Why Objects Matter

Sharfenberger and associates determined that “being physically close to objects helps consumers to feel psychologically close to the more abstract meaning of these objects. Four experimental studies . . . indicate that being proximal to an object reduces the psychological distance to the object’s meaning and enhances the benefits that consumers associate with the object. . . . material objects may . . . act as triggers for future consumption episodes. For example, wearing a festival entrance bracelet may not only allow consumers to connect to a self-defining meaning, but also fuel the desire to re-experience that meaning by visiting the festival again. . . .  experiences such as vacations or music festivals may constitute important self-relevant meanings, they are also ephemeral. Material objects that can be held or carried (e.g., souvenirs, shirts, and bracelets) allow consumers to hold onto these meanings and, in a figurative sense, carry them along with them.”

Philipp Scharfenberger, Daniel Wentzel, Luk Warlop, and Verena Riegler.  2023. “The Proximal Self:  Why Material Objects Are Particularly Relevant for Consumers’ Self-Definition.”  Psychology and Marketing, https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21804