The Self

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Chapter Objectives

When you finish this chapter, you should understand why:

1. The self-concept strongly influences consumer behavior.
2. Products often play a key role in defining the self-concept.
3. Society’s expectations of masculinity and femininity help to
determine the products we buy to meet these expectations.

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Chapter Objectives (continued)

When you finish this chapter, you should understand why:

4. The way we think about our bodies (and culture tells us we should
think) is a key component of self-esteem.
5. Our desire to live up to cultural expectations of appearance can be
harmful.
6. Every culture dictates certain types of body decoration or
mutilation.

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Learning Objective 1

• The self-concept strongly influences consumer behavior.

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Self-Concept

• Self-concept: the beliefs a person holds about his/her own attributes,

and how he/she evaluates these qualities
• Attribute dimensions: content, positivity, intensity, stability over time,
and accuracy

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 Real and Ideal Selves

• Ideal self: our conception of how we would like to be

• Actual self: our more realistic appraisal of the qualities we have
• Products can:
• Help us reach ideal self
• Be consistent with actual self
• Impression management means that we work to “manage” what
others think of us

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 Multiple Selves

• Marketers pitch products needed to facilitate active role identities

Sister
Woman Friend

Wife
Spokesperson

Pro athlete
Mother
American citizen
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You Are What You Consume

• Social identity as individual consumption behaviors

• Question: Who am I now?
• Answer: To some extent, your possessions!
• Inference of personality based on consumption patterns
• People who have an incomplete self-definition complete the identity
by acquisition

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 Self/Product Congruence

• Consumers demonstrate their values through their purchase behavior

• Self-image congruence models: we choose products when attributes
matches the self

Product Usage = Self-Image

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 The Extended Self

• Individual: personal possessions (cars,

clothing)
• Family: residence and furnishings
• Community: neighborhood or town where
you live
• Group: social or other groups

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 Gender Differences in Socialization
• Gender roles vary by culture but are changing
• Many societies still expect traditional roles:
• Agentic roles: men are expected to be assertive and have certain skills
• Communal roles: women are taught to foster harmonious relationships

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 Gender-Typed Traits and Products

• Gender-typed traits: characteristics we stereotypically associate with

one gender or the other.
• Gender-types products: take on masculine or feminine attributes
• Princess telephones
• Axe Men

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Ideals of Beauty

• Exemplar of appearance
• “What is beautiful is good” stereotype
• Favorable physical features:
• Attractive faces
• Good health and youth
• Balance/symmetry
• Feminine curves/hourglass body shape
• “Strong” male features

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Working on the Body

• Fattism
• Cosmetic surgery
• Body decoration and mutilation
• Body piercing

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Chapter Summary

• Self-concept as an influence on behavior

• The role of products in defining self-concept
• The influence of sex-role identity on purchases
• Self-esteem and our body image
• Cultural expectations of appearance

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