Social Comparison Information, Ethnocentrism, National Identity Associated with Purchase Intention in China

Purpose – The purpose of our study is to provide an understanding of the relationships among consumer attention to social comparison information (ATSCI), consumer ethnocentrism (CET), national identity (NI), and consumer purchase intention to domestic brands (PIDB). Drawing on the social comparison theory (SCT) and social identity theory (SIT), we developed a model that is empirically testable and explains consumer behavior of domestic brands and products. Research design, data, and methodology – The conceptual framework was tested with primary data collected through a survey in China. Structural equation modeling was employed to test hypotheses. Results – The results from empirical analyses indicated that the ATSCI positively influenced CET and NI, and CET and NI affect consumer PIDB. In addition, the mediating effects of CET and NI on the relationship between ATSCI and PIDB were identified. Nonetheless, little direct impact of ATSCI on PIDB was reported. Conclusions – We suggested that international marketers use given information to attract consumer attention and develop appropriate promotions, especially for Chinese young generations that would pay much attention to social comparison information in their purchase decisions. Our study originally connected one socio-psychological antecedent, ATSCI, with CET and NI and estimated the relationships among the three antecedents and their effects on PIDB in order to predict consumer behavior in China. KCI Citation Count: 1