Future Research Directions on Psychological Ownership (PO) in Business and Consumer Studies
Introduction
A crucial component of organizational and human behaviors in the workplace, consumer interfaces, and digital environments is psychological ownership (PO). Despite it’s clear importance, several significant gaps remain in the theoretical underpinnings of methodological and applied frameworks. Research on PO also appears to be fragmented across various fields.
This article discusses future research directions on PO, including topics, background contexts, research questions, methods and hypotheses for doctoral/postgraduate endeavors.
Research Topic 1. Developing the Theoretical Bases of Psychological Ownership
Background Context
PO has been mainly studied in individual and the group ownership (Pierce and Jussila, 2010). Nevertheless, the existing literature doesn’t provided a comprehensive discussion of other theoretical perspectives that might help to understand how PO is developed and how it affects behaviour [1].
Research Questions
- What new theoretical perspectives (e.g., self-determination theory, attachment theory, or motivation theory) can explain PO beyond traditional frameworks?
- How do personal characteristics (e.g., personality traits, emotional intelligence) influence PO formation?
- What part does cultural variation play in the formation of PO in the global business organization?
Suggested Methodologies
- Comparative theoretical analysis: – Compare Self-Determination Theory, Social Identity Theory, Endowment Effect, Territoriality Theory, and Expectancy-Value Theory to understand how each explains PO in different contexts.
- Meta-analysis: Review previous studies conducted on PO to determine the theories that are commonly used and those that are not used.
- Experimental design: Conduct observational studies to monitor the development of PO over time among employees and consumers.
Potential Hypotheses
H1: Conscientiousness and openness positively influence the strength of PO.
H2: PO is moderated by cultural dimensions such as collectivism and individualism, affecting its development in different societies.
Key References
Did You Know?
Psychological Ownership (PO) goes far beyond physical possessions: PO can arise from digital assets, brands, and roles in the workplace. The advances in AI and VR are creating more PO by increasing personalization (making assets feel less virtual) and immersion (making the experience feel more real).
However, PO can lead to excessive territorial behavior or engagement in the workplace. Recent advancements in machine learning, biometrics, and sentiment analysis now lend themselves to tracking PO in real-time. Strong PO makes individuals more attached to an organization, so this is a plus; however, PO can also lead to rigidity. The key is to find balance—where do you feel the most PO?
Research Topic 2. The Negative Outcomes of Psychological Ownership: The Negative Consequences
Background Context
In this paper, while PO is discussed mainly in terms of its positive consequences for consumers (e.g., loyalty, engagement, and brand advocacy), its negative consequences (such as territoriality, resistance to change, and possessiveness) are not fully explored [1].
Research Questions
Can over poaching (PO) lead to adverse consequences such as increased territorialism, workplace discord or unethical decisions?
Does psychological ownership have a tipping point where its effects shift from positive to negative for employees ?How can companies prevent the negative implications of strong PO in the organization and with consumers?
Suggested Methodologies
- Case study research: Examine actual cases in which PO resulted in organizational issues, such as decision-making botlenecks, power struggle, or new leadership.
- Survey-based studies: Determine PO levels and relate them to workplace stress, burnout, and resistance to restructuring or new policies.
- Experimental approach: Implement and test specific interventions—such as leadership coaching, collaborative decision-making frameworks, or role rotation—to mitigate the negative effects of PO on decision-making and team dynamics..
Potential Hypotheses
H1: High PO is associated with increased territorialism and decreased team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
H2: Those who have high PO have higher job stress and reduced job satisfaction.
Key References
Yu, M., Lin, H., & Doty, D. H. (2024). A dark side to psychological ownership: Evidence of unintended negative job performance outcomes in the Chinese hotel industry. Tourism Management, 104, 104941.Wang, L., Law, K. S., Zhang, M. J., Li, Y. N., & Liang, Y. (2019). It’s mine! Psychological ownership of one’s job explains positive and negative workplace outcomes of job engagement. Journal of Applied Psychology, 104(2), 229.
Research Topic 3. Psychological Ownership in the Sharing Economy and Digital Platforms
Background Context
Traditional PO models are challenged by the rise of ride sharing, home sharing and digital subscription services like Uber, Airbnb & Spotify. It is not always easy to determine how PO develops in such contexts, as consumers interact with temporary or even intangible assets [1].
Research Questions
How does PO form in access-based consumption models like subscription services and digital goods?
What factors lead to a sense of ownership in digital environments where consumers do not physically possess assets?
Can companies improve PO in digital and sharing economy settings to enhance customer engagement and retention?
Suggested Methodologies
- Qualitative studies: To investigate emotional attachments to digital content, conduct in-depth interviews with users of digital platforms.
- Behavioral tracking: Use eye-tracking, user logs, and behavioral analytics to measure how users engage with digital services over time.
- Experimental research: Test how different marketing strategies (e.g., personalization, co-creation) impact PO in digital consumption.
Potential Hypotheses
H1: Consumers experience a sense of PO over digital goods despite the lack of physical possession.
H2: Customization and personalization increase PO in access-based consumption models.
Key References
Li, J., Kim, H., & So, K. K. F. (2024). Understanding psychological ownership in access-based consumption through a theory synthesis: an investigation of Airbnb and hotels. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 33(4), 499-524.
Morewedge, C. K., Monga, A., Palmatier, R. W., Shu, S. B., & Small, D. A. (2021). Evolution of consumption: A psychological ownership framework. Journal of Marketing, 85(1), 196-218..
Research Topic 4. Psychological Ownership in Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality
Background Context
Virtually every industry is embracing AI-driven platforms, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) to engage consumers and provide them with new and more engaging means of interfacing with brands and products. However, very little is known about how these technologies affect the formation of PO [1].
Research Questions
How do AI-driven systems, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, influence the formation of psychological ownership in consumer interactions within AI and virtual reality environments
Can VR/AR environments increase the level of consumers’ attachment to virtual goods or services?
How does customization affect the formation of PO in digital experiences?
Suggested Methodologies
- Neuroscientific methods: Employ eye-tracking, facial recognition, and brain imaging to determine the emotional and cognitive response to AI and VR platforms.
- Field experiments: Investigate the relationship between psychological ownership (PO) and purchase intent by studying consumer behavior in immersive VR retail environments, assessing factors such as product interaction and perceived ownership..
- Comparative analysis: Compare PO levels and shopping behaviors in traditional e-commerce versus VR-based shopping experiences to identify differences in user engagement, attachment to products, and purchasing decisions.
Potential Hypotheses
H1: AI-driven personalization increases PO by enhancing the perceived control in the digital platform.
H2: Virtual reality environments are more effective in inducing a sense of ownership than conventional e-commerce interfaces.
Key References
Park, J., & Kim, H. Y. (2025). Psychological ownership of avatars in the metaverse: Its key antecedents and outcomes. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 24(1), 332-346.
Xu, Y., Cheng, M., & Kuzminykh, A. (2024, June). What Makes It Mine? Exploring Psychological Ownership over Human-AI Co-Creations. In Proceedings of the 50th Graphics Interface Conference (pp. 1-8).
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Research Topic 5. Capturing Psychological Ownership with Innovative Methodologies
Background Context
Traditional PO research mainly depends on self-report surveys with Likert-type scales for data collection. Real-time objective methods developed from machine learning along with natural language processing systems and biometric tracking systems measure performance optimization effectively [1].
Research Questions
- How can biometric tracking (e.g., heart rate, electrodermal activity) be used to measure PO in real-time?
- Can machine learning models predict PO based on user behavior and transaction data?
- How does social media sentiment analysis reflect consumers’ feelings of PO towards brands?
Suggested Methodologies
- Machine learning techniques: Examine customer sentiments found in online reviews accompanied by forum and Twitter data to identify contents concerning ownership.
- Physiological measures: The assessment of emotional responses linked to PO should use facial electromyography together with heart rate variability and skin conductance measurements.
- Longitudinal studies: Monitor fluctuations in PO over extended periods by tracking individuals or groups across multiple touchpoints, such as product adoption stages, organizational changes, or shifts in brand loyalty.
Potential Hypotheses
H1: The level of psychological ownership exhibits a positive relationship with the amount of physiological arousal that occurs during target object interactions.
H2: The accuracy of machine learning sentiment analysis for identifying consumer behavior related to product ownership stands at a high level.
Key References
Jiao, H., & Lissitz, R. W. (2024). Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, and Psychometrics. The MARCES Book Series. IAP-Information Age Publishing, Inc.Wang, W., Kofler, L., Lindgren, C., Lobel, M., Murphy, A., Tong, Q., & Pickering, K. (2023). AI for psychometrics: Validating machine learning models in measuring emotional intelligence with eye-tracking techniques. Journal of Intelligence, 11(9), 170.
Conclusion
Research on psychological ownership creates multiple possibilities to explore domains including organization behavior, marketing, digital platforms, AI and VR. The advancement of psychological ownership theory, its measurement techniques, and the development of business strategies that benefit from PO require the exploration of these key research dilemmas.
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