Chapter Overview

In this chapter we have introduced self concept as a dynamic interpretive structure that influences both intrapersonal and interpersonal processes. Self concept varies both cross-culturally and historically. The self develops out of interactions with significant others, materials and objects and ideals, beliefs and values. Whenever any of these entities changes, we can expect some change to take place in self concept. Several observations are helpful in understanding self concept. First, the self includes the multiplicity of things we are to one another and to ourselves. Our body, objects, places and time periods and people and pets may be considered central to ourselves and are part of what we call our extended self. The self includes many self-schemas or self-representations both positive and negative, actual and possible, compatible and incompatible. Second, our working or on-line self concept depends on situations and motives. We selectively retrieve different aspects of ourselves depending on the situation and our goals. Third, because of other restrictions on our behavior, self concept is not always directly revealed in our actions. Finally, self concept is malleable or dynamic both between social settings and over time. Self concept is especially dynamic during role transitions.

Self concept regulates intrapersonal processes in several important ways. We discussed the importance of self-narratives that help integrate and organize self-relevant experiences. We also discussed how important self-relevance is to every aspect of information processing, the regulation of affect or mood, and as a motivator of behavior. Self concept is also important in interpersonal processes offering a guide for evaluating people, selecting friends and directing our interactions.

Self concept is closely linked to many consumption behaviors. People use consumption to symbolize, change, integrate or experiment with aspects of their selves. Studying the communication properties of consumption provides many insights about the activated, working self concept. We suggest that consumption can accurately communicate aspects of self to others, the meaning of consumption objects changes between different times and social settings, and even very young children can make connections between consumption objects and characteristics of their owners.

The self is configured differently in different cultures. By looking at how people relate to significant others, materials and objects, and ideas and values, we can form comparisons between the concepts of self in different cultures. We can ask whether role relations are oriented toward the individual or toward significant others, and whether cultural ideas or materials and objects are the primary basis for defining self.

The focus of this chapter is on self-schemas and self-representations rather than on personality. Trait measures (e.g., risk taking, materialistic) can be used to gain insights about consumer behaviors (e.g., compulsive buying) and can be used to segment markets. Newer approaches for measuring traits go beyond multiple-choice tests and give consumers more leeway to describe themselves in their own ways on dimensions of their own choosing. Many trait measures have been developed in consumer behavior. In general, they are not very effective in predicting specific brand choices. However, they may predict behavior averaged over a sample of situations and/or occasions.

As you read and learn about perception, learning, information processing, lifestyle, the diffusion of innovations and many other consumer behavior topics your own thinking about self concept will be valuable. The interpretive structure that constitutes self concept is central to the way that you will process this learning experience. For example, if you can make consumer behavior "self-relevant" by relating it to aspects of your own life, you will find it easier to learn and remember, and more fun to think about and discuss.