CONSUMER PERSONALITY

Objectives
After studying this unit you should be able to
 Understand the concept of Personality
 Explain the nature of Personality
 Explain Theories of Personality
 Explain Brand personality
 Describe the concept of self image
 Explain the role of emotion

Structure
Introduction
Nature Of Personality
Theories of Personality
 Freudian Theory
 Jungian Personality
 Neo – Freudian Personality Theory
 Trait Theory
 Personality influences and consumer behaviour
 Cognition personality factors
 From consumer materialism to compulsive consumption
 Self and Self Image
 Emotion
Summary

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Key Words
Self Assessment Questions
Further Readings


Introduction
Personality can be defined as the inner psychological characteristics that
both determine and reflect how a person responds to his or her environment.
Some theorists have defined personality as a unified whole, some on specific
traits. Some have stressed broader social and environmental influences and that
personalities develop continuously over time.
But the emphasis in the definition is on inner characteristics – specific
qualities, attributes, traits, factors and mannerisms that distinguish one individual
from the other. Personality influences consumers choice of products, brands, and
responses to promotional effects.
Nature Of Personality
These properties are of central importance:-
1. Personality reflects individual differences
2. Personality is consistent & enduring
3. Personality can change.

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 Personality reflects Individual Differences: No two individual are
exactly alike but many individuals tend to be similar in a few or one Trait. If
each person were different in all respects, it would be impossible to group
consumers into segments and there would be little reason to develop
standardized products.
Personality is consistent and enduring :- Individual personality may be
both consistent and enduring though an individual personality may be
consistent , consumption behavior varies due to psychological, social
cultural, environmental factors that affect behavior personality is only one of
a combination of factors that influence how a consumer behavior.
Personality can change: - due to major events like both of a child, death of
a laved are, divorce, promotion. It may also change due to a gradual
majoring process.

Theories of Personality

Some of the important personality theories are : Freudian Theory, Jungian

Personality, Neo – Freudian Personality Theory, Trait Theory.

Freudian Theory
Sigmund Freud says unconscious needs or drives, especially
biological drives are at the heart of human motivation and personality. This
is on the basis of patients recollections of early child hood experiences,
analysis of their dreams, and the specific nature of their mental and physical
adjustment problems.

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 Id, Superego and Ego:- Freud says the human personality consists of Id,
superego and if the Id consists of primitive dives like thirst hunger etc for
which an individual seeks immediate gratification.
The superego is the individuals internal expression of society’s moral
and ethical codes of conduct. The superego’s role is to see that the individual
satisfies needs in a socially acceptable fashion. The superego is a kind of
“brake” that restrains the impulsive forces of the Id.
Ego is the individual’s conscious control. It is an internal monitor that
attempts to balance the impulsive demands of Id and the socio cultural
constraints of the superego.
Stages of personality Development: Freud emphasized that an
individual’s personality is formed as he passes through a number of district
stages of infant and childhood development, oral stage, latency stage etc.
Freudian Theory and Product Personality:
Human drives are largely “unconscious” and the consumers are unaware of
their true reasons for buying what they buy. One’s appearance, possession, what
one wears, carries and displays are taken to reflect the individuals personality.
Brand personality :
Consumers attribute various descriptive ‘personality like traits’ to different brands
in a wide variety of product categories. In the advertisement of Quaker Oats a man
appeared on cereal boxes ,Mr. Pillsbury is soft dough. It is a set of human like
characteristics that become associated with a brand. Jennifer Aaker developed a
brand personality framework to know the structure and nature of a brand
personality. The framework suggests that there five dimensions of brand
personality like sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication and ruggedness.
There are fifteen facets of brand personality that flow from the five dimensions.
Diag. of Brand Personality.
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Jungian Personality Types:
Carl Jung’s theories and insights pertaining to personality types are relevant
to consumer behavior.
Jungian – inspired psychological dimensions:-
(1) Sensing – intuting (2) thinking- feeling (3) extroversion- introversion
(4)judging- perceiving
Each of these 4 pairs of dimensions reflects two distinctly different personality
characteristics that offer a picture as to how consumers respond to the world
around them. To match each psychological dimension from all pairs with each
psychological dimension in all other pairs would results in too many different
combinations of personality types to avoid this just two pairs one taken (sensing -
intuiting) and thinking- feeling). Sensing (s) and intuiting (n) dimensions capture
how consumer find out about things (obtaining & processing information) and the
thinking (T) and feeling (F) dimensions are opposite ways of making decisions
(decision styles) by cross tabulating the specific characteristics of the two pairs of
psychological dimensions, four possible personality types are derived.

Selected Jungian Personality Types

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 Thinking (T) Feeling (F)
Sensing (S) Sensing – Thinking (ST) Sensing – Feeling (SF)
Intuiting (N) Intuiting- Thinking (NT) Intuiting –Feeling (NF)
Sensing – Thinking (ST)
Rational in decision making, logical & empirical in viewpoint, makes decisions
following an ‘objective’ orientation, most pure sanitize, will extend effort to search
for decisions making information, risk avoider, materialism reflects personal or
private natives short time horizon in taking decisions.
Sensing Feeling: (SF) Empirical viewpoint, propelled by others. They desire
independence, self – sufficiency and personal values, makes decisions following a
‘susceptive’ orientation, likely to consider other when making a deceive freedom
from obligations, shares heir with others, status conscious, short time horizon in
making decisions.
Intuitive Thinking (IT) : takes a broad view of personal situation or world, relies
heavily on imagination yet uses login in approaching decisions, imagines a wider
range of options in making a decision, weighs options mentally willing to take risk
or be speculative indecision, long time horizon in making decisions.
Intuitive – Feeling (IF): takes a broad view of personal situation or world,
imagines a wide range of options in making a decision, highly people oriented,
makes decisions following a subjective orientation, least piece sensitive, risk
seeking, indefinite time horizon in making decisions.

Neo – Freudian Personality Theory:

Some of Sigmund Freud’s colleagues did not believe in Freud’s theory. They came
up with other theories and were called Neo- Freudian ( after Freud). Neo –
Freudian theory believed that social relationships are fundamental to the formation
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and development of personality. Alfred Adler viewed human being as seeking to
attain various rational goals which he called style of life. He also emphasized on
the individual’s efforts to overcome feelings of inferiority. Harry Stack Sullivan
says people attempt to establish rewarding relationships with others. He was
concerned with the individual’s efforts to reduce tensions such as anxiety. Karen
Horney – focused on child parent relationships, especially the individuals desire to
conquer feelings of anxiety. She proposed that individuals be classified into 3
personality groups:- Complaint, aggressive, detached( CAD Model ).
(1) Complaint individuals are those who have moved towards others (they
desire to be loved, wanted and appreciated), example student who uses
branded products.
(2) Aggressive individuals are those who move against others (they desire to
excel and win admiration for example, student who prefers strong perfume,
old spice, deodorant etc.
(3) Dethatched individuals are those who have from others.They desire
independence, self- sufficiency and freedom from obligations.( heavy tea
drinker who sits alone in a corner of the collage restaurant).

Trait Theory
The orientation of trait theory is primarily quantitative or empirical, it
focuses on the measurement of personality in terms of specific psychological
characteristics called traits. A trait is defined as “any distinguishing, relatively
enduring way in which are individual differs from another”. Selected single trait
personality tests (measures trait like self confidence) are used in consumer
behavior. They also measure traits as consumer innovativeness (receptive to
new experiences), consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (response
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to social influence), materialism (degree of consumer’s attachment to ‘world’
possessions) and consumer ethnocentrism (identifier consumer’s likelihood to
accept or reject foreign made products).
It is generally more realistic to expect personality to be linked to how
consumers make their choices and to the purchase or consumption of a broad
product category rather than a specific brand.
Personality influences and consumer behaviour

1.Consumer Innovativeness & Related Personality Traits:

Personality traits that have proved useful in differentiating between
consumer innovators & non-innovators include consumer innovativeness,
dogmatism, social character, optimum stimulation level, variety – novelty
seeking.
2.Consumer Innovativeness: How receptive consumers are to new products,
new services or new practices is quite important to both consumers and
marketers as both can benefit.
3.Dogmatism : is a personality trait that measures the degree of rigidity
individuals display toward the unfamiliar and toward information that is
contrary to their own established beliefs. Consumers also were low on
dogmatism (open minded) are more likely to prefer innovative products to
traditional ones.
4.Social character: It focuses on individuals by identification and
classification into district socio cultural types. Social character is a personality
trait that ranges on a continuum from inner-directedness to other directedness.
Inner directed consumers tend to rely on their own “inner” values in evaluating
new products and are likely to be consumer innovators. Other directed
consumes look to others for direction on what is right or wrong thus they are
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less likely to be consumer innovators. Inner director people seem to prefer
advertisements that stress product features and personal benefits. Other
directed people seem to prefer advertisements that feature a social environment.
5.Optimum Stimulation Level: (OSL) is linked with more willingness to take
risks to try new products to be innovative, to seek purchase related information.
OSL also reflects a persons desired level of lifestyle stimulation eg. if
consumers actual lifestyles are equal to their OSL scores they are likely to be
quite satisfied. If their lifestyles are under stimulated, they are likely to be bored
if their lifestyles are over stimulated, they are likely to seek rest.
Relationship between consumer’s lifestyles and their OSLs is likely to
influence their choices of products or services. A person who is bored (under
stimulated consumer) is likely to want an exciting vacation. A person who is
over stimulated is likely to seek a quiet vacation.
6.Variety – Novelty Seeking:
(1) There are many varieties seeking explanatory purchase behavior (example,
switching brands to experience new and possible better alternatives).
(2) Vicarious explanation (consumer secures information about a new or
different alternative & daydreams about the option)
(3) Use innovativeness (example where consumer uses an already adopted
product in a new way)
Third term is relevant to technological products when consumer with high
variety seeking scores bought computers with more features than consumers
with low variety seek scores.
7.Consumer susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence:
Researchers have developed a 12 item scales collect (SETSCALE) designed to
measure consumer susceptibility to inter personnel influence. There are 3 types
of inter personnel influences.
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 (i) Information influences: Tendency to accept information from others as
evidence about reality.
(ii) Value – expressive influence which captures consumers desires to
enhance their standing with others by being similar to them.
(iii) Utilitarian influence, where consumers conform with the wishes of others
in order to obtain a reward or avoid punishment.
Cognition personality factors
Cognition personality factors influence various aspects of consumer behaviour.
The two cognitive personality traits are as follows:
(i) Visualizers Vs. Verbalizers – Visualizers are consumers who prefer visual
information for example, membership in a club. Verbalizers are consumers
who like written or verbal information & products like membership in a
book club.
(ii) Need for cognition (NC): measures a person’s craving for or enjoyment of
thinking. Consumers who are high in NC are likely to be responsive to that
part of an advertisement that is rich in product related information and not
responsive to the peripheral aspects of the advertisement. These consumers
who are low in NC are more likely to be attracted to the peripheral aspects
like an attractive model. Consumers who are high in we are likely to be
partial to cool colors like blue and given.
From consumer materialism to compulsive consumption some
interrelated consumption and possession traits are
(1) Consumer materialism – Materialism is a personality trait where
individuals regard possessions as particularly essential to their identities
and some regard them as secondary. Those who have strong materialism
are:
i) Especially value acquiring and showing off possession
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 ii) They are particularly self centered.
2. Fixated Consumption behavior: like materialism, fixated consumption
behavior is in the boundary of normal & socially accepted behavior. Fixated
consumer posses the following characteristics:
(i) A deep interest in a particular object or product category
(ii) A willingness to go to considerable lengths to secure additional examples
of the object or product category of interest.
(iii) Dedication of a considerable amount of discretionary time and money to
searching out the object.
3. Compulsive Consumption Behavior: is abnormal behavior consumers who
have an addiction in some respects they are out of control eg. Gambling, drug
addiction, alcoholism etc.
Self and Self Image
Perceptions of self are very closely associated with the personality in the
individual and tend to buy products and services that relate to their own self
images,
1.One or Multiple Selves: Individual consumers have been thought to have single
self and to be interested in products and services that satisfy that single self. But in
reality they have multiple selves. A person may be a wife, mother, sister, daughter
or a professor A person is likely to behave differently at a museum, at school at
work, with parents etc.
2.The makeup of the Self-Image
Individuals develop their self images through interactions with other people
initially their parents then with other groups they interact with over the years.A
variety of different self-image constructs have been identified in the consumer
behavior literature. One popular model depicts 4 specific kinds of self images.

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 (1) Allowing the person to do things that otherwise would be very difficult to
accomplish (problem solving using a computer)
(2) Symbolically by making the person feel better bigger (receiving an
employee award for excellence)
(3) By conferring status or rank (status among collectors of have works of out
because of the ownership of a particular master piece.
(4) By conferring feelings of immortality, by leaving valued possession to
young family members (this also has the potential of extending the recipients
“selves”) and (5) by conferring magical power (eg. A ring inherited from
one’s grandmother perceived as a magic amulet bestowing good week when
it is work.
3.Altering the Self
Sometimes consumers wish to change themselves – to become a different or
“improved” self clothing, grooming aids and all kinds of accessories (eg.
Cosmetics, jewelry) offer consumers the opportunity to modify their appearances
and hereby to alter their ‘selves”. In using “self altering products”, consumers are
frequently attempting to express their individuals in or uniqueness by creating a
new self, maintain the existing self and extending the self sometimes, consumers
use self-altering products or services to confirm to or take on the appearance of a
particular type of person (lawyer). Image consultants provide clients with advice
on such personal attributes as clothing, colour, presentation, appearance, posture,
and speaking and media skills.
Liquors, Soaps & Scooters can have personalities brand personality –
attitude various personality like traits to different brands. BMW – performance
driven Levi’s is ‘dependable & rugged’

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Brand personification – tries to recast consumer perception of the attributes of a
product personality to gender - coffee & too the paste in China were seen as
inactive shampoo and bath soap as feminine.
TVS Scooter – Priyanka Chopra “why should boys have all the fun” product
personality and geography – Lonawala Chikki ‘Sunkist Oranges’ – California.
Personality & Colour – Red – Excitement, black sophistication.

Summary
Personality can be defined as the inner psychological characteristics that both
determine and reflect how a person responds to his or her environment. .
Personality influences consumers choice of products, brands, and response to
promotional effects. The nature of personality is that personality reflects
individual differences ,personality is consistent and enduring and personality can
change.
Some of the important personality theories are : Freudian Theory, Jungian
Personality, Neo – Freudian Personality Theory, Trait Theory . Sigmund Freud
says unconscious needs or drives, especially biological drives are at the heart of
human motivation and personality. Jungian – inspired psychological dimensions:-
Jungian – inspired psychological dimensions:- Sensing – intuiting, thinking-
feeling, extroversion- introversion ,judging- perceiving. Neo-Freudian theorists
believed that social relationships are fundamental to the formation and
development of personality. The trait theory focuses on the measurement of
personality in terms of specific psychological characteristics called traits. It says
individuals possess innate psychological traits ( innovativeness, novelty seeking,
need for cognition, materialism) and can be measured. Brands have personalities
some include human like traits and even gender. Consumers attempt to preserve,

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enhance, alter or extend their self images by purchasing certain products or
services.

Key words
Personality : inner psychological characteristics that both determine and reflect
how a person responds to his or her environment. .
Freudian Theory : says unconscious needs or drives, especially biological
drives are at the heart of human motivation and personality.

Id :consists of primitive dives like thirst hunger etc for which an individual seeks
immediate gratification.
Superego : the individuals internal expression of society’s moral and ethical codes
of conduct. The superego is a kind of “brake” that restrains the impulsive forces
of the Id.
Ego is the individual’s conscious control.

Brand Personality: set of human like characteristics that become associated with
a brand.
Neo – Freudian theory: believed that social relationships are fundamental to the
formation and development of personality.
Trait Theory : primarily quantitative or empirical, it focuses on the
measurement of personality in terms of specific psychological characteristics
called traits.
The makeup of the Self-Image :Individuals develop their self images through
interactions with other people initially their parents then with other groups they
interact with over the years.
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Self Assessment Questions
Q1. How do you describe Personality. Describe the main characteristics of three
personality theories.
Q2. Describe personality trait theory. Give examples of how traits can be used in
consumer research.
Q3. A marketer of health foods is segmenting a market based on consumer self
image. How can you help him?
Q4. Most advertisements appeal to emotions in their advertisement copy. Describe
three advertisements and their emotional appeal.

Further Readings
1. Leon Schiffman, Joseph Wisenblit, S.Ramesh Kumar, Consumer Behaviour , Pearson ,11th
Edition,2016
2. Suja R.Nair, Consumer Behviour in Indian Perspective, Himalaya Publishing
House,2011.

3. Michael R. Solomon, Consumer Behviour, PHI Learning,2009

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