The psychological effects of buying fake products
Not all people can afford to buy such popular high-brand products they would like. Some could afford them but don't want to spend that much money. Therefore, some people end up purchasing genuine-looking copies of high-brand products. Some fake products are illegal pirated products, yet others are just "differentiated" (albeit the latter might be morally questionable, it is not illegal). Previous research has found that most people who buy fake products buy them to gain better self-esteem and signal positive things about themselves to others. In other words, they buy these products to gain appreciation from others and to feel good about themselves. Gino et al. (2010) have investigated the subconscious psychological effects of using fake products. Especially the researchers wanted to find out if people succeeded in fulfilling their goals. The participants in the study were divided into two different groups. Both were given genuine Chloé sunglasses, but the other group w