Prof. Hilke Plassmann (INSEAD)

Program

Date: May 2, 2019

Time: 14.15 - 15.45 hrs

Place: Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1 (HGB), M 001

Title: Peacocks, Testosterone & Luxury Goods: Single-dose Testosterone Administration Increases Men’s Preference for Status Goods

Abstract

We investigated the biological roots of how humans signal status through consumption. For consumers, luxury goods represent social markers that elevate humans in the social hierarchy, either through increasing status or power. Across two large-scale tasks (N=243 males), our findings are the first to show a direct relationship between single-dose Testosterone (T) administration and preference for status goods. We also showed that T can cause status- but not quality- or power-seeking behavior underlying consumer’s product evaluations.