Consumer as an individual

Session 5Personality and consumer behaviour

What is personality?

Inner psychological characteristics that both determine and reflect

how a person responds to his or her environment

The nature of personality

Personality reflects individual differences

Personality is consistent and enduring

Personality can change under certain circumstances

Theories of personality (1) Freudian theory:

id, ego, superego unconscious needs or drives are at the heart of

consumer motivation and personality consumption behaviour seen as an extension and

reflection of individual personality

Neo-freudian theory: Social relationships are fundamental to

personality People continuously try to establish rewarding

relationships with others 3 personality groups: Compliant, Aggressive,

Detached (CAD test)

Add appealing to detached or nonconformist personality

Theories of personality (2)

Trait theory: Trait = any distinguishing, relatively

enduring way in which one individual differs from another

Focus on the measurement of personality in terms of specific psychological characteristics

Trait theorists focus on construction of personality tests (single-trait personality tests are broadly used in marketing)

Personality traits and understanding of consumer diversity

Consumer innovativeness Dogmatism

high low

Social character inner-directedness other-directedness

Need for uniqueness (NFU) Optimum stimulation level Sensation seeking Variety – novelty seeking

Expolratorypurchase behaviour Vicarious exploration Use innovativeness

Consumer innovativeness measurement

Need for Uniqueness measurement scale

Cognitive personality factors

Need for cognition (NC): need for and enjoyment of thinking Low in NC High in NC

Visualizers Verbalizers

Visualizers vs. Verbalizers

From materialism to compulsive consumption (1)

Consumer materialism People value acquiring and showing off

posessions Self-centered and selfinh Seek lifestyle full of possesions Their possessions do not give them

greater personal satisfaction

Materialism measurement scale

Fixated and compulsive consumption behaviour

Fixated consumption behavior A deep/ passionate interest in a particular object/

category

A willingness to make considerable effort to acquire another example of product of interest

The dedication of considerable amount of free time and money to searching out the object or product

Compulsive consumption behaviour – Abnormal behaviour, addictions (e.g. chocoholism)

Compulsive buying scale

Brand and product personality

Product personality and gender Product personality and geography Personality and color

Brand personality

Personality-like colour associations

Self and self-image (1)

One or multiple selves Social roles

Self image Actual self-image Ideal self-image Social self-image Ideal-social self-image Expected self ‘Ought-to’ self

Self and self-image (2)

The extended self Actually Symbolically Conferring status or rank Bestowing feelings of immortality Endowing with magical powers

Altering the self Virtual personality or self

Extended self survey

Ad appeailing to the ‘new you’ or the altered self