The Role of Goal Orientations on Pro-Social vs.Pro-Self Spending Choices

摘要

The present research examines the role of goal orientations(intrinsic vs.extrinsic)on consumer's pro-social vs.pro-self spending choices.We hypothesize that priming an intrinsic goal focus will influence consumers towards pro-social spending choices while inducing an extrinsic goal focus will increase the likelihood of making pro-self spending choices.Study 1 was an experimental survey collecting data from 211 university students.Participants were randomly allocated to an extrinsic or an intrinsic goal writing induction.Then,they were presented with a windfall scenario and were asked to freely describe how they would spend the money given.A researcher blinded to the hypothesis coded the descriptions as pro-social or pro-self.Forty-eight participants'descriptions(24%)were coded as pro-social spending choices.A chi-square test comparing the extrinsic vs.intrinsic manipulation with their pro-social vs.pro-self spending choice indicated that there were significant differences between the groups,yl(1)= 6.10,p =.014.Participants that completed the intrinsic manipulation(107 out of 201)were more likely to choose to spend money on someone else(n = 33)than participants in the extrinsic manipulation(n = 15).