Unique like everybody else? The dual role of consumers' need for uniqueness

Abstract Uniqueness has a positive and attractive connotation, but being too unique can result in social sanctions. This paper focuses on the dual role of consumers' need for uniqueness. The findings of two studies in Israel support the notion that expressing uniqueness via consumption behavior is a safe way to achieve a different sense of being without damaging an individual's sense of social assimilation. The results imply a possible new theoretical view of the interplay between consumers' need for uniqueness and their need for social assimilation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.