A presentation on the concept of self image and how it impacts consumer behavior.

1. Consumer Behaviour
Understanding Self Concept
Rohan S Telang
Navneet Ballal

2. Consumer Behaviour
2
Self
Image
Ideal
Self
Image

3. Consumer Behaviour
3
Social Self Image

4. Consumer Behaviour
4
Ideal Social Self Image
How everyone
Should see me

5. Consumer Behaviour
5
Product Symbolism
Products are assumed to have an image or personality determined by
physical appearance, packaging, advertising, price and users.
• Visibility or Conspicuousness
• Variability: Varied usability
• Personalizability: Symbolic
Association

6. Consumer Behaviour
6
4 Approaches dealing with product image:
• Product image defined as a stereotypic image of its user
• Product image defined as a direct association with self-concept
• Sex-typed product image: Masculine, Feminine
• Differentiated product image: Self and others perception of us

7. Consumer Behaviour
7
Self Concept: Terminologies
• Extended Self
• Self-Image Value: How important is a self image attribute
• Self-Image Belief: Degree of belief in a self image attribute
• Situational Self-Image: Consumption of a brand/product ideal in
one situation and not in another

8. Consumer Behaviour
8
Self Concept Theories
• Self concept is of value to the individual, and behaviour will be
directed towards the protection and enhancement of self-concept.
• The purchase, display, and use of goods communicates symbolic
meaning to the individual and to others.
• The consuming behaviour of an individual will be directed to
enhancing self-concept through consumption of goods as
symbols.
• Publicly consumed goods : influenced more by ideal self-image
• Privately consumed goods: influenced more by actual self-image

9. Consumer Behaviour
9
Self Concept/ Product Image Congruity
• Positive Self Congruity: Hair product
• Positive Self Incongruity: Gym ads
• Negative Self Congruity: Cigarettes
• Negative Self Incongruity: Medicines

10. Consumer Behaviour
10
Self Concept Research Findings
• There exists a relationship between self-image, ideal self-image/product-image
congruity and consumer choice.
• The existence of a relationship between social self-image/product-image
congruity and consumer choice is not strongly supported.
• The existence of a relationship between ideal social self-image/product-image
congruity and consumer choice is a debate.
• The existence of a relationship between sex-role self-image/sex-typed
product-image congruity and consumer choice is a debate.
• The role of product conspicuousness, between self-concept/product-image
congruity and consumer choice has been largely unsupported, however
the role of product conspicuousness and social class does effect consumer
choice.

11. Consumer Behaviour
11
Self Concept Research Findings
• The role of product personalisation(symbolic image), between self-concept
/product-image congruity and consumer choice has been suggested. Purchase
preference and intention is stronger for high personalising products.
• The role of personality, between self-concept/product-image congruity and
consumer choice has been suggested. Purchase intention are more closely
related to ideal self-concept than to actual self-concept.
• The ideal-self and ideal-social-self image concepts were more closely related
to product preference whereas,
The actual-self and social-self image concepts were more closely related to
purchase intention.

12. Consumer Behaviour
12
Self Concept Research Findings
Product image as a function of consumer behaviour:
• It was found that product image is derived out of a strive to bridge gap between
self and ideal self.
• It was found that consumers rated products that they tend to use or places they
frequent to have a positive product image as compared to non-patronized ones.
Self-Image as a function of consumer behaviour:
• This may happen in situations where a product image is very strongly established
and consumers self-image are not strongly established.
Eg: Pre-owned products, someone gifts you a FastTrack and your self-image is
now “cool”

13. Consumer Behaviour
13
Thank You…