Consumers’ In-group Preference Enlarges when
Seeking Healthcare for Mental Illness versus Physical Illness
Prof. Xue Wang
Assistant Professor of Marketing,
Renmin Business School, Renmin University of China
Date: 24 April 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 14:30 to 16:00
Venue: E22-G008
Host: Prof. Elaine Li YAN, Associate Professor in Marketing
Abstract
Individuals worldwide, especially members of minority groups, tend to be less inclined to seek healthcare for mental illnesses compared with physical illnesses. This study assessed whether the previously overlooked factor of in-group preference plays a role in consumers’ decision-making regarding healthcare-seeking behavior for physical and mental illnesses. With a large-scale dataset comprising approximately 25 million medical consultations and 10 randomized controlled experiments, we consistently found evidence that when seeking healthcare for mental (vs. physical) illnesses, consumers place greater importance on healthcare providers’ empathy, leading to a stronger preference for in-group healthcare providers (e.g., those providers from consumers’ own groups). The effect of illness type on consumer in-group preference was attenuated by the following: when consumers were presented with prior reviews highlighting out-group healthcare providers’ empathy; when consumers received information that out-group healthcare providers had completed cultural competence training; and among consumers with a relatively high level of global identity. The current research contributes to the literature on mental health, empathy, global identity, cultural influences on consumer behavior, and accessible healthcare. More importantly, it provides practical implications for marketers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to promote mental healthcare and mitigate health disparities.
Speaker
Prof. Xue Wang is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Renmin Business School, Renmin University of China. She received her Ph.D. in Marketing from University of Hong Kong in 2020 and B.Sc. in Applied Psychology from Nanjing University in 2017. She worked as a Research Assistant Professor of Marketing at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2021. In September 2022, she joined Renmin Business School. Her research has been published in reputable marketing journals such as Journal of Marketing.
All are welcome!
