Fashionably Late: Differentially Costly Signaling of Sociometric Status Through a Subtle Act of Being Late

This research investigates the social signaling aspect of tardiness to social gatherings, focusing on how lateness influences perceptions of sociometric status. The research questions revolve around whether arriving late is perceived positively, leading to increased admiration and network expansion. It further explores whether these perceptions translate into downstream effects on product preferences and consumption behaviors. The study is grounded in costly signaling theory, sociometric status research, and consumption mimicry literature. The central argument is that tardiness acts as a costly signal, functioning as a form of conspicuous consumption that communicates high sociometric status, thus attracting mimicry. This study is important because it delves into the often-overlooked communicative aspect of time allocation, particularly within social contexts, challenging the traditional view of punctuality as a universal social norm. The novelty lies in examining lateness as a deliberate signal of high sociometric status, rather than simply a negative behavior.

The paper reviews existing literature on time perception, sociometric status, and costly signaling. Time perception research highlights the cultural and situational variability in punctuality norms, with the US emphasizing punctuality while other cultures exhibit more flexibility. Sociometric status is defined as the respect, admiration, and voluntary deference received from others, distinguishing itself from socioeconomic status. Costly signaling theory emphasizes the use of costly behaviors to credibly signal unobservable qualities. The literature on consumption mimicry suggests that individuals tend to imitate the behaviors of those they admire or want to affiliate with. This review sets the stage for the paper's hypothesis that tardiness, particularly when it reaches a point of “fashionably late”, operates as a credible and costly signal that communicates high sociometric status. The existing literature provides a theoretical foundation to explore how this signal influences perceptions, affiliations, and consumption behaviors.

The research employs a mixed-methods approach involving pilot studies and five experimental studies. The pilot study confirms the relationship between arrival time and perceptions of being “fashionably late”. Study 1a examines the correlation between self-reported sociometric status and arrival time at two university social gatherings. Study 1b investigates observers' perception of sociometric status and number of friends based on manipulated arrival times (on-time vs. very late) using an online survey. Study 2a explores the mediating role of perceived prior social engagement (vs. academic/work engagement) in the relationship between arrival time and sociometric status perception. Study 2b replicates Study 2a, incorporating group size (small vs. large) as an additional factor and testing perceived uniqueness and independence as mediators. Study 3 examines the relationship between fashionably late perception, sociometric status perception, and affiliative behavioral intention (invitation, social network) using a sample of university students. Study 4 investigates the impact of target arrival time and chronic desire for status on observers' intention to imitate the target’s consumption preference (choice of beer) through an online experiment. Finally, Study 5 replicates the consumption imitation effect using a field experiment with MBA students at a nightclub, where confederates arrived at different times and participants chose a t-shirt from the confederates’ selection. Statistical analyses employed include t-tests, ANOVAs, and regression analysis, with bootstrapping used for indirect effect analysis.

The studies consistently support the hypotheses. Study 1a showed a positive correlation between self-reported sociometric status and lateness. Study 1b demonstrated that observers perceived late-arriving individuals as having higher sociometric status and more friends compared to on-time arrivals. Studies 2a and 2b confirmed that the perception of prior social engagement mediated the relationship between arrival time and sociometric status perception; other variables such as prior academic/work engagement, uniqueness and independence were ruled out. Study 3 showed that fashionably late perceptions positively predicted sociometric status perception, which in turn predicted affiliative behavioral intention. Studies 4 and 5 showed that observers were more likely to imitate the consumption choices of late-arriving individuals. This effect was stronger for individuals with a higher chronic desire for status (Study 4). Specifically, Study 5 confirmed that 78% of participants chose the t-shirt worn by the late-arriving confederate, significantly above the chance level of 50%.

The findings strongly support the central argument that arriving late to social gatherings can serve as a costly signal of high sociometric status, leading to increased affiliation and consumption mimicry. The consistent findings across various methodologies (online surveys, field experiments, and naturally occurring settings) enhance the robustness of the results. The mediating role of perceived prior social engagement highlights the inferential process through which observers interpret lateness. The moderating effect of chronic desire for status further illuminates the motivational underpinnings of consumption mimicry. The study challenges the traditional view of punctuality as a universally valued trait, demonstrating that lateness, under certain conditions, can be a strategic signal of social value and resourcefulness. The implications extend beyond the social realm, offering insights into marketing and brand management.

This research provides compelling evidence that strategic tardiness to social gatherings can be a powerful signal of sociometric status. The findings offer novel insights into the complexities of social signaling, challenging traditional perspectives on punctuality and offering practical implications for marketing, brand management, and social dynamics. Future research could explore the generalizability of these findings across different age groups and cultural contexts, examine other potential mediators and moderators, and investigate the long-term effects of perceived fashionably late status on social relationships.

The studies primarily focused on young adult populations in university and professional MBA settings. The generalizability of the findings to older age groups and different cultural contexts requires further investigation. The measures relied on self-report and perceptions in some studies, which might be subject to biases. While the field experiment enhanced ecological validity, the sample size was relatively small. Future studies could incorporate objective measures of sociometric status and employ larger, more diverse samples.