How social perceptions influence consumption for self, for others, and within the broader system

This article builds an organizing framework for understanding how social perceptions influence consumption at three levels: consumption for self, consumption for others, and consumption within the broader system. At each level, social others play a distinct role in individuals' consumption behaviors, from passive observers to active agents. Importantly, consumption at each of these levels is characterized by common tensions and misperceptions, which sometimes undermine individuals’ consumption choices, outcomes, and intent. We describe some of the tensions and explore how individuals navigate them. At the end, we discuss how the proposed framework offers exciting opportunities for future research.