Concept and motives
Pierce et al. (2001, 2003) root it in efficacy, identity and place; Belk (1988) on the extended self.
Routes and effects
Control, intimate knowing and investment, as in the IKEA effect; Van Dyne and Pierce (2004); Peck and Shu (2009).
Related concepts and critiques
Unlike the endowment effect (Kahneman et al., 1990), no title is needed; Morewedge (2021); risks include territoriality.
FAQ
- What is it in simple terms?
- Feeling something is yours even if you don't legally own it.
- Is it always good?
- It boosts commitment but can breed territoriality.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Pierce, J. L., Kostova, T., & Dirks, K. T. (2001). Toward a theory of psychological ownership in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 298–310. The key theory paper, outlining control, intimate knowing and self-investment.
- Pierce, J. L., Kostova, T., & Dirks, K. T. (2003). The state of psychological ownership: Integrating and extending a century of research. Review of General Psychology, 7(1), 84–107. Integrates a century of research on ownership feelings and motives.
- Van Dyne, L., & Pierce, J. L. (2004). Psychological ownership and feelings of possession: Three field studies predicting employee attitudes and organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(4), 439–459. Field studies linking ownership to commitment and citizenship behaviour.
- Peck, J., & Shu, S. B. (2009). The effect of mere touch on perceived ownership. Journal of Consumer Research, 36(3), 434–447. Shows mere touch raises perceived ownership and valuation.
- Morewedge, C. K. (2021). Psychological ownership: Implicit and explicit. Current Opinion in Psychology, 39, 125–132. A recent review distinguishing implicit and explicit ownership.
- Kahneman, D., Knetsch, J. L., & Thaler, R. H. (1990). Experimental tests of the endowment effect and the Coase theorem. Journal of Political Economy, 98(6), 1325–1348. Endowment-effect experiments, for comparison with felt ownership.
- Belk, R. W. (1988). Possessions and the extended self. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(2), 139–168. The classic on possessions as part of the extended self.