IDENTITY

Robin Warner 2003 - This is your lifestyle :

- uses contrasting theories to form argument 

- self identity relies heavily on the opinion of others 'no-one can maintain his identity by him-self'

- for self identity you need to continuously reflect and analyse

- self identity is defined by what we buy and the way we act

- use theories and role models to boost statement and improve sales pitch

- use of spanish shows the powerful message used within the language is understandable in both english and spanish

- role of persuasion and manipulation in advertising - way of moving away but not giving up the effectiveness

Catherine Jannson-Boyd 2010 - Identity and Consumption :

What is meant by multiple identities?

It means that people tend to have more than one personality due to the different roles they play within society which then results in multi-dimensional personalities constructed of the many characteristics that people posses which makes up a persons self identities. 

How are identities formed?

People develop their own personal beliefs about politics, religion, what motivates them and feelings through direct learning and indirect learning, which helps describe their self identity. 

What is social categorisation?

person perception effects the perception of people based on material possessions as it is easier to categorise people by their possessions as these help identify the group that people belong to. The categorisation of individuals has lead people to feel depersonalised, lowering self-esteem. As people tend to belong to certain social groups its increasingly easy to identify people through their possessions. 

What is social comparison?

Downward social comparison occurs when we compare ourselves to those who we appear superior which then boosts our self esteem. Upward social comparison occurs when we compare ourselves to those who are perceived as better which can have a negative effect on our self esteem. This is usually in comparison with the media's ideal image.

What is an example of strong brand identification?

Apple and PC users strongly identify with their prospective brands. When in comparison mac was found to be more a part of a users self-concept as they are less commonly used than PC. This creates a connection between users who see themselves as a part of a close community. 

What are the negative effects on body image?

The media portrays digitally manipulated images of the 'perfect' physical appearance. This pressure to be perfect starts at young age through toys such as barbies, the children see this and believe this to be the norm however this image is very un realistic. Due to this as a child it is easy to grow up and fail to live up to the ideals that were portray to them when they were younger. This leads to a destructive cycle as they set unreachable targets leading to poor physical and mental health. 

What is self-discrepancy theory?

Self discrepancy theory seeks to explain why people are unhappy with their physical appearance. This theory proposes that people have 3 types of self-schema :

1 - Actual self – the way people are at the present point in time

2 - Ideal self – the self we aspire to be, helps us to strive to be our perception of perfect

3 - Ought self – the way we think we should be and prevents us from doing things that don't fit who we want to be

It is very important there are no discrepancies between the actual and ideal self as it can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and disappointment. Those with high discrepancies are much more likely to have low self esteem and engage with identity seeking buying behaviour.