The Pursuit of Security: How Loneliness Shapes Consumers' Preference for Simple Versus Complex Packaging Designs

This research examines how loneliness influences consumers' preferences for the design (simple vs. complex) of product packaging and uncovers the underlying mechanisms across 7 studies, including 1 survey and 6 experimental designs ( N = 1636). The results show that loneliness increases consumers' preference for complex packaging designs, which is driven by the desire for symbolic security. Moreover, consumers' security trait negatively moderates the relationship between loneliness and desire for symbolic security, such that the positive effect of loneliness on the desire for symbolic security is stronger among consumers with lower levels of security trait and weaker among those with higher levels of security trait. These findings advance the research fields of sensory marketing and offer actionable insights for marketers, suggesting that consumers' loneliness should be considered when developing packaging strategies involving simple or complex designs.