Squeezed in Time: How Social Crowding Influences Self‐Control Decisions

ABSTRACT Global urbanization has inevitably increased the density of individuals in public spaces, thereby affecting personal decision‐making across diverse scenarios. This study investigates the impact of social crowding, a ubiquitous environmental factor, on consumer self‐control decisions. Seven empirical studies provide robust and consistent evidence that consumers are more susceptible to short‐sighted self‐control failures in crowded environments as opposed to uncrowded ones. The results further reveal that this phenomenon is attributed to a diminished perception of available time during the decision‐making process under crowded conditions. Additionally, this study highlights the moderating role of individual differences in time urgency. By uncovering the link between social crowding and subjective time perception—illustrating a cross‐domain shift from spatial to temporal compression—this investigation emphasizes its significant influence on self‐control decisions. These findings not only theoretically contribute new insights into the downstream consequences of social crowding but also practically offer critical implications for marketers and policymakers in strategically managing environmental crowdedness to optimize benefits and enhance social welfare.