When and why consumers prefer androgynous choices

This research introduces the concept of androgynous choice—the pairing of a feminine brand name with a masculine product design (shape or color), or vice versa—and examines the conditions under which consumers prefer androgynous options over polarized ones, where brand names and product designs share the same gender associations. Across four studies, consumers are shown to prefer androgynous over polarized masculine choices, as they believe androgynous options fulfill communion motives in addition to the agency fulfilled by masculine choices. Similarly, consumers favor androgynous over polarized feminine choices because they believe androgynous options satisfy agency motives alongside the communion fulfilled by feminine choices. However, consumers with strong beliefs in traditional norms and those in psychological states focused solely on attaining either agency or communion show decreased preferences for androgynous choices over polarized ones. Finally, consumers’ preference for androgyny extends to other dimensions of choice, specifically, the product category level.