Conceptual framework: Both utilitarian and hedonic motivations are competing fundamental motivations for consumer behavior (Babin, Darden & Griffin, 1994). According to Childers, Carr, Peck, and Carson (2001), the motivation of consumers with a utilitarian (i.e., instrumental) perspective is an efficient and timely use of resources whereas the motivation of consumers with a hedonic (i.e., autotelic) perspective is the shopping experience itself as a pleasurable pursuit. Based on those theories of consumer motivation, Peck and Childers (2003a) developed a twodimensional Need For Touch (NFT) scale to measure consumer preference for obtaining and using haptic information. Instrumental NFT involves goal-directed touch (utilitarian); autotelic NFT involves pleasure-seeking (hedonic). However, little empirical research has explored what factors of consumer behaviors are related to different levels of instrumental and autotelic NFT as well as the whole level of NFT. We explored potential NFT related hypotheses regarding consumer behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine how the NFT variable is associated with gender, self-construal, and Internet shopping attitudes among a sample of adult Korean consumers. First, gender differences in NFT have been found with women scoring higher on NFT (total, autotelic and instrumental) than men; further, women scored equally high on autotelic and instrumental NFT but men scored higher on instrumental than autotelic NFT (Workman, 2010). Second, research has documented the importance of self-construal to consumer behavior, but has not examined how the self-construal variable is related to NFT. Independent self-construal is a stable self that is separate from social context and focused on internal abilities, thoughts, feelings, uniqueness and self-expression (Singelis, 1994). Those with a well-developed independent self-construal are likely to have a higher level of instrumental NFT than those with well-developed interdependent self-construals. Independent self-construal individuals are self-oriented so they may use instrumental touch for utilitarian purposes. On the other hand, an interdependent self-construal is a variable self focused on external statuses, roles, and relationships (Singelis, 1994). Those with a well-developed interdependent selfconstrual may have a high level of autotelic NFT. Interdependent persons enjoy having relationships or interactions with other people; they may enjoy interacting with products through autotelic touch. Third, recent research has reported a negative relationship between NPT and attitude toward online shopping. Peck and Childers (2003) found that instrumental NFT and purchasing products on the Internet were inversely related. Based on the NFT related discussion about consumer behavior, we propose the following hypotheses: H1-H3: Women will differ from men in NFT, respectively the total level, autotelic NFT, and instrumental NFT. H4: Individuals with a high independent self-construal will have higher instrumental than autotelic NFT. H5: Individuals with a high interdependent self-construal will have higher autotelic than instrumental NFT. H6-H8: Those higher (vs. lower) in NFT will differ in interdependent self-construal, independent self-construal, and attitude toward Internet shopping. Method: A questionnaire contained demographic items and scales measuring Need For Touch (Peck & Childers, 2003), Internet shopping attitudes, and independent/interdependent self-construal scale (Singelis, 1994). The questionnaire was pretested after being translated into Korean by the widely used back translation method (Green et al., 1980). An adult sample was recruited from an on-line survey company. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests and MANOVA/ANOVA. Cronbach's alpha for each scale ranged from .804 to .942, indicating that reliability of the scales was acceptable. Results: Participants were 320 South Korean adults (160 women, 160 men) in their 30s (33.1%), 40s (33.5%), and 50s (33.4%). Their ages ranged from 30 to 59 (mean age = 43.7; SD = 8.17). MANOVA was conducted with gender as the independent variable and total scores on the NFT scale, autotelic NFT, and instrumental NFT as the dependent variables. First, empirical results revealed a significant effect for gender; women scored higher than men on the total NFT scale and the two subscales. H1, H2, and H3 were supported. We also tested if women (men) have a higher autotelic NFT than instrumental NFT. Both groups had higher instrumental NFT than autotelic NFT significantly. Women had higher instrumental NFT (Mean= 26.81) than autotelic NFT (Mean=23.14, p<.0001). Men had higher instrumental NFT (Mean=24.54) than autotelic (Mean=21.19, p<.0001). Second, to test H4 and H5, two groups were formed based on median -- higher (lower) independent selfconstrual and higher (lower) interdependent self-construal. Individuals with a high independent self-construal had higher instrumental NFT (M=27.01) than autotelic NFT (M=23.6, p<.0001): H4 was supported. Individuals with a high interdependent self-construal also had higher instrumental NFT (M=26.50) than autotelic NFT (M=22.76, p<.0001): H5 was not supported. Third, a one-way ANOVA with NFT (high/low) as the independent variable and interdependent, independent, and on-line shopping attitude as dependent variables revealed that the high NFT group showed higher scores on interdependent (High NFT M = 52.09; Low NFT = 50.55) and independent (High NFT M = 49.35; Low NFT = 46.58) self-construal but lower scores for Internet shopping attitudes (High NFT M = 63.96; Low NFT = 66.46). H6, H7 and H8 were supported. Discussion & Implications: We confirmed the level of NFT in consumer behavior significantly differs by gender, self-construal and Internet shopping attitudes. NFT scores for both autotelic and instrumental are higher in women than in men. Instrumental NFT scores are higher for both the high independent and the high interdependent selfconstrual groups. Internet shopping attitudes are reversely associated with NFT scores. In particular, there is a relatively strong negative relationship with instrumental NFT scores. These empirical findings suggest that instrumental NFT is powerful among Korean consumers. Even consumers with interdependent self-construals prefer instrumental NFT to autotelic NFT. It appears that Korean consumers rely on instrumental NFT because of various reasons including a high level of outcome-directed touch and lack of reliable information about quality of products. Such instrumental based NFT consumer behaviors may result from the context of Korean culture emphasizing a strong goal-driven and performance based evaluation. These results would help international firms or companies to understand Korean consumers for their global marketing strategies. Further research is needed to investigate a wider variety of consumers to better understand different cultural values or attitudes globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
