Identification, uniqueness and art consumption among bicultural consumers

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how bicultural consumers differ from monocultural consumers in terms of personality traits and identity negotiation.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a multidisciplinary literature review, some anecdotally and qualitatively supported differences between biculturals and monoculturals are reviewed and formulated as hypotheses, and a survey is used to collect quantitative data from a mixed random‐purposeful sample.

Findings

Relative to monoculturals, biculturals exhibit greater concern about their acceptability within pertinent reference groups and society at large; have comparable levels of need for uniqueness and art enthusiasm; and consume more artwork as a means and in the process of their routine negotiation of (ethnic) identity. Ethnicity, need for social acceptability, need for group identification, and art enthusiasm are predictors of artwork consumption. Ethnicity, in particular, is a key precursor of artwork consumption.

Research limitations/implications

As a starting‐point for understanding the bicultural consumer, the study is subject to exploratory research limitations.

Originality/value

As partial manifestations of globalization, businesses are challenged today in several ways by the rise and proliferation of the bicultural neotribe. Businesses do not have to fall victim to these challenges; they can turn them around and strategically leverage them as marketplace opportunities. The study provides some early insights that can help businesses to leverage such opportunities.

Citation

Zolfagharian, M.A. (2010), "Identification, uniqueness and art consumption among bicultural consumers", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 17-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363761011012912