The Role of Personality and Self-Image in Consumer Behavior

Introduction

Contemporary consumer behavior researches take the position that consumer's decision making process of purchasing products or services includes an assessment of such consumer behavior concepts as personality and self-image (Chon, 1992). Montgomery (2008) states that consumer research takes an important place in a business industry, which focuses on consumer market. Consumer research is used for thorough evaluation of the consumer behavior and to determine individual behavior, which are afcted by personality (Roozmand, Ghasem-Aghaee, Hoftede et al, 2011). Personality may describe consumer behavior at the macro level. On the other hand at the individual level, self-image is another important factor influencing the personal behavior. The consumer behavior literature states that the self-image of individuals determines specific consumer behavior (S.Hosany & D. Martin, 2012). In addition, Dunning (2007/2) agrees on the following statement that self-image might influence consumer behavior.

Literature Review

The role of Personality and Self-Image in Consumer Behavior

Theorists of personality assert that personality has many definitions, not only one or two. There are a few core definitions of personality and self-image. The concept of personality was coming from the past psychology researches related with identification of a host of traits that cover human personality (Fennis & Pruyn, 2005). Montgomery (2008) proposes a psychological definition that personality is one of the main concepts in studies of consumer behavior, which has formed by the social environment, external influences or biological traits. Furthermore, biological approach states that genetics are responsible for personality. The formal definitions of Roozmand et al (2011) on personality that personality is a set of characteristics, which affect on his/her behavior in different conditions. Personality in consumer behavior might be product or service oriented or both, and it identifies the customer as an object of buying, paying, using a product or service (Montgomery, 2008). Product-oriented consumers mainly based on goods that bought or sold by themselves, whereas service-oriented consumers prefer to communicate with sellers, managers, product producers etc (Montgomery, 2008).

Roozmand et al (2011) tell us that Big five model of personality traits is more appropriate comparing with other models of personality, while Kassarjian (1971) in his research has used three theory of personality: Psychoanalytic Theory of Freud, Non-Freudian Theory and Trait Theory. According to Kassarjian (1971) the theory of Freud based on three interacting forces, such as id, ego and superego which are influencing the consumer behavior. Theorists on personality believe that trait theory contains wider importance for marketers than the Freudian and Non-Freudian