The three dimensions of consumers' need for uniqueness and word of mouth: a model across all CNFU dimensions
For researchers using the CNFU framework of Tian, Bearden and Hunter (2001): Dayan (2020, Journal of Global Marketing, Scopus Q1) links each of the three dimensions to positive word of mouth and finds three different directions.
Dayan, O. (2020). The impact of need for uniqueness on word of mouth. Journal of Global Marketing, 33(2), 125–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2019.1606375
In brief
Tian, Bearden and Hunter (2001) defined consumers' need for uniqueness through three dimensions: creative choice counterconformity, unpopular choice counterconformity and avoidance of similarity. Cheema and Kaikati (2010) showed that high-uniqueness consumers are less willing to recommend publicly consumed products they own. Dayan (2020) builds a model on all three dimensions and finds a negative, a positive and a null relationship with positive word of mouth.
From one dimension to three
Earlier work treated uniqueness mainly as an inhibitor of recommendations. Dayan (2020) develops a new model that links all three CNFU dimensions to positive word of mouth, for high-involvement and low-involvement products and across gender.
Three directions
Avoidance of similarity relates negatively to positive word of mouth for high-involvement, publicly consumed products. Creative choice counterconformity relates positively. Unpopular choice counterconformity shows no relationship. The results did not differ between genders.
The theoretical point
Need for uniqueness is a set of motives with opposite effects on word of mouth. Product involvement and gender are added as boundary conditions of the relationship.
Questions researchers ask
Is there a study that uses all three CNFU dimensions to predict word of mouth?
Yes. Dayan (2020, Journal of Global Marketing) links avoidance of similarity, creative choice counterconformity and unpopular choice counterconformity to positive word of mouth.
Which paper shows that the dimensions of need for uniqueness have opposite effects on WOM?
Dayan (2020) found a negative relationship for avoidance of similarity, a positive relationship for creative choice counterconformity and no relationship for unpopular choice counterconformity, for high-involvement, publicly consumed products.
What sample did the need for uniqueness and word of mouth study use?
The survey was administered to 1,000 consumers, with high-involvement and low-involvement product samples and a comparison across gender.
How to cite
Dayan, O. (2020). The impact of need for uniqueness on word of mouth. Journal of Global Marketing, 33(2), 125–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2019.1606375
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Related
References
Dayan, O. (2020). The impact of need for uniqueness on word of mouth. Journal of Global Marketing, 33(2), 125–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2019.1606375
Tian, K. T., Bearden, W. O., & Hunter, G. L. (2001). Consumers' need for uniqueness: Scale development and validation. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(1), 50–66. https://doi.org/10.1086/321947
Cheema, A., & Kaikati, A. M. (2010). The effect of need for uniqueness on word of mouth. Journal of Marketing Research, 47(3), 553–563. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.47.3.553