The effect of mortality salience on status consumption among elderly individuals: the moderating role of chronological age and subjective age
Abstract
Purpose Over the past two decades, a large body of research has examined the effect of the awareness of the inevitability of death on consumption behaviours. However, the literature has shed little light on the effect of mortality salience (MS) on elderly individuals. The present research specifically aims to challenge the effect of MS on status consumption among elderly individuals. Design/methodology/approach Two experiments were conducted among individuals over 50. The experiments manipulated MS to test its effect on status consumption. Findings The results demonstrate that MS positively influences the preference for status products among elderly individuals (experiment 1) and that this effect is less pronounced as elderly individuals age (experiment 2). Subjective age bias, defined as the potential gap between chronological age and subjective age, negatively moderates this effect (experiment 2). Practical implications Luxury marketers need to pay attention to generational cohorts rather than other demographic variables in the segmentation of their market. Moreover, subjective age may be a better segmentation variable for marketers than objective variables such as chronological age. Originality/value This research provides insights that support a better understanding of status consumption among elderly individuals and the role of subjective ageing in this process.
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MS led to an increased preference for luxury products compared to the control group in Studies 1 and 2.
“MS led to an increased preference for luxury products compared to the control group (Studies 1 and 2)”
From Terror Management Theory in the Consumer Domain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis on Mortality Salience Driven Consumer Responses (2025) · cites this paper as Rezaee Vessal and Partouche-Sebban (2022, Studies 1 and 2)
When an individual grows older, the effect of MS on luxury product preference decreased.
“When an individual grows older, the effect of MS on luxury product preference decreased”
From Terror Management Theory in the Consumer Domain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis on Mortality Salience Driven Consumer Responses (2025) · cites this paper as Rezaee Vessal and Partouche-Sebban (2022)
No effects of self-esteem and attitude toward luxury were reported.
“No effects of self- esteem and attitude toward luxury were reported.”
From Terror Management Theory in the Consumer Domain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis on Mortality Salience Driven Consumer Responses (2025) · cites this paper as Rezaee Vessal and Partouche-Sebban (2022)
For elderly individuals who felt younger, MS resulted in lower preferences for luxury consumption.
“for elderly individuals who felt younger, MS resulted in lower preferences for luxury consumption.”
From Terror Management Theory in the Consumer Domain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis on Mortality Salience Driven Consumer Responses (2025) · cites this paper as Rezaee Vessal and Partouche-Sebban (2022)
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“This change is mostly manifested through status consumption (Mandel & Heine, 1999; Rezaee Vessal & Partouche-Sebban, 2022; Zaleskiewicz et al., 2013).”
Arendsen, J. L., Brugman, B. C., van Koningsbruggen, G. M., & Fransen, M. L. (2025) · International Journal of Consumer Studies · doi:10.1111/ijcs.70056 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
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“…sphere, mental health challenges, and social unconnected-ness, superstitious belief (SB) and conspiracy illusion (CI) have been reported among older people (Easden et al., 2022; Fortuin, 2021; Laguilles-Villafuerte & de Guzman, 2020; Pei et al., 2022; Vessal & Partouche-Sebban, 2021; Yu, 2022).”
When death looms, quiet shines: The quiet turn of luxury consumption under mortality salience
Kim, H., Baek, E., & Choo, H. J. (2026) · Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services · doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2026.104912
Mortality salience effects and status consumption–A reasoned action approach
Arendsen, J., van Koningsbruggen, G. M., & Fransen, M. L. (2026) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0350005
Long live the king and luxury shopping! The change of monarch and luxury consumption
Klucarova, S. (2025) · Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science · doi:10.1080/21639159.2025.2531786
“…captured as alternative explanations, since each of these constructs could potentially affect consumers’ luxury shopping preferences (Audrin et al., 2018; Bandyopadhyay et al., 2022; Jin et al., 2021; Kauppinen-Räisänen et al., 2018; S. Kim et al., 2016; Rezaee Vessal & Partouche-Sebban, 2022).”
- Authors
- Rezaee Vessal, S., & Partouche-Sebban, J.
- Venue
- Journal of Organizational Change Management
- Publisher
- Emerald
- Published
- 2021-12-13
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 209-223
- ISSN
- 0953-4814 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4200098033
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 0.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Organizational Change Management (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Nostalgia and Consumer Behavior
- Keywords
- mortality salience, status consumption, older consumers, subjective age, chronological age, luxury consumption, customer segmentation, generational cohorts, death awareness
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