Self-construals, symbolic and hedonic preferences, and actual purchase behavior

• Independent consumers draw heavily on the symbolic and hedonic resources of clothing.
• Status and differentiation are the key drivers of independents׳ clothing purchase behavior.
• Interdependent consumers show no interest in clothing affiliation and status-symbolic meanings.
• Status meaning preference mediates all effects of the independent/interdependent self.
• Self-expressive/hedonic preferences mediate two effects of the independent self when controlling for suppression effects.

The study explores the influence of the independent and interdependent self-construals on actual purchase behavior and the mediating role of consumer preferences for symbolic and hedonic meanings. Data were collected through a survey of about 1000 respondents. Results indicate that independent consumers draw on the self/hedonic- and status-symbolic resources of clothing in the construction and expression of their identities. Regarding the interdependent consumers, they show no interest in clothing affiliation and status symbolism. The degree of preference for status-symbolic meaning mediates all effects of the independent and interdependent self-construals on actual purchase behavior; self-expressive/hedonic preferences mediate two of the three effects of the independent self on actual purchase behavior when accounting for suppression effects, whereas the expected mediation of preference for affiliation meaning is not supported.