Blind in one eye: How psychological ownership of ideas affects the types of suggestions people adopt

Two experimental studies demonstrated that feeling as though an object, such as an idea, is “ours” (i.e., experiencing feelings of psychological ownership) propels people to selectively adopt others’ suggestions for change. Whereas feelings of ownership caused individuals to embrace the adoption of suggestions that expanded upon their possessions (additive change), it simultaneously made them shun the adoption of suggestions that shrank them (subtractive change) (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, results indicated that both a sense of personal loss and negative affect sequentially mediated this joint effect of psychological ownership and change type on the adoption of others’ suggestions for change (Study 2). Our findings suggest that the nature of change and how it impacts high ownership people’s sense of loss and negative affect is an important determinant of whether feelings of ownership will cause individuals to remain open to or resist others’ suggestions for change.

► We examine change adoption as a function of psychological ownership and change type.
► Ownership propels people to embrace change that adds to their possessions.
► Change that shrinks people’s possessions are shunned by those with ownership.
► Effects can be explained by sense of personal loss and negative affect people feel.