The Impact of Private versus Public Consumption on Variety-Seeking Behavior

Three experiments demonstrate that people incorporate more variety into their consumption decisions when their behavior is subject to public scrutiny. Studies 1 and 2 indicate that consumers expect others to evaluate their decision more favorably if they choose variety and that this sometimes leads individuals to incorporate more variety into their public than private decisions. Results of study 2 confirm predictions that a relevant individual difference variable (self-monitoring) moderates the effects of expected evaluation on variety seeking. The final study demonstrates that pressure to choose variety in public is eliminated when a social cue signals the appropriateness of consuming one’s favorites. Suppose that you are planning the itinerary for an upcoming 10-day Hawaiian vacation. Imagine that you have been to this island before and know that you enjoy relaxing on the beach more than the other available activities such as hiking, scuba diving, and mingling with strangers at a hotel-sponsored luau. How much of the trip would you choose to spend on the beach? You are certain that you will be asked by family, friends, and colleagues about the vacation once you return home. Will knowing that your consumption decisions are going to be subject to public scrutiny influence the amount of variety you choose to incorporate into your vacation plans? Previous research indicates that consumers often choose considerable amounts of variety when allowed to select more than one item from a choice set, even when they are given the option of repeating consumption of favored items (see Kahn [1995, 1998] for a review). In both simultaneous