My Product, My Self: Self-Presentation Concerns in Product Evaluation

Abstract

Individual behaviour is often motivated by self-presentation or impression management concerns (Tedeschi 1981). Impression management involves controlling personal expressions and behaviors in order to influence the opinions and responses of others (Leary 1995). Research has shown that personal possessions affect observers' impressions (Gosling et al. 2002) and that consumers strategically buy and display products for this reason (Burroughs, Drew, and Hallman 1991). In addition, they will avoid products that might cause them to be perceived as members of dissociative reference groups (White and Dahl 2006). The current work demonstrates that consumers' desire to avoid creating a particular impression exerts an important influence on their attitudes and ultimately their willingness to pay (WTP) for a product.