those who care the most about their self-presentations (high self-monitors) are more likely to choose products that take into account the need to accommodate the co-consumer's preferences as well as the desire to remain consistent with gender role expectations and to correct negative expectations of sexism. Whereas the co-consumers' preferences and chooser's gender role expectations are aligned in same-gender situations (i.e., females consuming with females), in cross-gender situations (i.e., males consuming with females), male consumers' willingness to accommodate the female co-consumer's preferences is limited by gender role expectations in certain social contexts (e.g., romantic relationships). Within mixed-gender situations, we also find that high self-monitoring male consumers' ability to accommodate a feminist female co-consumers' preferences is limited by the desire to correct negative expectations and avoid appearing sexist.

Duke Scholars

Author Gavan J. Fitzsimons Fuqua School of Business

Author Tanya L. Chartrand Fuqua School of Business