Consumer Adoption of New Products: Independent versus Interdependent Self-Perspectives

In five studies, the present research examines the impact of having an independent (vs. interdependent) mindset on consumer adoption of new products. A first study finds that consumers in a predominantly independent (vs. interdependent) culture are more willing to adopt really new products (RNPs), while consumers in a predominantly interdependent (vs. independent) culture are more willing to adopt incrementally new products (INPs). Studies 2 and 3 conceptually replicate these findings using situationally activated mindsets, and demonstrate that this effect is driven by the perceived fit between the product’s newness level and the optimal level of distinctiveness sought by consumers. Finally, studies 4a and 4b show that the presence of distinctiveness-dampening cues (i.e., popularity cues) and distinctiveness-enhancing cues (i.e., scarcity cues) can reverse the effect of self-perspective, such that the independent self becomes less willing to adopt RNPs and more willing to adopt INPs than the interdependent self. These findings offer practical implications for managing innovation adoption in both domestic and international marketplaces.