• PERSONALITY• Personality can be defined as those inner psychological

charecteristics that both determine and reflect how a person responds to his/ her environment.

• PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY• The Psychoanalytic theory proposed by Sigmund Freud

is based on the physiological needs and unconscious motives an individual has. It is based on the hypothesis that all human behavior is driven by the unconscious 'motives that a person has and that these motives are influenced by that person's biological drives

• This theory, known as the Psychoanalytic theory of personality, projects the personality as the nucleus or the center of the interaction between the three systems of the id, the superego, and the ego.

• Id is that part of the psyche that consists of the primitive and impulsive drives-the very basic physiological needs of human beings, for which an individual seek immediate satisfaction.

• The ego is the component of personality that is responsible for dealing with reality. According to Freud, the ego develops from the id and ensures that the impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the society.The ego functions in both the conscious, and unconscious mind.

• The superego consists of that part of the human psyche which makes a human being conform to social norms, morality and ethical codes of conduct.

• The superego is the aspect of personality that holds all of our internalized moral standards and ideals that we acquire from both parents and society--our sense of right and wrong. The superego provides guidelines for making judgments. It is also something which takes human being to what is called the spiritual level.

• The superego acts to perfect and civilize our behavior. It works to suppress all unacceptable urges of the id and struggles to make the ego act upon idealistic standards rather that upon realistic principles.

• Social psychology is focused on helping us understand and explain social behavior. Social psychological theories are generally centered on specific social phenomena, including group behavior, pro social behavior, social influence, love and much more.

• PERSONALITY AND UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

• There are various personality traits but marketers are concerned with those traits which have a bearing on consumer buying behaviour. They have identified some of these traits which help in identifying consumer types and given them the following names and definitions. These consumer personality traits are:

1.Consumer innovativeness : This can be studied in three levels a) Global innovativeness

• B) Domain specific innovativeness• C) innovative behaviour

• 2. Consumer Dogmatism or rigid behaviour : This is a personality trait that measures the degree of rigidity vs openess that individuals display towards the unfamiliar and toward information that is contrary to their own established beliefs.

• 3. Social character : This is a personality trait which ranges from inner directedness to outer directedness. Inner directedness consumers tend to rely on their own inner values and standards while evaluating a product.

• Outer directedness consumers tend to look at others for guidance as to what is appropiate or inappropiate.

• 4. Need for uniqueness : people who like to be unique.

• 4.Optimum stimulation level : optimum stimulation levels are linked with greater willingness to take risks.

• 5.Sensation seeking : It is a trait cahrecterized by the need for varied, novel and complex sensations and experience, and the willingness to take physical and social risks for the sake of such

• 6. Variety novelty seeking : This personality trait is related to OSL. These are people who buy to explore.

• Apart from inherent traits, a consumer chooses a product, which has an image that is similar to the view he has about himself. This is called the self-concept. Every person has an opinion about himself or herself. And individuals imagine and associate certain attributes with regard to their tastes and personalities.

• This image consumers have of themselves influences the products, brands, they buy and even the stores they frequent. Marketer needs to be familiar with the self-concept, as consumers are inclined toward products that match their selves. Thus, the concept of self helps marketers to understand, predict, and direct the purchase decisions of consumers.

The specific view a person has about his self is influenced by his own psychological and physiological thoughts. This view also includes the consumer's perception of his self in the eyes of the people around him (social image).

• Also he sometimes tries to attain the image of a particular person or an ideal image and communicates this to others by taking up or avoiding such consumption (of goods and services) that is reflective of that image. A person might perceive himself to have a single self or many selves.

• A person's perceived self is not a static concept. The same person has different views about his self at different contexts of time and place. Also the consumers will assume every product to have an individual image

• They choose such products or brands that are in congruence with their own self. The marketer has to know which role a consumer is playing and what image he has attached to the product, to effectively position his product. Marketers can use tools such as\ rating scale, checklist to measure an individual's self and also find whether the consumer is able to deduct a link between his perceived self and the product's image.

• TRAIT THEORY• Trait theory brought the empirical approach to the

personality study.

This theory tries to study the personality in terms of exclusive individual characteristics called traits. The theory lists traits like

1) Consumer innovativeness 2) Consumer materialism 3) Consumer ethnocentrism as major influencers of behavior.

• COGNITIVE PERSONALITY FACTORS• 1.Need for cognition (NFC) : It is a personality

characteristic which denotes a person’s craving for thinking. Consumers who are high on NFC are more likely to be responsive to the part of an ad that is rich in product related information.

• 2) Visualisers and verbalisers : Some people prefer the written word as a way of securing information whereas others are more likely to respond to word of mouth information.

• INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCE :• Besides personality and cognitive traits

outside influences are also important in consumers choosing certain products over others. These outside influences are:

• A) Information influence : This is the tendency of consumers to accept information from others.(dmonstration in retail outlets)

• B)Value expressive influence :This is the tendency of consumers to enhance their social standing by attempting to be similar to those with whom they compare themselves.

• C) Utilitarian influence :This is the tendency of consumers to conform to the wishes of others in order to obtain rewards.

• CONSUMPTION AND POSSESSION TRAITS DISPLAYED BY CONSUMERS :

• 1. Consumer materialism behaviour : Some people are materialistic by nature and they show traits such as valuing aquiring and showing off possessions, particularly self centred and selfish, they desire to have lots of things rather than a simple uncluttered life.

• 2. Fixated consumption behaviour : fixated consumers are those who pursue certain interests and try to add to their collection because of their interest in those particular objects.

• 3. Compulsive consumption behaviour :This is the dark side of consumption. Cosumers who are compulsive have an addiction. (Shopping addiction – Oniomania)

• SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY• While personality psychology focuses on

individual traits, characteristics and thoughts, social psychology is focused on situations. Social psychologists are interested in the impact that the social environment and group interactions have on attitudes and behaviors.

• Social psychology is focused on helping us understand and explain social behavior. Social psychological theories are generally centered on specific social phenomena, including group behavior, pro social behavior, social influence, love and much more.