The effect of individual factors on consumers' local and transferred rituals acceptance and purchase intentions, and the moderating role of ethnocentrism

Consumption patterns have being transformed as a result of globalization and acculturation phenomena in a simultaneous manner. In this context, not only local rituals but also rituals transferred from other cultures shape the consumption processes. Consumers, in fact, determine their attitudes and behaviors towards consumption based on the rituals they accept, which are aligned with their individual characteristics. In this respect, in the research conducted within the scope of this study, it is aimed to investigate the effect of individual characteristics such as self-actualization, self-congruity and self-expression on the acceptance of local and transferred rituals, and the moderating role of ethnocentrism in this relationship within the framework of consumption actions inherent in rituals. In order to determine the interactions of the variables with each other, it is aimed to test the hypotheses in the model which was created based on theories and approaches. In this context, the hypotheses were empirically tested using quantitative methods. 407 data was analyzed within the framework of structural equation modeling with a convenience sampling method. The findings indicate that self-congruence, self-expression and self-actualization are determinants of ritual acceptance which includes symbolic meanings. In addition, it was concluded that ritual acceptance had a significant and positive effect on purchase intention and this effect was higher in transferred rituals. Another conclusion reached by the study is that the effect of self-congruity and self-expression on ritual acceptance is higher in local rituals, while the effect of self-actualization on ritual acceptance is higher in transferred rituals. In this context, it is seen that the model differs according to local and transferred rituals. Lastly, it was concluded that ethnocentrism has a partial moderating role on the effect of self-expression on the local/transferred ritual acceptance, while it has a full moderating role on the effect of self-actualization on transferred ritual acceptance.