2. 10 The Self and Selves Chapter McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
Explain the relationship between personality traits and self-concept and discuss applications of personality theory to consumer behavior.
Know the characteristics of self-concept and understand more about how you characterize yourself and how others are likely to describe you.
Recognize the I-self, the me-self, and the looking-glass self.

4. Learning Objectives (continued)
Explain how self-concept affects intrapersonal processes such as self-narrative, information processing of self-relevant information, and the regulation of affect.
Describe how self-concept affects interpersonal processes such as lifestyle, interaction strategy, and interpersonal influence.
Discuss the relationship between people’s self-concepts and their consumption behavior, including relating self-concept to the circle of consumption.
Recognize how the self-concept varies cross-culturally.

5. Exhibit 10.1 The Relational Self

6. Self-Concept
Defined as an organized configuration of perceptions of the self, which are available to awareness
Perceptions people have about themselves
An active configuration that influences intrapersonal and interpersonal processes
It is not distinct from society and culture
Role transition is a major change in the rights, duties, and responsibilities expected of an individual by a social group

7. Self Concept intrapersonal – inner, processes
including information processing and motivation
interpersonal processes -- including perception, interpersonal influence and reaction to others’ feedback

8. Interactive Sources of Selfhood
Significant others
individuals with whom we interact in various kinds of role relations, are crucial in the formation of our self.
Materials and objects
the physical environment that we rely on for survival and the technologies that support and mediate our social relations affect the development of our self.
Ideas, beliefs and values
ideology and religious beliefs influence the way we perceive and respond to our social and physical environment

9. Personality Personality
distinctive and enduring patterns of thoughts, emotions and behaviors that characterize each individual’s adaptation to the situations of his of her life
Ancient history suggests relation between personality and astrology
Contemporary view initiated by Sigmund Freud

10. Traits Traits Measures of personality traits:
characteristics in which one person differs from another in a relatively permanent and consistent way
Measures of personality traits:
Social Character Scale
Five Factor Personality Structure

11. Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy
Self-Esteem – the pattern of beliefs an individual has about self-worth
One’s subjective self-evaluation developed from personal experiences of success or failure, interactions with others, maturation, heredity, and social learning.
High self-esteem is related to spending; low self-esteem is related to compulsive and addictive behaviors
Self-Efficacy -- people’s beliefs about their capabilities to exercise control over events that affect their lives
Self-efficacy should vary cross-culturally.

12. Applications to Consumer Behavior Research
Need for cognition – a tendency to engage in and enjoy thinking
Locus of control – significant personality variable in psychology
External locus of control – ascribe the influences on their lives to luck, fate, chance, other people, or strong forces they cannot overcome
Internal locus of control – tend to attribute the influences on their lives to forces such as their own skills that are within their control
Differ in attentiveness to information present in the environment and seeking of additional relevant information

13. Applications to Consumer Behavior Research
It is difficult to predict consumer brand choices based on personality traits alone
Personality variables are related to consumption behaviors
It may be possible to predict behavior averaged over a sample of situations and/or occasions
Advertisers can use personality traits to segment markets and target their market offerings

14. Self-Concept… multifaceted
includes a collection of images, activities, goals, feelings, roles, traits and values
Multiplicity of identity indicates that selfhood is a collection of diverse but related self-perceptions – the self includes a multiplicity of things that people are to themselves and to one another

15. Self-Concept is Multi-Faceted
I-self
the active observer, the knower, or the information processor
Me-self
the known, observed, and constructed self-image
Looking-glass self
Image congruence hypothesis
self-concept is reinforced as positive responses from others support consumption activities
Extended self
external objects to which we are emotionally attached and that we consider a part of ourselves

16. Self-Concept Depends on Situations and Motives
Working or activated self-concept
aspects that are most relevant in a particular social setting or situation
People selectively retrieve different aspects of their self-concepts depending on goals and motives.
Sometimes consumers may contrive to use products to trigger aspects of the self.

17. Behavioral Constraints and Possible Selves
Behavior is constrained by factors other than one’s self-concept
Self-concept is composed of self-schemas
system of knowledge structures organized in memory and consisting of self-relevant information
Possible selves
past, present or future views of self

18. Self-Concept is Changeable
Self-concept is flexible and changeable
Consumers’ self-concepts are especially dynamic during certain role transitions
Role transitions and self-esteem
the degree to which people have a positive attitude towards themselves
Role transitions are marked by changes in consumption patterns

19. Exhibit 10.2 A Dynamic Model of Self-Concept

20. The Dynamic Self-Concept Intrapersonal Processes
Self-narrative
stories that are coherent, context sensitive accounts of experiences that provide a sense of personal continuity in time and space
Self-relevant information
internalized self-schemas that represent a reference value or standard of comparison for new information
Self-gifts
frequently carry messages about identify and self-distinctiveness, which contributes to self-esteem

21. Intrapersonal Processes
Body image
Commonly defined as a mental construction, embedded in self-schema that can deviate substantially from a person’s objective physical characteristics
Desired selves
what a person thinks he or she really can and would like to be

22. Communicating Self to Others Through Products
Step 1: Person buys product symbolic of self
Step 2: Reference group associates product with person
Step 3: Reference group attributes to person qualities of the product
Person’s
self-concept
Reference group
Step 3
Symbolic
Product
Step 2
Step 1

23. Interpersonal Processes
Self is a reference point for evaluating others, selecting friends and directing interactions with others
Consumption communicates socially shared meanings about identity
High self-monitors
concerned with being consistent with their conception of how people behave in a particular situation
Low self-monitors
concerned with being themselves in various situations
Consumers may use goods to close the gap between actual and possible selves

24. Postmodern Self
Postmodernity is another name for the post-cold war world in which market capitalism has become the main organizing force globally.
Characterized by three conditions that affect identity
Declining allegiance to unifying belief systems, such as national purpose, democratic values, scientific progress, or religions doctrines
Fragmentation of the self-concept
Decentering of the subject; loss of purpose and coherent sense of self
Postmodern consumers are free to choose; to become the person she/he wants to be in any situation

25. Self-Concept and the Circle of Consumption
Production
Acquisition
Consumption
Disposal

26. Self Concept and the Circle of Consumption
Production:
Men barbecue
Women cook Thanksgiving
“Home-made” and “Hand-crafted”
Acquisition:
Provisioning and housewives’ self concept
Bargaining and self efficacy
Consumption:
The latest thing
Kitchen and family room
Disposition:
Voluntary simplicity
Environmental concerns

27. Web Sites Production: www.mitsukoshi.co.jp
Acquisition:
Consumption:
Disposition:

28. Exhibit 10.4 Consumer Goods and Consumption Behavior
Contribute to self narrative
Illustrate aspect of self
Symbolize or mark self-change
Integrate incompatible self-conceptions
Close gap between actual and desired self
Try on a "possible self"

29. Self-Concept Around the World
Euro-American self
individualism, autonomy, self-assertion; strive for high degree of self-reliance and independence
Chinese self
accordance with anticipated expectations of others and social norms (relational self - enduring social relations and cultural ideas)
Japanese self
proper role behavior, identification with others needs, harmony

30. Self-Concept Around the World
Hindu self
achieving identity with higher power
African self
practical, spiritual, interdependent, socially oriented achievement motivation (an individual’s striving for success is bound up with the success of others)

31. Key Terms body image compulsive buying desired selves extended self
high self-monitors
image congruence hypothesis
I-self
locus of control
looking-glass self
low self-monitors
me-self
need for cognition
personality
possible selves

32. Key Terms postmodern self self-narratives relational self
relationship harmony
role transition
self-concept
self-efficacy
self-esteem
self-gifts
self-narratives
self-relevant information
self-schemas
socially oriented achievement motivation
traits
working or activated self-concept