Powerlessness, variety-seeking, and the mediating role of need for autonomy

• Powerless consumers exhibit greater variety-seeking in their consumption behavior. • Effect of powerlessness on variety-seeking is due to need for autonomy. • Powerlessness does not enhance variety-seeking when autonomy is fulfilled. • These effects are documented in nine studies in both lab and real-world settings. How does feeling powerless (vs. powerful) affect variety-seeking in retail contexts? Based on the notion that feeling powerless is associated with lower autonomy, and building on studies showing that having a wider choice set enhances autonomy, we predict—consistent with research on compensatory consumption—that low-power consumers (vs. those with high power) will exhibit greater variety-seeking. Findings across nine studies were consistent with this prediction. Further, while all nine studies provide evidence that low-power consumers seek greater variety, three studies (1A, 1B, and 1C) support the prediction that this effect is mediated by need for autonomy and not by any of eight other competing mechanisms, including other-orientation, need for uniqueness, and risk aversion. Studies 2 and 3 explore theoretically and managerially relevant ways, respectively, of reducing the tendency for low (vs. high) power consumers to seek greater variety, while study 4 provides external (real-world) validity for our prediction in retail (i.e., a restaurant) context. The theoretical and managerial implications of our research are discussed.