Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc 1 Chapter 4 Personality, Self-Image, and Life Style Consumer Behaviour Canadian Edition Schiffman/Kanuk/Das

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc

1

Chapter 4Personality, Self-Image, and

Life Style

Consumer Behaviour

Canadian Edition

Schiffman/Kanuk/Das

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 4-2

Opening Vignette

Do you see yourself as beautiful? Only1% of all women see themselves as

beautiful Most ads portray an ideal image that is

unattainable Dove’s ‘Campaign for Real Beauty’

http://www.dove.ca


What Is Personality?

The inner psychological characteristics that both determine and reflect how a person responds to his or her environment.


The Nature of Personality

Personality reflects individual differences

Personality is consistent and enduring

Personality can change


Theories of Personality Freudian theory

– Unconscious needs or drives are at the heart of human motivation

– Three interacting systems• Id: primitive and impulsive drives• Superego: Individual’s internal expression of

society’s moral and ethical codes of conduct• Ego: Individual’s conscious control

» continued


Theories of Personality

Neo-Freudian personality theory– Social relationships are fundamental to

the formation and development of personality

– e.g., CAD theory


Horney’s CAD Theory

Using the context of child-parent relationships, individuals can be classified into:– Compliant individuals– Aggressive individuals– Detached individuals


CAD theory

Compliant Personality– One who desires to be loved, wanted, and

appreciated by others. Aggressive Personality

– One who moves against others (e.g., competes with others, desires to excel and win admiration).

Detached Personality– One who moves away from others (e.g., who desires

independence, self-sufficiency, and freedom from obligations).


Theories of Personality – Cont’d

Cognitive Theories of Personality– Personality as differences in cognitive

processes (how consumers process and react to information)


Need for Cognition (NC)

A person’s craving for enjoyment of thinking

High NC consumers are likely to:– Relate better to written messages– Want product-related information– Spend more time processing print ads– Enjoy using the internet to get

information


Visualizers Vs Verbalizers

A person’s preference for information presented visually or verbally

Visualizers require strong visual elements in ads

Verbalizers prefer written information, print ads, question-answer format


Theories of Personality – Cont’d

Trait theory– Quantitative approach to personality as a

set of psychological traits

– Single-trait or multiple-trait theories



Trait Theories – Cont’d

Consumer materialism– The extent to which a person is considered

“materialistic” Fixed consumption behaviour

– Consumers fixated on certain products or categories of products

Compulsive consumption behaviour– “Addicted” or “out-of-control” consumers


Consumer InnovativenessConsumer Innovativeness

The degree to which consumers are receptive to new products, new services or new practices.

Consumer innovators are likely to:– Score lower on dogmatism– Score higher on need for uniqueness– Have higher optimum stimulation levels– Have higher need for sensation seeking and

variety seeking behaviours


Consumer Materialism

Possessions seen as for one’s identity Materialistic People

– Value acquiring and showing-off possessions– Are particularly self-centered and selfish– Seek lifestyles full of possessions– Have many possessions that do not lead to

greater happiness


Consumer Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentric consumers feel it is wrong to purchase foreign-made products

They can be targeted by stressing nationalistic themes


Research Insight: From Consumer Materialism to Compulsive

Consumption Consumer materialism

– The extent to which a person is considered “materialistic”

Fixed consumption behaviour– Consumers fixated on certain products or

categories of products Compulsive consumption behaviour

– “Addicted” or “out-of-control” consumers


Fixated Consumption Behaviour

Consumers have – a deep interest in a particular object or

product category– a willingness to go to considerable lengths

to secure items in the category of interest– the dedication of a considerable amount

of discretionary time and money to searching out the product

Examples: collectors, hobbyists


Sample Items to Measure Compulsive Buying

1. When I have money, I cannot help but spend part or the whole of it.

2. I am often impulsive in my buying behaviour.3. As soon as I enter a shopping center, I have an

irresistible urge to go into a shop to buy something.

4. I am one of those people who often responds to direct mail offers.

5. I have often bought a product that I did not need, while knowing I had very little money left.


Brand Personality Personality-like traits associated with

brands Volvo - safety Perdue - freshness Nike - the athlete BMW - performance Levi’s 501 - dependable and rugged



(continued)


Figure 4-11 (continued)


Personality and Marketing Strategy

Identify relevant personality traits Target consumers with the relevant

personality traits Develop promotional messages that

appeal to consumers with specific personality traits

Develop a personality for the brand


Self and Self-Image

Self-image: A person’s perceptions of his/her self

People have multiple selves– Different selves in different situations


Actual Self-Image

Ideal Self-Image

Ideal SocialSelf-Image

Social Self-Image

ExpectedSelf-Image

Different Self-Images


Different Self-Images Actual Self-Image

– How you see your self Ideal Self-Image

– How you would like to see yourself Social Self-Image

– How you think others see you Ideal Social Self-Image

– How you would like others to see you» continued


Different Self-Images- Cont’d

Expected Self-Image– How you expect to be in the future

“Ought-to” Self– The qualities that you think you should

possess


Possessions Act as Self-Extensions

By allowing the person to do things that otherwise would be very difficult

By making a person feel better By conferring status or rank By bestowing feelings of immortality By endowing with magical powers



Altering Self Images

If actual and ideal self-images are different, consumers may use products to alter their selves

Personality vanity: self interest or admiration for one’s own appearance/achievements


Internet Insight: Virtual Self

Online individuals have an opportunity to try on different personalities

Virtual personalities may result in different purchase behaviour


Self Concept and Marketing Strategy

Use self-concept for segmentation and positioning

Market to consumers’ actual or ideal self-images– Depends on the nature of the product

Promote products as ways of altering or extending self-image


Life Style and Psychographics

Psychographic Segmentation– Segmenting consumers on the basis of

their activities, interests and opinions Psychographic-demographic profiles Geodemographic segmentation


Life Styles and Marketing Strategy

Use life styles for segmentation and positioning

Develop media campaigns based on consumer life styles

Documents

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc 1 Chapter 4 Personality, Self-Image, and Life Style Consumer Behaviour Canadian Edition Schiffman/Kanuk/Das