The multiple-identity effect: how multiple social identities shape the perception of time

Menglin Li; Sheng Bi

doi:10.1007/s11002-025-09779-1

The multiple-identity effect: how multiple social identities shape the perception of time

Menglin Li
, Sheng Bi^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Shantou University
Beijing Institute of Technology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Most consumers today hold multiple social identities, yet the literature fails to fully explore how these multiple identities influence consumer behavior, particularly in terms of the perception of time and subsequent purchasing behaviors. This research demonstrates that priming consumers with multiple identities can increase their preference for time-saving products (Study 1), driven by a heightened perception of time scarcity (Study 2a & 2b). Moreover, we find that the effect of multiple identities on perceived time scarcity and the choice of time-saving products depends on the consumer’s multitasking ability, with the effect being weaker for consumers with higher multitasking ability (Study 3). This research contributes to the literature on multiple social identities and sheds light on how marketers can use multiple-identity cues to shift consumer decisions to save time.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	747-761
Number of pages	15
Journal	Marketing Letters
Volume	36
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-025-09779-1
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Keywords

Multiple-identity
Multitasking
Perception of time scarcity
Time-saving products

Access to Document

10.1007/s11002-025-09779-1

Cite this

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title = "The multiple-identity effect: how multiple social identities shape the perception of time",

abstract = "Most consumers today hold multiple social identities, yet the literature fails to fully explore how these multiple identities influence consumer behavior, particularly in terms of the perception of time and subsequent purchasing behaviors. This research demonstrates that priming consumers with multiple identities can increase their preference for time-saving products (Study 1), driven by a heightened perception of time scarcity (Study 2a \& 2b). Moreover, we find that the effect of multiple identities on perceived time scarcity and the choice of time-saving products depends on the consumer{\textquoteright}s multitasking ability, with the effect being weaker for consumers with higher multitasking ability (Study 3). This research contributes to the literature on multiple social identities and sheds light on how marketers can use multiple-identity cues to shift consumer decisions to save time.",

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author = "Menglin Li and Sheng Bi",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.",

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AU - Li, Menglin

AU - Bi, Sheng

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.

PY - 2025/12

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N2 - Most consumers today hold multiple social identities, yet the literature fails to fully explore how these multiple identities influence consumer behavior, particularly in terms of the perception of time and subsequent purchasing behaviors. This research demonstrates that priming consumers with multiple identities can increase their preference for time-saving products (Study 1), driven by a heightened perception of time scarcity (Study 2a & 2b). Moreover, we find that the effect of multiple identities on perceived time scarcity and the choice of time-saving products depends on the consumer’s multitasking ability, with the effect being weaker for consumers with higher multitasking ability (Study 3). This research contributes to the literature on multiple social identities and sheds light on how marketers can use multiple-identity cues to shift consumer decisions to save time.

AB - Most consumers today hold multiple social identities, yet the literature fails to fully explore how these multiple identities influence consumer behavior, particularly in terms of the perception of time and subsequent purchasing behaviors. This research demonstrates that priming consumers with multiple identities can increase their preference for time-saving products (Study 1), driven by a heightened perception of time scarcity (Study 2a & 2b). Moreover, we find that the effect of multiple identities on perceived time scarcity and the choice of time-saving products depends on the consumer’s multitasking ability, with the effect being weaker for consumers with higher multitasking ability (Study 3). This research contributes to the literature on multiple social identities and sheds light on how marketers can use multiple-identity cues to shift consumer decisions to save time.

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KW - Time-saving products

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DO - 10.1007/s11002-025-09779-1

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The multiple-identity effect: how multiple social identities shape the perception of time

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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