The present research investigated whether stereotypes embedded within the luxury market (Han, Nunes, & Dreze, 2010) can undermine decision performance for lower-income consumers, who encounter negative stereotypes about their ability to make good luxury product decisions. Two studies tested the effect of stereotype salience (Shapiro & Neuberg, 2007; Steele, 1997) on lower-income consumers’ performance on a luxury good decision task. In Study 1, we manipulated the decision domain (luxury versus economy purchase) and found evidence of the predicted stereotype threat effect among lower-income consumers performing a luxury (but not economy) market decision task. In Study 2, we manipulated the extent to which the luxury market stereotype would be seen as an accurate reflection of actual income-based differences in the ability to make good luxury product decisions. We found that the gap in the decision task between lower- and higher- income consumers was attenuated when the stereotype had been portrayed as inaccurate. Together, these studies suggest that marketers and policy-makers should recognize this stereotype threat in the marketplace, which undermines the quality of important purchase decisions by lower-income consumers, and should implement interventions to protect their welfare.

• Jacob Chaeho Lee(Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea)