Wilson Merrell
@wnmerrell.bsky.social
Postdoc at the Centre for the Experimental-Philosophical Study of Discrimination (Aarhus University)
Psychology of resource management, infectious disease, and social hierarchy
Formerly: University of Michigan, Macalester College
Psychology of resource management, infectious disease, and social hierarchy
Formerly: University of Michigan, Macalester College
We think this adds nuance to the relationship between social perception + hierarchy regulation, showing that shared imagery of resource possession exists across ideological lines.
Co-led with Lei Fan, alongside @jsskeffington.bsky.social and Lotte Thomsen.
Full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Co-led with Lei Fan, alongside @jsskeffington.bsky.social and Lotte Thomsen.
Full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Resource Possession in the Mind’s Eye: Ideological Convergence and Divergence in the Perceptions of Poor People - Wilson N. Merrell, Lei Fan, Jennifer Sheehy-Skeffington, Lotte Thomsen, 2025
Social hierarchies ultimately concern resource possession, yet psychological processes for regulating resource-related tensions remain underexplored. We examine...
doi.org
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
We think this adds nuance to the relationship between social perception + hierarchy regulation, showing that shared imagery of resource possession exists across ideological lines.
Co-led with Lei Fan, alongside @jsskeffington.bsky.social and Lotte Thomsen.
Full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Co-led with Lei Fan, alongside @jsskeffington.bsky.social and Lotte Thomsen.
Full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Despite clear ideological differences in stated attitudes toward poor people (left panel), egalitarians and anti-egalitarians generated strikingly similar mental images.
• Objectively: high pixel-wise similarity
• Subjectively: no difference in evaluations by independent raters (right panel)
• Objectively: high pixel-wise similarity
• Subjectively: no difference in evaluations by independent raters (right panel)
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Despite clear ideological differences in stated attitudes toward poor people (left panel), egalitarians and anti-egalitarians generated strikingly similar mental images.
• Objectively: high pixel-wise similarity
• Subjectively: no difference in evaluations by independent raters (right panel)
• Objectively: high pixel-wise similarity
• Subjectively: no difference in evaluations by independent raters (right panel)
So, conspicuous experiences may offer "the best of both worlds" when it comes to signaling status and warmth as long as they are seen as intrinsically motivated.
For more info on these studies (and two additional ones), please see the full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146... (7/7)
For more info on these studies (and two additional ones), please see the full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146... (7/7)
Flaunting Porsches or Paris? Comparing the Social Signaling Value of Experiential and Material Conspicuous Consumption - Wilson N. Merrell, Joshua M. Ackerman, 2025
Humans have always found ways to flaunt how they spend money. In studying this conspicuous consumption behavior, researchers have focused almost exclusively on ...
doi.org
April 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
So, conspicuous experiences may offer "the best of both worlds" when it comes to signaling status and warmth as long as they are seen as intrinsically motivated.
For more info on these studies (and two additional ones), please see the full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146... (7/7)
For more info on these studies (and two additional ones), please see the full paper here: doi.org/10.1177/0146... (7/7)
When no motivation was given, conspicuous experiences were assumed to be more intrinsically motivated and judged as warmer (panel A).
But when this flipped (e.g., extrinsically motivated vacations, intrinsically motivated jewelry), the warmth advantage disappeared and even reversed (panel C). (6/7)
But when this flipped (e.g., extrinsically motivated vacations, intrinsically motivated jewelry), the warmth advantage disappeared and even reversed (panel C). (6/7)
April 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
When no motivation was given, conspicuous experiences were assumed to be more intrinsically motivated and judged as warmer (panel A).
But when this flipped (e.g., extrinsically motivated vacations, intrinsically motivated jewelry), the warmth advantage disappeared and even reversed (panel C). (6/7)
But when this flipped (e.g., extrinsically motivated vacations, intrinsically motivated jewelry), the warmth advantage disappeared and even reversed (panel C). (6/7)
Why does this experiential warmth advantage exist? A key factor was perceived motivation.
In another study, participants saw profiles representing either experiential or material purchases accompanied by intrinsic (“for me”) or extrinsic (“to impress”) purchase motivations (or none at all). (5/7)
In another study, participants saw profiles representing either experiential or material purchases accompanied by intrinsic (“for me”) or extrinsic (“to impress”) purchase motivations (or none at all). (5/7)
April 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Why does this experiential warmth advantage exist? A key factor was perceived motivation.
In another study, participants saw profiles representing either experiential or material purchases accompanied by intrinsic (“for me”) or extrinsic (“to impress”) purchase motivations (or none at all). (5/7)
In another study, participants saw profiles representing either experiential or material purchases accompanied by intrinsic (“for me”) or extrinsic (“to impress”) purchase motivations (or none at all). (5/7)
In one study, we scraped Instagram posts tagged with experiential and material hashtags (see examples below).
Participants saw conspicuous experiential consumers as equally high status—but significantly higher warmth—than conspicuous material consumers. (4/7)
Participants saw conspicuous experiential consumers as equally high status—but significantly higher warmth—than conspicuous material consumers. (4/7)
April 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
In one study, we scraped Instagram posts tagged with experiential and material hashtags (see examples below).
Participants saw conspicuous experiential consumers as equally high status—but significantly higher warmth—than conspicuous material consumers. (4/7)
Participants saw conspicuous experiential consumers as equally high status—but significantly higher warmth—than conspicuous material consumers. (4/7)
Compared to material goods, experiences have distinct features: they're temporary, harder to compare, and often seen as more intrinsically motivated.
So we asked: do conspicuous experiences provide a similar social signal to material goods, or do they offer distinct costs/benefits? (3/7)
So we asked: do conspicuous experiences provide a similar social signal to material goods, or do they offer distinct costs/benefits? (3/7)
April 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Compared to material goods, experiences have distinct features: they're temporary, harder to compare, and often seen as more intrinsically motivated.
So we asked: do conspicuous experiences provide a similar social signal to material goods, or do they offer distinct costs/benefits? (3/7)
So we asked: do conspicuous experiences provide a similar social signal to material goods, or do they offer distinct costs/benefits? (3/7)
Most research on conspicuous consumption—spending that signals status—focuses on material goods 🚗👗⌚. These ⬆️ status perceptions but often ⬇️ warmth.
But what about conspicuous experiential purchases—things like international travel✈️, exclusive concerts🎫, and fine dining🍜? (2/7)
But what about conspicuous experiential purchases—things like international travel✈️, exclusive concerts🎫, and fine dining🍜? (2/7)
April 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Most research on conspicuous consumption—spending that signals status—focuses on material goods 🚗👗⌚. These ⬆️ status perceptions but often ⬇️ warmth.
But what about conspicuous experiential purchases—things like international travel✈️, exclusive concerts🎫, and fine dining🍜? (2/7)
But what about conspicuous experiential purchases—things like international travel✈️, exclusive concerts🎫, and fine dining🍜? (2/7)