Personality in Consumer Behavior

Definition of Personality

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

Psychodynamic theory

Developed by Sigmund Freud, this theory focuses on the unconscious mind, including the id, ego, and superego, emphasizing early childhood experiences on personality development.

Trait theory

Identifies stable personality traits that can be measured, with the popular 'Big Five' model including openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Horney’s CAD Theory

A personality measurement tool based on Horney's premise that neurotic behavior results from adverse childhood environmental factors.

Consumer Innovativeness

Openness to trying new products and ideas, characterized by enjoyment of being early adopters and taking risks.

Dogmatism

Resistance to new ideas and a preference for tradition, with high dogmatism favoring trusted brands and low dogmatism embracing experimentation.

Social Character

Preference for self-guidance (inner-directed) or societal trends (other-directed), influencing brand choices and marketing strategies.

Optimum Stimulation Level (OSL)

Desire for sensory stimulation and excitement, with high OSL craving novelty and low OSL preferring calm, familiar experiences.

Variety-Novelty Seeking

Tendency to seek diverse, new experiences across exploratory, vicarious, and innovative uses for familiar products.