PERSONALITY AND SELFCONCEPT

PERSONALITY
The Inner Psychological characteristics that both determine and reflect how a person responds to his or her environment. Personality refers to a persons unique and relatively stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and actions Personality is an interaction between biology and environment
-Genetic studies suggest heritability of personality -Other studies suggest learned components of personality

The nature of personality

- Personality reflects individual differences - Personality is consistent and enduring - Personality can change

1.Freudian Theory 2.Neo-Freudian Personality theory 3.Trait Theory

FREUDIAN THEORY
This theory is given by Sigmund Freud.

It is a Psychoanalytic theory of personality.

Freud argued that personality is made up of multiple structures, some of which are unconscious It is built on the premise that unconscious needs or drives are at the heart of human motivation and personality.

A representation of the interrelationships among the: -Id (impulsive drives) -The super ego -The ego

Levels of consciousness

Conscious(What were aware of) Preconscious(Memories etc. that can be recalled) Unconscious(Wishes, feelings, impulses that lies beyond awareness)

Freud & Personality Structure

Id - energy constantly striving to satisfy basic drives Pleasure Principle

Ego tries to balance these two opposing forces according to

Reality Principle
Ego
Super Ego

Super Ego - voice of conscience that focuses on how we ought to behave

Id

Psychoanalytic:The Unconscious
the mind is like an iceburg - mostly hidden Conscious Awareness small part above surface (Preconscious) Unconscious below the surface (thoughts, feelings, wishes, memories)

Repression banishing unacceptable thoughts & passions to unconscious Dreams & Slips

FREUDIAN THEORY AND PRODUCT PERSONALITY

Consumer researchers using Freuds Personality theory see consumer purchases as a reflection and extension of the consumers own personality.
Product Potato chips Personality Traits Ambitious, successful, high achiever, impatient with less than the best

Neo-Freudian Personality theory

This theory is given by Karen Horney. It is also called Karen Horneys CAD Theory. Social relationships are fundamental to the formation and development of personality Using the context of Child-Parent relationships individuals can be classified into: -Compliant Personality (One who desires to love, wanted and
appreciated by others)

-Aggressive Personality (One who moves against and competes with

others desires to excel and win admiration) -Detached Personality (One who seeks emotional and behavioral freedom from others, desires independence, self sufficiency and freedom from obligations)

TRAIT THEORY
It suggests that personality is composed of characteristics that describe and differentiate individuals (related to lifestyle theories)
Trait theory is a way of responding to the social and physical environment. E.g.
-Extroversion -Innovativeness -Materialism -Self consciousness -Need for recognition

Aggression, Honesty, anxiety, independence and sociability.

Personality and consumer diversity

Some specific consumer traits are of particular interest to marketers. E.g. Cognitive personality factors (thinking pattern, visualizers versus verbalizers) Consumer materialism (the extent to which a person is considered materialistic) Compulsory consumption (consumers who have an addiction e.g. shopping, gambling, alcoholism) Consumer Ethnocentrism (responses to foreign made products) Consumer innovators (those who are open to new ideas)

Marketing Implications
Personality traits can be related to consumption behavior Marketers can develop product, services and communications that appeal to various personality types

Brand personality
It is a Personality-type traits or characteristics ascribed by consumers to different brands Issues in Brand Personification includes: -Product personality and gender -Personality and color

Examples of Brand Personality, Product and gender

Brand Volvo Nike Levis 501 Product Coffee and toothpaste Soap and shampoo Personality Safety and reliability The athlete in all of us Dependable, rugged, real and authentic Gender Masculine Persona Feminine Persona

How consumers use Brand Personality?

For self expression-act as a bridge
Reassurance

Communicated the Brands functional characteristics

Trustworthiness

Personality and color

Consumers who tend to associate personality factors with specific colors In some cases, various products, even brand associates a specific color with personality like connotations

Personality-like associations of specific colors

Color Personality Link

Blue
Yellow Green

Commands respect, authority

Caution, novelty, temporary, warmth Secure, natural, relaxed or easy going, living things

Red
Orange Brown

Human, exciting, hot, passionate, strong

Powerful, affordable, informal Informal and relaxed, masculine

White
Black Silver/Gold, Platinum

Goodness, purity, chastity, cleanliness, delicacy, refinement, formality

Sophistication, power, authority, mystery Regal, wealthy, stately

Self concept
Self concept is the overall image that a person holds of him self or herself. Self concept emerges out of our impressions about ourselves as well as from others impressions of us Variety of self concepts -Actual self image -Ideal self image -Social self image -Ideal social self image -Expected self image -Virtual personality or self

Consumers often wish to change themselves to become a different or improved self by grooming, clothing, cosmetics, jewellery etc
Expression of self is more popular in western cultures

Influences to Self-Concept
Life Experiences
Age

Sexual Orientation

Appearance

Self-concept
Relationships

Gender

Education

Emotional Maturity

Culture

Marketing applications of the selfconcept

Consumers tend to protect and defend their self-images and buy product and services to enhance them. Consumers frequently attempt to preserve, enhance, alter or extend their self images by purchasing products or services and shopping at stores believed to be consistent with their relevant self image and by avoiding products and stores that are not.

In some cases markets can be segmented in terms of groups within the population that exhibit similar self-images and seek products and services to express that image