Chapter 9

Identity

Self-Concept

The beliefs a person holds about their own attributes and how they evaluate these qualities. It like the library.

Identity in terms of self-concept

Specific roles or pieces within the broader self. The books in the self-concept library.

Self-Esteem

How positively or negatively you evaluate yourself.

Ideal Self

A person’s conception of who they want to be.

Actual Self

Realistic appraisal of ourselves

Avoidance Self

A person’s conception of who they don’t want to be

Impression Management

Consumers actively try to control how others perceive them through behavior and consumption

3 C’s of Self-Concept

Consistency, Clarity, and Complexity

Consistency

The stability or how closely aligned are a person’s self-beliefs

Clarity

How confidently identities are expressed

Complexity

How many different roles and identities someone has

Looking Glass Self

People shape their behavior based on how they think others perceive them

Self-Fulfilling Prophesy

When someone acts in a way that they think others expect, thus confirming the assumption

Social Comparison

The basic tendency to compare ourselves to others.

Self-Construal

The degree to which we see ourselves as independent of others vs interdependent. (Need for autonomy vs company)

Dramaturgical Perspective

A view of Consumer Behavior that sees people as actors playing different roles

Role Identities

The roles we play/ different components of self

Symbolic Interactionism

A sociological perspective where relationships with others play a large role in forming the self. Everything we do and consume communicates something about ourselves.

Self-Image Congruence

We choose products when their attributes align with some aspect of our self-image

Self-Signaling

Consumers use purchases to reinforce their own identity

Extended Self

The external objects or groups we consider part of our identity

Compensatory Consumption

Consumers buy products to make up for perceived identity gaps

Symbolic Self-Completion

Consumers acquire symbols to complete an identity they feel is lacking

Identity Threat

Something a person feels threatens their identity

Embodies and Enclothes Cognition

Physical states and clothing influence thinking and behavior

Gender Socialization

Society teaches expected behaviors for different genders