Consumer Behaviour Buying Having and Being Canadian 7th Edition Solomon Solutions Manual Download

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CHAPTER 5
The Self
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
When students finish this chapter they should:
 Understand that the self-concept strongly influences consumer behaviour.
 Understand how marketing communications can influence consumer self-esteem.
 Understand that products often play a key role in defining the self-concept.
 Understand that society’s expectations of masculinity and femininity help to

determine the products we buy to meet these expectations.
 Understand that the way we think about our bodies (and the way our culture tells
us we should think) is a key component of self-esteem.
 Understand that our desire to live up to cultural expectations of appearance can be

harmful.
 Understand that every culture dictates certain types of body decoration or

mutilation.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
 Consumers’ self-concepts are reflections of their attitudes toward themselves.

Whether these attitudes are positive or negative, they will help to guide many
purchase decisions; products can be used to bolster self-esteem or to “reward” the
self.
 Many product choices are dictated by the consumer’s perception of a similarity
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

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Chapter 5: The Self
between his or her personality and the attributes of a product. The symbolic
interactionist perspective on the self states that each of us actually has many
selves, and a different set of products is required as props to play each role. Many
things other than the body can also be viewed as part of the self. Valued objects,
cars, homes, and even attachments to sports teams or national monuments are
used to define the self when these are incorporated into the extended self.
 A person’s gender-role identity is a major component of self-definition.

Conceptions about masculinity and femininity, largely shaped by society, guide
the acquisition of “sex-typed” products and services.
 Advertising and other media play an important role in socializing consumers to be

male and female. Although traditional women’s roles have often been perpetuated
in advertising depictions, this situation is changing somewhat. The media do not
always portray men accurately, either.
 A person’s conception of his or her body also provides feedback to self-image. A

culture communicates certain ideals of beauty, and consumers go to great lengths
to attain these.
 Sometimes these activities are carried to an extreme when people try too hard to
live up to cultural ideals. One example is found in eating disorders, wherein
women in particular become obsessed with thinness.
 Many consumer activities involve manipulating the body, whether through

dieting, cosmetic surgery, or tattooing.
 Body decoration and/or mutilation may serve such functions as separating group
members from non-members, or marking the individual’s status or rank within a
social organization or within a gender category (e.g., homosexual), or even
providing a sense of security or good luck.
LECTURE/DISCUSSION IDEAS
I. PERSPECTIVES ON THE SELF – Consumers’ self feelings shape their

consumption
 The value placed on individuality and a distinction between an inner and an outer
self developed with the self-consciousness wrought by Puritanism between 1500
and 1800. The notion of secular fulfillment (and the conflict between an
individual's needs and those of society) that drives much of modern-day
hedonistic marketing was a dominant issue in the Romantic period (the late
eighteenth and early nineteenth century).i

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Instructor’s Manual for Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, Being, 7th Canadian Edition
 According to objective self-awareness (OSA) theory, our conscious attention flips

back and forth between the self and the external world. When a person is in an
OSA state, he or she sees the self as others do, which usually arouses negative
feelings, because we are often critical of the image we see. A somewhat similar
perspective regards self-awareness as a feedback loop, much like the regulatory
mechanism in a thermostat. We check our current self against our goals, altering
our behaviour if necessary to get back on track.ii There is also evidence that self-
assessment may also occur when consumers compare themselves to their most
negative self-images, the undesired self.iii
A. Does the Self Exist? – Yes!
B. Self-Concept – Attitude a person holds toward oneself
o Components of the self-concept

 Content: facial attractiveness and mental aptitude
 Positivity or negativity (self-esteem)
 Intensity, stability, and accuracy (assessment and reality)
1. Self-Esteem – attitude toward oneself; self-esteem (advertising)
Class Interaction Opportunity: What are some examples of ads that promote self-
esteem?
2. Real and ideal selves

 Actual self: realistic appraisal of qualities we have and don’t have
 Ideal self: what we would like to be
 Impression management
C. Multiple Selves – Based on role identities, we are a number of different people

(husband, boss, student)
Class Interaction Opportunity: How many multiple selves (role identities) do you have?
1. Symbolic interactionism – Many social selves (self-fulfilling prophesy)

2. The looking-glass self – Imagining other’s reactions toward us
D. Self-Consciousness – Feeling painfully aware of ourselves at times (e.g., one

notices a spot on clothes, yet people may pick their nose at a stoplight).
II. CONSUMPTION AND THE SELF-CONCEPT – ‘Props’ are important in the

roles we play
A. Products That Shape the Self: You Are What You Consume
 Food (e.g., vegetarian or meat and potatoes)

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Chapter 5: The Self
 Leisure activities (e.g., racquetball or bowling)

 Car (Porsche or Kia)
 Loss of self – reaction when treasured objects are lost or stolen
 Symbolic self-completion theory – people complete their self-definition by
acquiring symbols associated with it.
Class Interaction Opportunity: Have you ever had your home burglarized? What did
they take? How did this make you feel?
B. Self/Product Congruence – Consistency between our self-image and purchases
 Problems with the congruence concept – not all products fit

description, e.g., theory may work with perfume but not with toasters.
 A common way to assess these matches is to use a technique known as the Q-sort.
Consumers sort various products into categories according to the extent each is
associated or not associated with the self.iv
 People are more likely to rate more socially desirable products as similar to
themselves; person/product congruence also increases with ownership.v
C. The Extended Self – In some cultures, possessions are buried with the dead
D. Levels of the Extended Self – Four levels
 Individual level: you are what you wear (car, jewelry)

 Family level: includes your house and furniture
 Community level: your neighborhood and home town
 Group level: your religion, flag, sports team
 The degree to which people incorporate their communities into their selves helps to
predict how cohesive and safe a neighborhood will be. One study that examined
suburban areas found a relationship between the use of "territorial markers," such as
shrubs, to indicate one's property and willingness to defend one's neighborhood.
Another group of researchers also found that residents who personalized their homes
by displaying property markers and holiday decorations were more attached to their
communities and that these actions also deterred property crimes.vi
C. The Digital Self – Today there are many ways to build a virtual profile, starting
with the basics, like an avatar for a virtual game site. Every touch point in your
social media life (photos, posts etc.) is an outlet for your digital profile.
D. Wearable Computing – Digital interactions are becoming simpler as devices are

being inserted into our clothing and are transforming basic accessories (i.e. Apple
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Watch and Google Glass). Consumers are increasingly identifying with and
embracing such devices.
III. GENDER ROLES – We tend to conform with culture’s expectations but the
guidelines evolve.
1. Gender Differences in Socialization
o Gender goals and expectations

 Men stress self-assertion and mastery – agentic goals
 Women stress affiliation and harmony – communal goals
Class Interaction Opportunity: Do you think that men and women react differently to the
same stimulus, such as a baby picture?
Class Interaction Opportunity: Marketing is sometimes criticized for being macho

because it stresses competition, uses the language of warfare, and words such as
penetration, power, control, manipulation, etc. Do you agree? Give specific examples to
support your view.
2. Gender versus sexual identity – Masculinity and femininity are not

biological
3. Sex-typed products – Car is a masculine product; boys’ and girls’ toys;

pink phones
Class Interaction Opportunity: Why do you suppose we have boys' and girls' toys? Is
society or marketing responsible for this?
B. Androgyny – Possession of both masculine and feminine traits
1. Gender-bending products – A traditionally sex-typed item adapted to the

opposite gender
 The decision about how to portray a man or a woman (for example, whether a
woman's family, sexuality, or professional life be emphasized) should take into
consideration the intended function of the product. Consumers are most comfortable
with role portrayals that are consistent with the product in question; a family role
should be emphasized for family products, and so on.vii
C. Female Roles – Play different roles in different contexts; often to subdivide the
female market into segments
 Researchers studied 132 British ads and found women were portrayed in four
basic roles: as mothers, partners, sex objects, or career women. Men were shown
in a much broader range of roles, and were more likely to be targets of funny or

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Chapter 5: The Self
striking ads. Possible explanations: budgets less than comparable to gender-

neutral or ads aimed at men – underspending in the whole process from the initial
idea to execution to global outlook. Women’s advertising is treated with less
seriousness. The majority of ad people are men, and they listen to what they want
to hear from women in focus groups, etc. and ... most ads directed at women are
successful. Could they be more successful?viii
D. Male Roles – Tough, aggressive, muscular but also compassionate; changing

male attitudes – the metrosexual and the ubersexual
Class Interaction Opportunity: Can you think of an ad in which the male is a sex object?
 Metrosexuals – urban males who blend macho attitudes with a heightened focus on
their appearance and more in touch with their emotions – have the attention of
marketers of products ranging from beer to cable television to skin-care. “Men are
tired of being depicted as Neanderthals,” said Tom Bick, senior brand manager for
Miller beer. Miller’s beer has been reworked to focus on it as an intelligent
alternative to other beers and to portray its drinkers as people who stand apart from
the crowd.x
E. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Consumers – Interested in graduate

school, physical fitness, self-improvement, more stress in daily lives, self-
employed
1. Segmenting the gay market – One survey identified five distinct market
segments.
IV. BODY IMAGE – Subjective evaluation of one’s physical self
A. Body Cathexis – A person’s feelings about aspects of his or her body
B. Ideals of Beauty – Physical features, clothing styles, cosmetics, hair styles, skin
tone, youthfulness, muscular tone, etc.
1. Is beauty universal – Bound feet, skinny waists, inserted plates in lips,

long necks, tan, white, breast reduction/enlargement; mass media plays a
significant role
2. The Western ideal of beauty – Big round eyes, tiny waists, large breasts,
blond hair and blue eyes
3. Ideals of beauty over time – Realignment of sexual dimorophic markers
4. Is the ideal getting real? – Dove’s campaign for real beauty
5. Male ideals of beauty – Strongly masculine, muscled body
C. Working on the Body – Diet food/drink, tanning salons

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1. Hair and the self

2. Fattism – “You can never be too thin or too rich”
3. Body image distortions – Diet and exercise (dieting, low fat, low-calorie,
Weight Watchers); unrealistic standards - Barbie is unnaturally long and
thin; eating disorders - anorexia and bulimia; exercise addiction -
compulsive runners
Class Interaction Opportunity: Some analysts espouse the idea that society is punishing
women for their achievements by forcing them to live a daily regimen of semi-starvation.
What do you think is the role of marketing in distorting and perpetuating appearance
ideals in women? In men?
 Bulimic women perceive their bodies to be very large, and their ideal body size to be
extremely thin. Female bulimics in university are often obsessed with weight,
appearance, and academic performance, and they have severely negative self-
concepts.xi
4. Cosmetic surgery – Silicon implants, liposuction, face lifts

5. Body decoration and mutilation – Why?
 To separate group members from non-members
 To place the individual in the social organization
 To place the person in a gender category
 To enhance gender-role identification
 To provide a sense of security
 To indicate desired social conduct
 To indicate high status or rank
6. Tattoos – Body art traditionally associated with social outcasts

7. Body piercing – Body decorating with metallic inserts
END-OF-CHAPTER SUPPORT MATERIAL
Summary of Special Feature Boxes
1. CB As I See It
Dr. Steve Kates, Simon Fraser University conducts research on the expression of
the self through brand use. He has found that if brands achieve a moral fit with the
values and beliefs of a market segment of consumers (e.g., gay consumers) then it
may earn brand loyalty as a result of achieving legitimacy. This brand loyalty may
not remain however, as societal morals and values are always in flux and it may
be that gay men may come to expect all brands to be “gay friendly,” eliminating
the uniqueness of the brand’s legitimacy within the gay market.
2. Consumers in Focus I: Vanity Sizing

This box discusses the phenomenon known as “vanity sizing.” Since the average
individual in western societies is larger today (body size) than in the past, clothing

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Chapter 5: The Self
manufacturers and retailers have made a calculated adjustment. In other words,

what was once considered extra-large may be labelled as large today. This
adjustment has occurred to help reduce the likelihood that a consumer’s self-
concept is hurt or damaged.
3. Consumers in Focus II: Embodied Cognition

This box addresses embodied cognition and asks questions like: to what extent do
the products we buy influence how we define ourselves? The embodied cognition
approach is consistent with consumer behaviour research that demonstrates how
changes in self-concept can arise from usage of brands that convey different
meanings.
4. Consumers in Focus III: New Role of Fathers

This box discusses how male roles have been changing in recent years. One
study revealed that contemporary fathers have different priorities. 1. Modern
fathers strive to be active contributors to their children’s lives. 2. There’s no
such thing as a “modern dad” archetype. 3. Unlike the view in previous
generations, simply being the financial provider is not enough.
5. Consumers in Focus IV: Tinder

This box discusses the online matchmaking app that is very focused on physical
appearance, known as Tinder. While it is very popular, the app has been heavily
criticized for being “shallow” and focusing too much on external appearances.
6. Consumers in Focus V: Body Image

A major concern with body image is the increasing prevalence of eating disorders,
and this box claims that those dealing with such issues often communicate with
one another and even perpetuate the social trend towards ultrathin through online
posts.
7. Marketing Insight I: Impression Management

Too many graduating students are showing up for interviews and making poor
first impressions (with sloppy or revealing clothing). Opportunities for
impression management abound, and this includes how you act at business
dinners or networking events.
8. Marketing Insight I: Tattoo Regret

Tattoo popularity is increasing, and as such so is the inevitable need for tattoo
removal services – most often through laser devices as described in this box.
Review Questions
1. How do Eastern and Western cultures tend to differ in terms of how people think
about the self? The emphasis on the unique nature of the self is much greater in
Western societies. Many Eastern cultures instead stress the importance of a

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collective self, where a person derives his identity in large measure from his
social group. Both Eastern and Western cultures see the self as divided into an
inner, private self, and an outer, public self. Where they differ is in terms of which
part is seen as the “real you” – the West tends to subscribe to an independent
view of the self that emphasizes the inherent separateness of each individual.
2. List three dimensions by which we can describe the self-concept.

 Content—facial attractiveness versus mental aptitude;
 Positivity or negativity—self-esteem; and
 Intensity, stability over time, and accuracy – the degree to which one’s
self-assessment corresponds to reality
3. Compare and contrast the real versus the ideal self. List three products for which
each type of self is likely to be used as a reference point when a purchase is
considered. The ideal self is a person’s conception of how he or she would like to
be, whereas the actual self refers to our more realistic appraisal of the qualities
we have and don’t have.
4. What does “the looking glass self” mean? This process of imagining the reactions
of others toward us is known as “taking the role of the other,” or the looking-
glass self. According to this view, our desire to define ourselves operates as a sort
of psychological sonar: we take readings of our own identity by “bouncing”
signals off others and trying to project what impression they have of us.
5. How might the "digital self" differ from a consumer's self-concept in the real
world, and why is this difference potentially important to marketers?? Consumers
can more easily design their ideal digital selves and even have multiple versions
across several platforms. Digital items are inexpensive and more easily adjusted
to try out different personas and explore how different digital selves feel.
6. How do feelings about the self influence the specific brands people buy? Because
many consumption activities are related to self-definition, it is not surprising to
learn that consumers demonstrate consistency between their values and the things
they buy. Self-image congruence models suggest that products will be chosen
when their attributes match some aspect of the self. These models assume a
process of cognitive matching between product attributes and the consumer’s self-
image.
7. Define the extended self and provide three examples. Those external objects that
we consider a part of us comprise the extended self. In some cultures, people
literally incorporate objects into the self—they lick new possessions, take the
names of conquered enemies (or in some cases eat them), or bury the dead with
their possessions. In addition to shoes, of course, many material objects ranging
from personal possessions and pets to national monuments or landmarks, help to
form a consumer’s identity.

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Chapter 5: The Self
8. What is the difference between agentic and communal goals? Many societies
expect males to pursue agentic goals that stress self-assertion and mastery. On
the other hand, they teach females to value communal goals, such as affiliation
and the fostering of harmonious relations.
9. Is masculinity/femininity a biological distinction? Why or why not? Unlike

maleness and femaleness, masculinity and femininity are not biological
characteristics. A behaviour considered masculine in one culture might not be
viewed as such in another. For example, the norm in Canada is that male friends
avoid touching each other (except in “safe” situations such as on the football
field).
10. Give two examples of sex-typed products. Marketers often encourage the gender
typing of products such as Princess telephones, boys’ and girls’ bicycles, or Luvs
colour-coded diapers.
11. What is body cathexis? Body cathexis means a person’s feelings about his or her
body. The word cathexis refers to the emotional significance of some object or
idea to a person, and some parts of the body are more central to self-concept than
are others.
12. Have ideals of beauty in Canada changed over the last 50 years? If so, how? A
study of almost 50 years of Playboy centerfolds shows that the women have
become less shapely and more androgynous since Marilyn Monroe graced the
first edition with a voluptuous hourglass figure of 37–23–36. However, a
magazine spokesman comments, “As time has gone on and women have become
more athletic, more in the business world, and more inclined to put themselves
through fitness regimes, their bodies have changed, and we reflect that as well.
But I would think that no one with eyes to see would consider playmates to be
androgynous.
13. What is fattism? Fattism is an obsession with weight.
14. How did tattoos originate? Tattoos have a long history of association with people
who are social outcasts. For example, the faces and arms of criminals in sixth-
century Japan were tattooed as a means of identifying them, as were
Massachusetts prison inmates in the nineteenth century and concentration camp
internees in the twentieth century. Marginal groups, such as bikers or Japanese
yakuze (gang members) often use these emblems to express group identity and
solidarity.
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR CHALLENGE
Discussion Questions

93
1. How prevalent is the Western ideal among your peers? How do you see this
ideal evolving now (if at all)?
The prevalence of the “Western Ideal” will depend on the country of the student
body. Even in Canadian or other western cultures, the Western ideal of beauty—
big round eyes, tiny waists, large breasts, blond hair, and blue eyes—may be
changing. The more enlightening discussion should come out of the “evolution”
portion of the question. There is quite a bit of material in this text that indicates
that the ideal is changing, based on changes that marketers have made in recent
times. The question is, will individuals agree with this information?
2. Some historians and social critics say our obsession with thinness is based less
on science than on morality. These critics argue that the definition of obesity
has often arbitrarily shifted throughout history. Indeed, being slightly
overweight was once associated with good health (as we’ve seen, in some parts
of the world it still is) in a time when many of the most troubling diseases were
wasting diseases like tuberculosis. Plumpness used to be associated with
affluence and the aristocracy (King Louis XIV of France padded his body to
look more imposing); while today it is associated with the poor and their
supposedly bad eating habits. What do you think?
Does the social definition of obesity change throughout time? Some of the same
material that came out in question 2 might come out in the discussion of this
question. However, students might also have a difficult time relating to this
question, given that such changes have not occurred heavily within the realm of
their memory.
3. Should fast food restaurants be liable if customers sue them for contributing to
their obesity?
This has been a hot topic since the release of the movie “Supersize Me.” Various
people have pursued lawsuits claiming that a fast food company caused them to
be obese (none of them have won). The information from the documentary has
been countered by people who have demonstrated that a fast food diet can be
healthy (many have been in the press). This discussion/debate should be pretty
even in terms of the number of people on each side. There will be those claiming
that fast food companies have been unethical in their marketing of unhealthy
products, as well as those that will claim that consumers have accountability and
responsibility for what they consume.
4. How might the creation of a self-conscious state be related to consumers who

are trying on clothing in dressing rooms? Does the act of preening in front of a
mirror change the dynamics by which people evaluate their product choices?
Why?
When people try on clothing in a dressing room, the presence of others and
mirrors might create a self-conscious state. In an outfit, a person’s self-
consciousness is likely to be heightened. They may “check themselves out” in a
mirror, ask other people how something looks, or listen to someone tell them that

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Chapter 5: The Self
they look good. These acts and interactions will determine whether a potential
customer feels confident wearing the outfit and, therefore, is willing to buy it.
5. Is it ethical for marketers to encourage infatuation with the self?

Encourage students to think about self-infatuation and the related concepts of self-
consciousness and self-esteem.
6. Some consumer advocates have protested the use of super-thin models in

advertising, claiming that these women encourage others to starve themselves in
order to attain the ‘waif’ look. Other critics respond that the media’s power to
shape behaviour has been overestimated, and it is insulting to people to assume
that they are unable to separate fantasy from reality. What do you think?
An instructor might want to seek volunteers or to simply select two teams each
consisting of one male and one female student. Give each team an opportunity to
present their side of the argument and then allow time for rebuttal. (Possible In-
Class Activity.)
7. Does sex sell? There’s certainly enough of it around, whether in print ads,
television commercials, or on websites. Perhaps the appropriate question is not
does sex sell, but should sex sell? What are your feelings about this blatant use
of sex to sell products? Do you think this tactic works better when selling to men
than to women? Does exposure to unbelievably attractive men and women
models only make the rest of us “normal” folks unhappy and insecure? Under
what conditions (if any) should sex be used as a marketing strategy?
The responses to this question will depend on the background of students in each
class. Ideally, responses will range from “sex should not be allowed to sell” to
“more sex should be used to sell” and a healthy debate will ensue. Business and
marketing students, however, often favour the rights of the company to engage in
practices such as this to promote their brands. Some will likely bring up the
argument that as long as promotional practices are legal, there is nothing wrong
with them. Others may disagree from an ethical perspective. Still others will argue
that compared to many European countries, the use of sex in advertising in
Canada is mild and that Canadians are too uptight about sex. Others may point out
that there are many countries (i.e., countries with high Muslim populations) where
there is far less sex and nudity allowed by law.
8. Some activists object to Axe’s male-focused marketing; they claim that its
commercials demean women. On the other hand, Dove’s campaign has been
applauded because it promotes a healthy body image for girls. Guess what?
Both Axe and Dove are owned by Unilever. Is it hypocritical for a big company
to sponsor positive messages about women in one of its divisions while it sends a
different message in another?
Some students will be supportive of Unilever because they feel that companies
should have the freedom to market their product to maximize sales and that
consumers have the choice not to listen to these messages. Other points that may
be raised are that: consumers enjoy the Axe commercials or the company would

95
not continue to air them; if the commercials had a negative impact on sales or on
consumers’ attitudes they would be dropped; or, the Axe commercials are just
mirroring society’s views on male identity. Other students will argue that
Unilever has a social responsibility to all consumers not to portray women on a
demeaning manner, and that Unilever should have a consistent portrayal of
women in all of its advertising.
Experiential Exercises
9. Watch a number of ads on TV and YouTube featuring men and women. Try to
imagine the characters with reversed roles (i.e., the male parts played by women
and vice versa) Can you see any differences in assumptions about gender-typed
behaviour?
Students will have fun with this challenge though it will be an eye-opener to
some. An example of an ad that has women and men playing their traditional roles
is a Duncan Hines cake mix commercial. The commercial shows the wife/mother
making a cake. When the cake is ready, the father/husband and children are
smiling and happy. The ad then says, “Nothin’ says lovin’ like a cake from the
oven.” If one switches the roles of the man and woman, the ad somehow would
not correspond to our image of having a cake baked by someone who loves us.
Most of the time we will want to see ads that reflect a reality as we normally
perceive it. (Possible Field Project Idea)
10. Construct a “consumption biography” of a friend or family member. Make a list

and/or photograph his or her most favourite possessions and see if you or others
can describe this person’s personality just from the information provided by this
catalogue.
Students might like to bring in a short videotape of the types of products the
subject owns. This is usually a fun exercise, as students love to guess who the
subject is. Usually, of course, they can pinpoint the person and come close to
describing the person’s personality. (Possible Individual Field Project.)
11. Interview victims of burglaries or people who have lost personal property in
floods, ice storms, or other natural disasters. How do they go about
reconstructing their possessions, and what effect did the loss appear to have on
them?
This project may be somewhat difficult to do if no losses have occurred. An
alternative is to have students watch news broadcasts and record their impressions
of the responses and demeanor of the interviewed subjects, of which there are
many stories about losses and difficulties encountered as of recent. How does a
marketer deal with these situations? See if the students can find marketing
responses that seem admirable and unacceptable.
12. Locate additional examples of self-esteem advertising and evaluate the probable
effectiveness of these appeals. Is it true that “flattery gets you everywhere”?

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Most major magazines contain a variety of this type of advertisements. This is

especially true of women’s fashion magazines and men’s sports magazines. These
are the easy titles. To make the project more interesting, however, probe deeper.
Go to mothers’ magazines and business magazines and see how self-esteem
advertising appeals are used. Are they different from the fashion magazines and
sports magazines? An additional question can be raised about this form of
advertising for different market segment groups. For example, how is self-esteem
advertising done for teens (a group that may suffer from lack of self-esteem) or
minority ethnic groups (which might also suffer from low self- esteem)? Be sure
to discuss conclusions with the class. The instructor could save the student
examples for future class demonstrations.
CASE STUDY TEACHING NOTES
1. How does the parent Kersh brand tap into the self-views of the
consumers?
As noted in Chapter 5, the self-concept refers to the beliefs a person holds about his or
her own attributes and how he or she evaluates these qualities. The self-concept is
complex and comprises of many attributes such as content (i.e. facial attractiveness or
mental aptitude), positivity or negativity (i.e. self-esteem), intensity, stability over time
and accuracy. Kersh taps into the self-views of their current consumers by creating a
social comparison in which consumers compare an evaluation of themselves against a
given media image. Late teen to middle-aged women who place an emphasis on being
hip and trendy may be drawn, in particular, to Emma Hansen and the “wholesome, west-
coast, bubbly attitude” that Kersh conveys. In this case, when a consumer compares some
aspect of herself to an ideal, she engages in a process of impression management in
which she strategically chooses clothing and other products that will reconcile her ideal
and actual self.
2. Why does the fashion industry play such an important role in actual
and ideal selves? Is this a positive aspect of the industry?
As noted in Question 1, the fashion industry often uses clothing and other products to
help consumers become more like their ideal selves – how they would like to be – rather
than their actual selves – a more realistic appraisal of the qualities they do or do not have.
This ideal self is partly shaped by elements of the consumer’s culture and can lead to
impression management. As a result, the fashion industry can play an important role in
self-monitoring. In particular, high self-monitors are likely to evaluate products in terms
of the impressions that they make on others and develop a fixation on physical
appearance. Although this could be perceived as a negative consequence of the fashion
industry, the fashion industry can also play a more positive role in providing “props” that
reinforce our identities in new and unfamiliar situations. Furthermore, according to
symbolic self-completion theory, products such as clothing may help define the self

97
especially when an identity role is yet to be adequately formed. This is not to diminish
the potentially negative impact that the fashion industry can have on self-concept, and in
particular, body image, only to outline how products can be used as a social crutch in
times of uncertainty.
3. Why does the choice of Emma Hansen as the face of the brand mean
so much? How do feature models influence the self-concept of a
consumer?
Although many Canadian women believe that qualities such as a positive attitude, being
nice to others and a high self-esteem are what really make someone attractive, many
cultures develop a beauty bias. In fact, preferences for some physical features over others
are “wired in” genetically. However, an ideal of beauty often corresponds to cultural
values and varies around the world. In B.C., the Western ideal of beauty often prevails.
Emma Hansen’s big round eyes, tiny waist and athletic figure can play a role in
reinforcing not only Kersh’s brand position, but also a Western ideal of beauty. Her
features play a role in influencing the self-concept of consumers, planting in them the
desire to conform to current standards of beauty. Because many consumers are motivated
to match up to some appearance ideal, they often go to great lengths to change aspects of
their physical selves and reinforce the importance of their physical self-concept.
4. As International Fashions looks to build brands in younger markets –

do they need to give consideration to the type of models and imagery
they attach to these new brands? Why?
Despite a universal emphasis on self-image, the model of ideal beauty is starting to shift,
especially in the West. Dove’s well-known Campaign for Real Beauty is one example of
advertising that features women with “imperfect bodies” in a positive light. This lack of
emphasis on an ideal physical appearance is especially impactful among children and
young teens. Doll makers, for example, are responding to parent’s desire for more down-
to-earth figures. Emme, a full-figure fashion doll, based on the voluptuous supermodel of
the same name, has attained market acceptance.
In this regard, if International Fashions is going to be successful in building brands in

younger markets, it must consider the type of models and imagery they attach to the new
brand. So the answer to the base question here is - YES. The desire to be thin has had a
significant and negative impact on consumers’ lifestyles and no one has been more
attuned to this than the parents of young children. What was once a focus on an unnatural
ideal of thinness has now shifted towards acceptance of diverse images of beauty. By
providing a more diverse group of child models, especially in the Western market,
International Fashions may be able to more effectively capitalize on new trends in the
younger market.
FIELD PROJECT IDEAS
Individual Assignments

98
Chapter 5: The Self
1. Ask students to bring to class two brands within the same product category that
project different images to the consumer. Have students discuss the projected
images that are being projected by comparing and contrasting the two different
brands. What techniques did the marketer use to project these images? Is the self-
concept of the buyer important?
3. 2Have students develop a set of scales to measure consumers' self-images and the
image they have of a car, such as the Honda Accord. Students should administer
the scales to 5 people who drive the selected car. Do the images appear to be
compatible? Ask students to look through a number of magazines to find at least
three examples of promotions that appear to be using Freudian concepts. Then
have them explain the specific concepts to the class noting whether they are
effective. Do they like the way the concepts are used? Are there any objections?
4. Assign students to collect advertisements that would tell a stranger something

about their self-concept (and image). Have them put these ads on a poster board
and bring them to class. Display the poster boards in class and see if the class can
match the boards to the correct students.
Team Assignments
4. Have students interview four people (one each in their 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's) to
determine how important appearance is on the job. Ask students if they feel that an
employee's appearance should be considered in performance evaluations. See if
their attitudes change when the employee must deal directly with customers. This
activity is also interesting when you ask the subjects about the proper appearance in
church or at an important social function.
5. Bring to class a sample of a personality inventory. (A good example can be found

in a book by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Please Understand Me, Prometheus
Nemesis Book Company, 1984.) If possible, let the students take some form of the
Myers-Briggs or another inventory so they can discover their own personality traits.
Use the personality inventory to begin a discussion on the measurement of
personality.
Individual or Team Assignments
6. Ask students to interview the managers of two retail clothing stores of their choice.
See if they can discover the degree to which the managers believe that consumers'
personalities and self-images are important to the marketing and promotional
activities of their store. Ask students if they are in agreement with the managers.
7. As mentioned in the Real World Applications, research shows that as people

incorporate their communities into their "selves," the community tends to be safer.
Ask a team of students to drive around in three neighborhoods (poor, average and

99
rich) and observe some of the visible signs of safety or lack of safety. They could
make a short videotape of what they observed.
8. If it is a holiday season when you cover this chapter, have a team of students drive
through a few different neighborhoods to see how many visible signs of the holiday
are displayed. Ask them about their observations. Once again, they could videotape
what they see and show the video to the class.
9. Send students out in pairs to visit a store that they like. Ask students to observe and
describe personalities of the sales force. Now send them to visit a store they dislike.
Did they notice any difference in the personalities of the sales force? Do they think
that poor or unexciting personalities will have an effect on salesmanship?
10. Have students write an obituary for two products (e.g. Osh-kosh overalls, Calvin
Klein purse). The obituary should talk about the individual personality of the
products and should show the differences.
eLAB
Individual Assignments
1. Go to www.victoriassecret.com. How does this famous website use enhancement of

the self to attract consumers? Would you expect males to visit the site as well as
females? How could the site make it easier for males to purchase from the site
(remember, males make up a significant portion of sales in the organization’s retail
stores)? Is sizing easy on this site? How could it be improved?
2. Go to www.tattoo.com. Need a tattoo? Ever thought about getting one? Well, this
website just might get you started in that direction. After reviewing the site, what are
your impressions about tattooing? How is a self-concept involved in this process?
What might cause you to get a tattoo if you don’t already have one? Pretend that you
are going to get a tattoo – which one of the designs would you choose? Download it
(or copy it). Bring it to class; show your choice; explain why it is really “you.”
3. Go to www.dailymakeover.com. Take the free demo. Upload a picture of yourself,

perform a makeover that you feel genuinely suits you. Print a copy of the picture and
bring it in to share with others who do the same. Evaluate the results in the context of
the self-concept.
eLAB
Team Assignments

100
Chapter 5: The Self
1. Go to www.bodypiercing.com. This interesting site presents a wealth of

information about body piercing. What marketing efforts are used to attract
potential users? What other products were advertised? What intrigued you the
most about the website? What can you tell about the demographics of the
visitors to this website? How did you determine this? Did the website interest
you in getting “pierced”? Explain. How did your group react to the
information on the site? As a group, visit several social networking sites. How
are members at various sites expressing themselves? What kinds of
information are they providing? What does that tell the reader about them?
Are there differences between the various sites’ members and their
expressions?
PROFESSORS ON THE GO!
Chapter Objectives
When students finish this chapter they should understand why:
 The self-concept strongly influences consumer behaviour
Ask students to bring to class two brands within the same product category that project
different images to the consumer. Have students discuss the projected images by
comparing and contrasting the two different brands. What techniques did the marketer
use to project these images? Is the self-concept of the buyer important? Explain.
 How marketing communications can influence consumer self-esteem
Ask students to interview the managers of two retail clothing stores. See if they can
discover the degree to which the managers believe that consumers’ personalities and self-
images are important to the marketing and promotional activities of their store. Ask
students if they are in agreement with the managers’ comments.
 Products open play a pivotal role in defining the self-concept
Send students out in pairs to visit a store that they feel reflects their self-concept. Ask
students to observe and describe personalities of the sales force. Now send them to visit a
store they feel does not reflect their self-concept (if the two students feel their self-
concepts differ, each of them may choose a store that reflects their own self-concept and
that may serve as the store that does not reflect the self-concept of the other). Did they
notice any difference in the personalities of the sales force? Do they think that poor or
unexciting personalities will have an effect on salesmanship?
Assign students to collect advertisements that would tell a stranger something about their
self-concept (and image). Have them put these ads on a poster board and bring them to

101
class. Display the poster boards in class and see if the class can match the boards to the
correct students.
 Society’s expectations of masculinity and femininity help to determine the

products we buy to meet these expectations
Have students find media examples of men exhibiting agentic as well as communal goals.
Have them do the same for women. How much did they find that each gender tended to
adhere to the societal expectation?
Ask students to compile a list of ten household chores. Then have each student interview
two married couples (one newlywed and the other seasoned) to determine who usually
performs that chore—the husband or the wife. If possible have students ask the subject
when their spouse is not around. Do they agree? Have students share their findings with
the class.
Have student groups devise a list of traditional male traits with respect to personal care
and hygiene. Then have them visit the cosmetics section of a major department store and
interview salespeople with respect to the nature of their male customers. What are they
buying, and how are they using it? Then have the groups compare their interview
findings with their list of traditional characteristics.
 The way we think about our bodies (and the way our culture tells us we
should think about them) is a key component of self-esteem
Have students find a good example of identity marketing in the media. Have the students
share their examples during a discussion of such in class. Which ones do students see as
being the greatest and most permanent modification to the consumer’s life?
 Our desire to live up to cultural expectations of appearance can be harmful

Have a male student and a female student interview separately three women and three
men whom they think are just about the right weight for their height and bone structure.
The students should ask the respondents if they think of themselves as overweight,
underweight, or about right. Then, see if they can determine how the subjects reached
their conclusions. And, ask the subjects if they are doing anything to keep their weight
under control. Have they, or have others they know, ever taken harmful measures as a
result?
 Every culture dictates certain types of body decoration and/or mutilation that
helps to identify its members
Assign students to collect five ads that show male or female models exhibiting tattoos or
body piercing (they may want to consult tattoo-related magazines or they may print ads

102
Chapter 5: The Self
from the Internet). Comment on the reason for the display. Did the model match the
product be sold? Do people who do not have tattoos or body piercing relate well to the
ad? How could you determine this?
ENDNOTES
I
Roy F. Baumeister, Dianne M. Tice and Debra G. Hutton, "Self-Presentational
Motivations and Personality Differences in Self-Esteem," Journal of Personality 57
(September 1989): 547-75.
ii
S. Duval and R.A. Wicklund. A Theory of Objective Self-Awareness (New York,
Academic Press, 1972); Charles S. Carver and Michael F. Schleler, Attention and Self-
Regulation: A Control-Theory Approach to Human Behaviour (New York: Springer-
Verlag, 1981); M. Joseph Sirgy, "Self-Cybernetic: Toward an Integrated Model of Self-
Concept Processes." Systems Research 7 (1990): 1:19-32;
iii
Daniel M. Ogilvie, "The Undesired Self: A Neglected Variable in Personality
Research," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 52 (1987) 2: 379-85.
iv
M. Joseph Sirgy, "Self-Concept in Consumer Behaviour: A Critical Review," Journal
of Consumer Research 9 (December 1982): 287-300.
v
George E. Belch and E. Laird Landon, Jr., "Discriminant Validity of a Product-
Anchored Self-Concept Measure," Journal of Marketing Research 24 (May 1977): 252-
56.
vi
Julian J. Edney, "Property, Possession and Performance: A Field Study of Human
Territoriality," Journal or Applied Social Psychology 2 (1972) 3: 275-82; Barbara B.
Brown and Carol M. Werner "Social Cohesiveness, Territoriality, and Holiday
Decorations: The Influence of Cul-de-Sacs," Environment and Behaviour 17 (September
1985): 539-65.
vii
Lawrence H. Wortzel and John M. Frisbie, "Women's Role Portrayal Preferences in
Advertisements: An Empirical Study," Journal of Marketing 38 (October 1974); 41-46.
viii
Fiona Harvey, “Still selling women short,” Financial Times, March 23, 2004: 11.
ix
Mark Landler, “Guys pan a car built by women, for women,” International Herald
Tribune, March 6-7, 2004: 1, 4.
x
Jim Rendon, “Marketers plan a makeover for men,” International Herald Tribune,
March 29, 2004: 1, 4.
xi
Donald A. Williamson, C. J. Davis, Anthony J. Goreczny, and David C. Blovin, "Body-
Image Disturbances in Bulimia Nervosa: Influences of Actual Body Size," Journal of

103
Abnormal Psychology 98 (1989) 1: 97-99; Mariette Brouwers, "Depressive Thought

Content Among Female College Students with Bulimia," Journal of Counseling and
Development 66 (May 1988): 425-8.

104

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When students finish this chapter they should:

 Understand that the self-concept strongly influences consumer behaviour.

 Understand how marketing communications can influence consumer self-esteem.

 Understand that society’s expectations of masculinity and femininity help to

 Understand that our desire to live up to cultural expectations of appearance can be

 Understand that every culture dictates certain types of body decoration or

 Consumers’ self-concepts are reflections of their attitudes toward themselves.

 Many product choices are dictated by the consumer’s perception of a similarity

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

 A person’s gender-role identity is a major component of self-definition.

 Advertising and other media play an important role in socializing consumers to be

 A person’s conception of his or her body also provides feedback to self-image. A

 Many consumer activities involve manipulating the body, whether through

I. PERSPECTIVES ON THE SELF – Consumers’ self feelings shape their

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

 According to objective self-awareness (OSA) theory, our conscious attention flips

A. Does the Self Exist? – Yes!

B. Self-Concept – Attitude a person holds toward oneself

o Components of the self-concept

1. Self-Esteem – attitude toward oneself; self-esteem (advertising)

2. Real and ideal selves

C. Multiple Selves – Based on role identities, we are a number of different people

1. Symbolic interactionism – Many social selves (self-fulfilling prophesy)

D. Self-Consciousness – Feeling painfully aware of ourselves at times (e.g., one

II. CONSUMPTION AND THE SELF-CONCEPT – ‘Props’ are important in the

 Food (e.g., vegetarian or meat and potatoes)

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

 Leisure activities (e.g., racquetball or bowling)

B. Self/Product Congruence – Consistency between our self-image and purchases

 Problems with the congruence concept – not all products fit

D. Levels of the Extended Self – Four levels

 Individual level: you are what you wear (car, jewelry)

D. Wearable Computing – Digital interactions are becoming simpler as devices are

1. Gender Differences in Socialization

o Gender goals and expectations

Class Interaction Opportunity: Marketing is sometimes criticized for being macho

2. Gender versus sexual identity – Masculinity and femininity are not

3. Sex-typed products – Car is a masculine product; boys’ and girls’ toys;

B. Androgyny – Possession of both masculine and feminine traits

1. Gender-bending products – A traditionally sex-typed item adapted to the

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

striking ads. Possible explanations: budgets less than comparable to gender-

D. Male Roles – Tough, aggressive, muscular but also compassionate; changing

E. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Consumers – Interested in graduate

IV. BODY IMAGE – Subjective evaluation of one’s physical self

A. Body Cathexis – A person’s feelings about aspects of his or her body

1. Is beauty universal – Bound feet, skinny waists, inserted plates in lips,

C. Working on the Body – Diet food/drink, tanning salons

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

1. Hair and the self

4. Cosmetic surgery – Silicon implants, liposuction, face lifts

6. Tattoos – Body art traditionally associated with social outcasts

END-OF-CHAPTER SUPPORT MATERIAL

Summary of Special Feature Boxes

2. Consumers in Focus I: Vanity Sizing

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

manufacturers and retailers have made a calculated adjustment. In other words,