The Influence of a Mere Social Presence in a Retail Context
Jennifer J. Argo, Darren W. Dahl, Rajesh V. Manchanda
Journal of Consumer Research · 2005 · Volume 32 · Issue 2
Abstract
While the majority of consumer research that has studied social influences has focused on the impact of an interactive social presence, in this research we demonstrate that a noninteractive social presence (i.e., a mere presence) is also influential. We conduct two field experiments in a retail setting to show when and how a noninteractive social presence that differs in size and proximity impacts consumers' emotions and self-presentation behaviors. In doing so, we refine Social Impact Theory by identifying boundary conditions under which the theory does not hold.
Keywords
Group/Interpersonal Influences, Situation/Context Issues, Affect/Emotions/Mood, Shopping Behavior, Experimental Design and Analysis (ANOVA)
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