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Personality, Lifestyle, and Self-Concept

This document discusses personality, lifestyle, and self-concept and how they influence consumer behavior. It defines personality as inner traits that distinguish individuals. Personality is consistent but can change over time. Trait theory categorizes people according to dominant traits. Specific traits like innovativeness and materialism affect consumer choices. Self-concept refers to one's self-image, which may include multiple selves. Products help define self-concept and are chosen to match it. Marketers can segment markets according to similar self-images.

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Rohit Singh
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188 views27 pages

Personality, Lifestyle, and Self-Concept

This document discusses personality, lifestyle, and self-concept and how they influence consumer behavior. It defines personality as inner traits that distinguish individuals. Personality is consistent but can change over time. Trait theory categorizes people according to dominant traits. Specific traits like innovativeness and materialism affect consumer choices. Self-concept refers to one's self-image, which may include multiple selves. Products help define self-concept and are chosen to match it. Marketers can segment markets according to similar self-images.

Uploaded by

Rohit Singh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 8

Personality,
Personality, Lifestyle,
Lifestyle, and
and Self-Concept

Self-Concept
Introduction: personality

 Marketers attempt to appeal to consumers in


terms of their personality characteristics
 They believe that what consumers purchase,
and when and how they consume, are
influenced by personality factors
 As a result, they frequently depict (or
incorporate) specific personality traits or
characteristics in their advertising messages
What is personality?

 Many different definitions


 “Those inner psychological characteristics
that both determine and reflect how a person
responds to his or her environment”
 Emphasis on inner characteristics—qualities,
attributes traits, and mannerisms--that
distinguish one individual from others
Nature of personality

 The study of personality reveals three


distinct aspects:
1. Personality reflects individual differences
2. Personality is consistent and enduring
3. Personality can change
1. Personality reflects individual
differences
 The inner characteristics that constitute one’s
personality are a unique combination of
factors, so that no two individuals are exactly
alike
 Some people may be similar in terms of a
single personality characteristic
 This is helpful to marketers, who can thus
categorize (segment) consumers into groups
based on similarities in one or more traits
2. Personality is consistent and enduring

 However, consumption behavior may vary


because of other factors that affect behavior
(e.g., psychological, sociocultural,
environmental, etc.)
 Personality is only one of a number of factors
that influence consumer behavior
3. Personality can change

 Personality may change due to abrupt events


 Also part of a gradual maturation process
Theories of personality

 There are many such theories; the three


most prominent include
1. Freudian theory
2. Neo-Freudian theory
3. Trait theory
Trait Theory of Personality

 Classifies people according to their dominant


characteristics or identifiable traits
 Theory assumes that:
 Traits are identifiable and limited in number
 Traits are relatively stable
 Traits can be measured via behavioral indicators
 People with similar traits behave similarly
What is a trait?

 “Relatively permanent and consistent


response patterns that characterize
individuals”
 “Any distinguishing, relatively enduring way in
which one individual differs from another”
 Since traits are considered attributes of the
person and not the situation/environment,
similar external stimuli generally elicit a
consistent response from an individual
 Thus trait theory has been extensively used
in consumer behavior studies
Specific personality traits

1. Innovativeness
2. Dogmatism
3. Social character
4. Materialism
5. Compulsiveness
1. Innovativeness

 Willingness to try new products, services or


practices
 Innovators are the first to try a new product
and often indicate its success or failure
2. Dogmatism
 Measures the degree of rigidity vs. openness
individuals display toward the unfamiliar and
toward information that is contrary to their
own established beliefs
 An indicator of how consumers respond to
unfamiliar products or features
 Highly dogmatic (closed-minded) consumers
are more likely to choose established, rather
than innovative, product alternatives
 Highly dogmatic consumers tend to be more
receptive to ads for new products or services
that contain an appeal from an authoritative
figure
3. Social character
 Personality trait that ranges on a continuum
from inner-directedness to other-directedness
 Inner-directed consumers rely on their own
“inner” values in evaluating new products and
are likely to be innovators
 Outer-directed consumers tend to look to
others for direction on what is right and wrong
and thus less likely to be innovators
 They are attracted to different types of
promotional messages
 Inner-directed consumers prefer ads that
stress product features and personal benefits
(allowing them to use their own values and
standards in evaluating products)
 Outer-directed consumers prefer ads that
feature an approving social environment or
social acceptance
4. Materialism
 It distinguishes between individuals who
regard possessions as essential to their
identities and their lives, and those for whom
possessions are secondary
Sample Items from a Materialism Scale

SUCCESS
The things I own say a lot about how well I’m doing in life.
I don’t place much emphasis on the amount of material objects
people own as a sign of success.a
I like to own things that impress people.

CENTRALITY
I enjoy spending money on things that aren’t practical.
I try to keep my life simple, as far as possessions are concerned.a
Buying things gives me a lot of pleasure.
HAPPINESS
I’d be happier if I could afford to buy more things.
I have all the things I need to enjoy life.a
It sometimes bothers me quite a bit that I can’t afford to buy all the
things I’d like.
 Research indicates that characteristics of
materialistic persons include:
 They value acquiring and showing off
possessions
 Self-centered and selfish
 They seek lifestyles full of possessions
 Their possessions do not give them greater
personal satisfaction
5. Compulsiveness

 Compulsive activities include alcoholism,


gambling, and various food disorders
 Compulsive buying can be included in the list
 Often requires some type of therapy or
clinical treatment
 Evidence suggests that some consumers use
self-gifting and compulsive buying as a way
to influence or manage their moods
Self-concept/self-image

 “One’s perception of self” or “the overall


image that a person holds of him or herself”
 Consumers tend to buy products and brands
and patronize retailers whose images or
“personalities” closely correspond to their
own
Multiple selves

 Individuals were originally thought to have


only one self-image
 Today it is believed that consumers have
multiple selves—i.e., individuals act
differently with different people and in
different situations
 Marketers should target their products to
consumers within the context of a particular
self
Extended self

 Involves the interrelationship between


consumers’ self-images and their
possessions
 Possessions can be seen to extend the self-
image
 Possessions have badge value because they
communicate something about their owners
and how they feel about themselves
Self-concept and consumption

 The products and services we consume help


us define our self-concept and social identity
 They also affect other peoples’ perceptions of
us, as it is common for people to judge others
based on their clothing, make of automobile,
home, leisure activities, etc.
 “Self-congruence” describes the tendency of
consumers to select products that match
some aspect of themselves
Symbolic self-completion

 Although self-image is stable, it does change


 A new life experience can prompt change
 Often individuals adapt to the change by
purchasing and displaying goods that serve
as symbols of their new identity
Marketing applications

 Consumers tend to buy products and


services that complement and enhance their
self-image
 This is useful to marketers in several areas,
including market segmentation
 Markets can be segmented into groups who
have similar self-images

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