Schematic Discrepancy and Product Involvement among Light and Heavy Users

Abstract

Previous studies have verified that the extent of schematic discrepancy affects product evaluations. The present study defined self-schema as the formation of a cognitive representation of one’s personal attributes. Product-schema was viewed to encompass not only product features but also the personal attributes of the stereotypical user. It was proposed that higher consumption would be related to higher product involvement and lower self-product discrepancy. The findings showed that there was more congruity between the self-schema and product-schema of Heavy Users, as compared to Light Users. An unexpected discovery was that the association between the extent of schematic discrepancy and the level of product involvement was related to consumption levels.