Disidentity and nonconsumption of smartwatches

Abstract

Abstract Ubiquitous technologies have changed the way consumers interact with technology products and with each other. The pervasiveness of these technologies is changing the extent to which individuals identify or disidentify with technologies, and in turn, consume or reject the technology product. Given the importance of identification for consumer product use and consumption, an understanding of disidentification that can lead to rejection and nonconsumption becomes equally important, especially with respect to ubiquitous technologies. This research draws on social identity theory and reactance theory to develop a disidentity framework for a ubiquitous consumer technology: a smartwatch. We investigate the factors that influence smartwatch disidentification, and in turn, nonconsumption. Findings suggest that smartwatch nonconsumption is strongly related to disidentification, which is due to intrusiveness, dissimilarity, disrepute, and indistinctiveness. In addition, we find that features specific to ubiquitous products—intrusiveness and privacy concern—show mixed results in relation to smartwatch disidentity. These findings have important implications for consumer brand identification, disidentification, and nonconsumption, as well as implications for marketers.

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