Populated Places and Conspicuous Consumption: High Population Density Cues Predict Consumers’ Luxury-Linked Brand Attitudes

Abstract

Population density has been identified as an ecological factor with considerable behavioral implications. The present research aimed to examine whether the mere perception of more (vs. less) populated places can change consumers’ luxury-linked brand attitudes. To this end, we experimentally manipulated consumers’ perceptions of population density using pictorial exposure to high (vs. low) population density cues. The results revealed a significant interaction between manipulated population density and perceived brand luxury on brand attitudes. Specifically, exposure to high rather than low population density cues resulted in more positive (negative) attitudes toward brands deemed to be more (less) luxurious. These findings support our prediction that high population density cues can shift people’s perceptions in consumption contexts linked to luxury. Our work contributes to the growing stream of literature on population density and suggests that this (geo-) demographic factor can exert important downstream effects on consumer behavior.

On an Aggregated Estimate for Human Mobility Regularities through Movement Trends and Population Density

“…Conversely, in areas with more regular movements, encounters with others may be more frequent, leading to a perception of higher population density. Moreover, in areas with more irregular movements, individuals may have less predictable spatial relationships with others, which can decrease their perception of population density [47][48][49].…”

“…In conclusion, we have focused our research study on establishing a robust and quantitative description of population mobility, laying the groundwork for further and more rigorous studies that can connect socio-economic indicators to mobility patterns. An exhaustive explanation of the empirical results goes beyond the purpose of the work, but could lead to an interesting discussion in behavioral and transportation economics to better understand how spatial cognition shapes mobility patterns [47,[61][62][63].…”

On an Aggregated Estimate for Human Mobility Regularities through Movement Trends and Population Density

“…Conversely, in areas with more regular movements, encounters with others may be more frequent, leading to a perception of higher population density. Moreover, in areas with more irregular movements, individuals may have less predictable spatial relationships with others, which can decrease their perception of population density [61][62][63].…”

A Comparative Model Analysis of Predictors of Community Pharmacists’ Collaborative Practices in Two Southwestern States in Nigeria

“…Howarth et al (2020) in a systematic review identified the need for more empirical research to identify whether pharmacists in rural and urban settings may have significant differences in behavior and attitude to practice [8]. This assertion was corroborated by a study situated in densely populated China which showed that consumers in low and highlypopulated areas tend to have a behavioral effect on consumers' attitudes and perceptions of luxury goods [9].…”