Chapter 5 The self

Perspectives on the self Consumers’ self-concepts are reflections of their attitudes towards themselves. Whether these attitudes are positive or negative, they will help guide many purchase decisions; products can be used to bolster self-esteem or to ‘reward’ the self.

Consumption and self-concept Many product choices are dictated by the similarity the consumer perceives between their personality and attributes of the product. The symbolic interactionist perspective on the self implies that each of us actually has many selves, and a different set of products is required as props to pay each. Many things other than the body can also be viewed as part of the self. Valued objects, car, homes and even attachments to sports teams or national monuments are used to define the self, when these are incorporated into the extended self.

Ideal vs real self The ideal self is a person’s conception of how they would like to be. This ‘self’ is partly moulded by heroes (or advertising depictions) in one’s culture. The actual self refers to our more realistic appraisal of the qualities we have and don’t have.

Multiple selves The self can be thought of as having different components or role identities. We each play many roles, and each has its own script, props and costumes. Some of the identities are more central than others (e.g. husband, boss, mother and student). Others might be dominant in certain situations (e.g. dancer, coach and Sunday school teacher).

Products that shape the self People use an individual’s consumption behaviours to help them make judgements about that person’s social identity. Symbolic self-completion theory predicts that people who have an incomplete self-definition tend to complete this identity by acquiring and displaying symbols associated with it. The contribution of possessions to self-identity is perhaps most apparent when these treasured objects are lost or stolen.

Self/product congruence Self-image congruence models suggest that products will be chosen when their attributes match some aspect of the self. The ideal self seems to be more relevant for highly expressive social products such as expensive perfume. Research tends to support the idea of congruence between product usage and self-image. However, this theory applies primarily to products with a perceived symbolic, rather than functional value.

Levels of extended selves Individual level – inclusion of many personal possessions in self-definition, e.g. cars, clothing, and so on. Family level – includes a consumer’s residence and its furnishings. Community level – the neighbourhood or town to which consumers belong. Group level – attachments to certain social groups can be considered a part of self.

The digital self Today we have access to ‘post-production’ tools to engineer our identities. These free or inexpensive applications allow virtually anyone to dramatically modify his or her digital self at will as we strategically ‘modify’ the profile photos we post on Facebook or the descriptions we share on online dating sites. In addition, many of us create additional identities in the form of avatars in virtual worlds. Our physical bodies continue to merge with our digital environments – we’re moving from ‘you are what you wear’ to ‘you are what you post’. We also take pieces of these digital identities back with us to the physical world.

Gender roles A person’s sex-role identity is a major component of self-definition. Conceptions about masculinity and femininity, largely shaped by society, guide the acquisition of ‘sex-typed’ products and services. Advertising and other media play an important role in socialising consumers to be male and female. Although traditional women’s roles have often been perpetuated in advertising depictions, this situation is changing somewhat. The media do not always portray men accurately either.

Female gender roles In advertising, women are often portrayed as stupid, submissive, temperamental or as sex objects for men. Many modern ads, however, are stressing role reversal. More than six in ten of new car buyers under the age of 50 are female, and women buy almost half of all condoms sold. The evolution of a new managerial class of women has forced marketers to change their traditional assumptions about women as they target this growing market.

Male sex roles Society’s definition of the male role is evolving. Many males are now shown as having a ‘sensitive’ side. ‘Male bonding’ is a popular theme (especially in beer commercials). Men are trying to make sense out of three different models of masculinity that they call breadwinner, rebel and man-of-action hero, as they figure out just who they are supposed to be.

LGBT Consumers Gay and lesbian consumers are still largely ignored by marketers, although the situation has started to change as the gay market is becoming mainstream, especially in light of recent changes in legislation. As civil rights gains are made by gay activists, the social climate is becoming more favourable for firms targeting this market segment.

Body image Sometimes these activities are carried to an extreme, as people try too hard to live up to cultural ideals. One example is found in eating disorders, where women in particular become obsessed with thinness. A person’s conception of their body also provides feedback to self-image. A culture communicates certain ideals of beauty, and consumers go to great lengths to attain these. Many consumer activities involve manipulating the body whether through dieting, cosmetic surgery or tattooing.

Body image (Continued) Figure 5.1 Obese population comparison Source: OECD (2011), OECD Health Statistics, OECD Publishing © OECD 2011.

Ideals of beauty A person’s satisfaction with the physical image he or she presents to others is affected by how closely that image corresponds to the image valued by his or her culture. An ideal of beauty is a particular model, or exemplar, of appearance. Examples of ideals are physical features, clothing styles, cosmetics, hairstyles, skin tone and body type.

Ideals of beauty (Continued) Positively valued female characteristics include a higher forehead than average, fuller lips, a shorter jaw and a smaller chin and nose. Positively valued male characteristics include a heavy lower face, slightly above average height and a prominent brow.

Working on the body There is no longer much (if any) psychological stigma associated with having this type of operation: it is commonplace and accepted among many segments of consumers. Many women turn to surgery either to reduce weight or to increase sexual desirability. Breast size seems to be one of the main focuses, along with liposuction. Men account for as many as 20 per cent of plastic surgery patients. Popular operations include the implantation of silicon pectoral muscles (for the chest) and even calf implants to fill out ‘chicken legs’.