Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Marketing
Major Professor
Dipayan Biswas, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Anand Kumar, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Jee Won Paulich, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Angeline Close Scheinbaum, Ph.D.
Keywords
Digital Technology, Minority Consumers, Self-Esteem, Service Robots, Social Identity Theory
Abstract
This dissertation examines the novel aspect of minority perception and how feeling-like-a-minority influences the consumption of digital interfaces in a service context. The focus on the perception of minority consumers is important given greater emphasis on minority-related issues catalyzed by recent social events. Examining the effects on the choice likelihood for digital interfaces such as service robots is also relevant given the increasing widespread use of such technology. The findings across eight studies including six online studies and two field experiments demonstrate that individuals who perceive themselves as a minority in a service setting show defensive behavior by choosing a non-human (e.g., robot) service provider over a human service provider, with self-esteem mediating the effect.
Scholar Commons Citation
Kim, Ye Seul, "How Feeling Like a Minority Affects Preferences for Autonomous Digital Interfaces" (2023). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/9888
