Physical or digital media: the mediating role of psychological ownership
Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing
ISSN: 2040-7122
Article publication date: 9 August 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Access to media is more available now than ever before, both physically and digitally. This study was used to investigate the underlying personality traits that influence the decision to purchase either physical or digital books, and extend theory on access to art and provide a unique lens through which marketers can sell digital media.
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1 is a field study in which data were collected from several comic book readers and collectors to look at the role that psychological ownership plays in influencing the likelihood of buying physical or digital comics. Specifically, study 1 includes consumers' need for uniqueness and tech savviness as potential influencers. Study 2 extends the findings of study into a new context and manipulates, rather than measures, the identity of the participants. Study 2 looks at the effects of turning a digital object into a non-fungible token (NFT).
Findings
This paper demonstrates that consumers who have a high consumer need for uniqueness (CNFU) are more likely to prefer physical media to digital media. Further, it is shown that preference for physical media leads, on average, to more purchases and that the consumer's psychological ownership mediates the effects of CNFU. In addition, this paper shows that higher degrees of tech savviness led to a preference for digital media. Finally, this paper shows that when consumers identify with a collector identity, turning a digital item into an NFT increases their preference for that object.
Originality/value
This work builds off recent research into physical and digital media and is one of the first to examine the specific personality types that prefer each.
Keywords
Citation
Stough, R. and Graham, C. (2023), "Physical or digital media: the mediating role of psychological ownership", Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-10-2022-0318
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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