https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/20/study-luxury-car-owners-stubborn-self-centered-and-argumentative.htmlJan-Erik Lonnqvist, lead study author and a professor of social psychology, wanted to figure out whether certain people who tend to be more aggressive or antagonistic also gravitate towards high-status cars. For the study, “high-status cars” include the brands Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus and Mercedez-Benz.
The Finnish study authors write that this “may not be due to the corruptive effects of high social class, but rather due to the underlying personality traits that dispose certain people to purchase high-status cars.” In other words, people with money see themselves as superior, and therefore are “keen to display it to others,” Lonnqvist said in a press release.
>The “conscientious” luxury car owners, on the other hand, likely want to send the message that they’re responsible and reliable, he said in the release.>“Far more interesting than the paper is that the car really seems to be an important identity issue for Audi and BMW owners,” he says.For the study, researchers surveyed 1,892 Finnish car owners, who had an average age of 53.5. While other studies suggest that narcissists are typically drawn to products that “promote their personal uniqueness,” the authors wanted to dig deeper into the personality traits of luxury car owners.
