Consumer BehaviourUnderstanding Self Concept

Rohan S Telang

Navneet Ballal

Consumer Behaviour2

Self

Image

Ideal

Self

Image

Consumer Behaviour3

Social Self Image

Consumer Behaviour4

Ideal Social Self Image

How everyone Should see me

Consumer Behaviour5

Product Symbolism

Products are assumed to have an image or personality determined by

physical appearance, packaging, advertising, price and users.

• Visibility or Conspicuousness

• Variability: Varied usability

• Personalizability: Symbolic

Association

Consumer Behaviour6

4 Approaches dealing with product image:

• Product image defined as a stereotypic image of its user

• Product image defined as a direct association with self-concept

• Sex-typed product image: Masculine, Feminine

• Differentiated product image: Self and others perception of us

Consumer Behaviour7

Self Concept: Terminologies

• Extended Self

• Self-Image Value: How important is a self image attribute

• Self-Image Belief: Degree of belief in a self image attribute

• Situational Self-Image: Consumption of a brand/product ideal in

one situation and not in another

Consumer Behaviour8

Self Concept Theories

• Self concept is of value to the individual, and behaviour will be

directed towards the protection and enhancement of self-concept.

• The purchase, display, and use of goods communicates symbolic

meaning to the individual and to others.

• The consuming behaviour of an individual will be directed to

enhancing self-concept through consumption of goods as

symbols.

• Publicly consumed goods : influenced more by ideal self-image

• Privately consumed goods: influenced more by actual self-image

Consumer Behaviour9

Self Concept/ Product Image Congruity

• Positive Self Congruity: Hair product

• Positive Self Incongruity: Gym ads

• Negative Self Congruity: Cigarettes

• Negative Self Incongruity: Medicines

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Self Concept Research Findings

• There exists a relationship between self-image, ideal self-image/product-image

congruity and consumer choice.

• The existence of a relationship between social self-image/product-image

congruity and consumer choice is not strongly supported.

• The existence of a relationship between ideal social self-image/product-image

congruity and consumer choice is a debate.

• The existence of a relationship between sex-role self-image/sex-typed

product-image congruity and consumer choice is a debate.

• The role of product conspicuousness, between self-concept/product-image

congruity and consumer choice has been largely unsupported, however

the role of product conspicuousness and social class does effect consumer

choice.

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Self Concept Research Findings

• The role of product personalisation(symbolic image), between self-concept

/product-image congruity and consumer choice has been suggested. Purchase

preference and intention is stronger for high personalising products.

• The role of personality, between self-concept/product-image congruity and

consumer choice has been suggested. Purchase intention are more closely

related to ideal self-concept than to actual self-concept.

• The ideal-self and ideal-social-self image concepts were more closely related

to product preference whereas,

The actual-self and social-self image concepts were more closely related to

purchase intention.

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Self Concept Research Findings

Product image as a function of consumer behaviour:

• It was found that product image is derived out of a strive to bridge gap between

self and ideal self.

• It was found that consumers rated products that they tend to use or places they

frequent to have a positive product image as compared to non-patronized ones.

Self-Image as a function of consumer behaviour:

• This may happen in situations where a product image is very strongly established

and consumers self-image are not strongly established.

Eg: Pre-owned products, someone gifts you a FastTrack and your self-image is

now “cool”

Consumer Behaviour13

Thank You…