Globalization, culture, religion, and values: Comparing consumption patterns of Lebanese Muslims and Christians

Understanding the differential impact of globalization on culture – the most profound shaper of consumption – is fundamentally important. This research examines the linkages of cultural globalization (acculturation to global consumer culture, AGCC), (Lebanese) ethnic identity (LEID), religiosity (REL), individual-level (Schwartz) and consumption-related values (materialism and consumer ethnocentrism, MAT/CET) and numerous consumption behaviors; contrasting coexisting religious groups. A negative AGCC-LEID relationship exists for Muslims, whereas for Christians the two cultural forces are independent. Common across groups, religiosity and CET positively associate with LEID, and MAT positively associates with AGCC. Other relationships are religious-specific. The AGCC-LEID relationship across different behaviors yields four distinctive acculturation patterns.