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The Self
Chapter 5
Sessions 7-8
Outline of Topic
Products & media play a great role in shaping our self-concept
We define & express ourselves and our personalities through the products
we buy; many products have product personalities targeted to people who
would find them personally relevant; people also shape their own
personalities through products
Sex-role identity is reinforced by the products we buy & their advertising;
media in fact reinforces these identities by portraying stereotypical roles
present in society & influencing us to conform to these stereotypes to be
accepted
Products & their advertising also greatly influence our perceptions of our
own body image; they reinforce the ideals of beauty of our culture/society
& create a desire in us to conform to these ideals
The Self-Concept
Self Concept:
The beliefs a person holds about his or her own attributes and
how he or she evaluates the self on these qualities
Actual Self:
A person’s realistic appraisal of the qualities he or she does and does
not possess
Ideal Self:
A person’s conception of how he or she would like to be
Social Comparison:
A process by which consumers evaluate themselves by
comparing themselves with others (particularly comparisons
with idealized images of people in media & advertising)
Implications for Advertisers?
Use self-esteem
communication appeals
to create positive
attitudes towards
products by stimulating
positive feelings about the
self
Use fantasy
communication appeals
to bridge the gap between
the selves
Bridging Gaps b/w Actual & Ideal Self
Effect of Cultural Environment on Self-Concept
Symbolic Interactionism
Stresses that relationships with other people play a large part in
forming the self
By acting the way we think others expect us to act, we end up
confirming these perceptions (self-fulfilling prophecy)
The Looking-Glass Self
The process of imagining the reactions of others toward us
Self-Consciousness Useful to marketers
A heightened concern about the nature of one’s “image” &
“social desirability”
Results in more concern about the appropriateness of products
and consumption activities
Social Desirability
Smart husband (even if he
looks like her dad) is highly
desirable
Made possible through HBL
EasyLoan!
Way to Husband’s Heart – Vivel Soap
Example of Self-Consciousness
Ad criticizing the need to
‘conform’ to what is
socially desirable
Consumption & the Self-Concept
Products help shape the self; they define your identity to others
People use an individual’s consumption behaviors to help them make
judgments about that person’s social identity
Symbolic self-completion theory
People who have an incomplete self-definition tend to complete this
identity by acquiring and displaying symbols associated with it
Self/Product Congruence
Consumers demonstrate consistency between their values and the
things they buy
Self-image congruence
Products will be chosen when their attributes match some aspect of the self
Raymond: The ‘Complete’ Man
Swimwear consistent with Islamic
values launched by Nike
Sex Role Portrayals
Sexual identity & sex roles are reinforced by the products we
buy & their advertising
Every society has a set of guidelines for the ideal behavior of
men & women
Media reinforces society’s expectations by portraying
stereotypical gender roles & characteristics present in society &
influences us to conform to these stereotypes in order to be
accepted
Many products are sex-typed (i.e., they take on ‘typical’ masculine or
feminine attributes and are associated with gender)
Changing sex-roles & identities forcing marketers to
reexamine their strategies
Reinforcing gender
stereotypes
If she doesn’t fulfill ‘ALL’ her
‘kitchen’ chores in time, how
will she be a good ‘mother’?
Reinforcing gender
stereotypes in the
West
Challenging Sex-Typed Traits?
Effect of Beauty Ideals on Body Image
‘Body Image’ is a consumer’s subjective evaluation of his
or her physical self
Products & their advertising also greatly influence our
perceptions of our own body image
‘Ideal of Beauty’ refer to a particular model, or exemplar,
of appearance mostly set by our culture/society
Marketers & media reinforce certain ideals of beauty create
a desire in us to conform to these ideals to be accepted
Skinniness in West; Fairness in Sub-continent; Big eyes in Far-East
Can be very harmful (esp. for women who try to conform to these
ideals)
Ad highlighting
unrealistic
expectations
Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty