Self-Image and Personality

Copyright Atomic Dog Publishing, 2002

Self-Image and Personality


It is the process through which consumers buy, consume, and dispose of products and services on the basis of their meaning to themselves and others.

Consumers buy and use goods and services for the utility/psychological benefits delivered and the things that they represent.

Therefore part of consumption is symbolic

Consumption


Brand Image: the overall vision or position of a brand in the mind of the consumer.◦ It is a combination of both tangible and intangible

attributes◦ Attributes are classified by the type of consumer

benefits they deliver: utilitarian or functional, experiential or aesthetic (beauty, art, taste) and value-expressive.

How Consumers Perceive Brands


Utilitarian or Functional◦ Products that help consumers remove or avoid

problems – e.g., a driver’s side air bag Experiential or aesthetic (psychological)

◦ Products that satisfy sensory expectations --- e.g., the unique atmosphere of a fine restaurant, the way you feel in a new business suit

Types of Consumer Needs


Self-image is the configuration of beliefs related to the self>self-image (or private self): it involves those

images that one has of oneself about which one feels protective –how consumers see themselves The self-consistency motive: doing things that are

consistent with one’s own self-image

Forms of Self-Image


Ideal self-image: how consumer would like to be◦ By acquiring products consistent with their ideal

self-image, consumers may boost their self-esteem. Self-esteem motive is at work here.

Social self-image: how we believe other people see us◦ The social consistency motive is present some

examples are the modern, caring, practical, caring, energetic, self controlled, sensitive, carefree, reckless, etc..

Forms of Self-Image (continued)


Ideal social self-image: how consumers would like others to see them ◦ The social approval motive is working here: doing

things that would cause others to think highly of them.

Forms of Self-Image (continued)


In the marketplace some products are viewed as “men’s” or “women’s”

Gender-typed product image targeted to match consumers’ gender-role orientation:◦ Masculinity – independence, toughness,

aggressiveness, competitiveness, achievement, rebelliousness

◦ Femininity – tenderness, sensitivity, dependence, compliance, cooperation

Gender Roles and Self-Image


Body image is how people view their bodies, physical selves, and appearance.

Image is central to personal identity

Body image - actual vs. ideal

Body Image


An individual’s response tendencies across situations and over time

People also have consumption-specific personalities

Trait approach to personality ◦ Personality formed based on person’s position on the

general traits possessed by all people

Personality


Self-esteem – how one feels about him/herself, the level of regard for oneself◦ High self-esteem feeling good about oneself

and expecting more Dogmatism – the tendency of being

closed-minded, seeing life in terms of black and white◦ Less receptive to new or unfamiliar stimuli

Traits (continued)


Rigidity – being less flexible than others in tastes and preferences◦ Rigidity correlates negatively with risk-taking

behavior Tolerance of ambiguity

◦ Willingness to deal with ambiguous (unclear best choice) purchase decisions

◦ Tolerant people gather information by shopping around (exploratory behavior)

Traits (continued)


Optimum stimulation level (OSL) –refers to the greater desire that some people have to explore the environment and to seek stimulation from others e.g. physically stimulating, emotionally energizing, exciting or novel, having potential to induce arousal.

Traits (continued)


Impulsiveness◦ It is measured using 12 adjectives*:

impulsive,self-controlled, extravagant, farsighted, responsible, restrained, easily tempted, rational , methodical , enjoy spending, and planner

Traits (continued)


Extroversion – refers to the extent to which people seek stimulation from the environment◦ extroversion-introversion

Neuroticism –the tendency to experience negative affect anxiety, anger, envy, guilt, and depressed mood.

Traits (continued)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Envy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(mood)


Need for cognition(the process of thought) – the tendency to think through purchase decisions more thoroughly than others◦ Individuals high in need for cognition tend to

process advertising arguments more extensively Need for power – the motivation to impact,

control, or influence others

Traits (continued)


Need for affiliation – the motivation to act , establish, restore, or maintain a close, warm, friendly relationship with others

Need for achievement – the motivation to perform on tasks to achieve excellence or to outperform others

Traits (continued)


The tendency of some consumers to be among the first to purchase new products within specific categories◦ Diffusion of innovations ◦ Implications for the marketing of new products

Consumer Innovativeness


Opinion Leadership

An opinion leader is a person who is well versed in a product or service category◦ Motivated to “spread

the word” (positive or negative)

◦ Implications for the marketing technological innovations


This is the extent to which certain consumers feel confident about making decisions about products in a specific category (e.g., computers, automobiles)◦ Implications for specialty products and specialty

stores

Product-specific Self-Confidence


This is the level of the consumer’s belief in his or her own performance capability or competence in relation to a product category ◦ Implications for the resistance to and adoption of

technological innovations

Product-Specific Self-Efficacy (desired result)


It refers to what consumers perceive they know about the product in question.

It is measured by various statements designed to capture what the consumers perceive they know.

Subjective knowledge may correlate significantly and positively with measures of objective knowledge.

Product-specific Subjective Knowledge


Coupon proneness – the tendency to redeem coupons by purchasing the advertised product or service

Value consciousness – the amount of concern the consumer has for need-satisfying properties of the product or service in relation to the price of that product or service

Deal proneness – the tendency to look for “deals”

Other Consumption-specific Personality Traits


Product-specific involvement – being emotionally involved in a particular product class or category

SOME EXAMPLES; The ad of sandal soap encourages fantasizing

“dream girl, me”>The ad Aqua-guard of a “caring mother”>Image oriented ads like the “OMEGA” endorsed

by the Cindy Crawford/Rani Mukherjee for the BATA- “UNTAMED”

>Emotional ad of the Ponds the visual communicates a feeling of joy

Other traits (continued)

Self-Image and Personality

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