We Do What We Are: Representation of the Self-Concept and Identity-Based Consumption

Identity is an important determinant of a wide range of consumer behaviors. However, how consumers represent the self-concept and how multiple aspects of the self-concept interact to shape behavior is not well understood. In this talk, I propose a novel approach to both self-concept representation and to identity-based consumption that focuses on the perceived cause-effect relationships among features of an individual consumer’s self-concept. More specifically, I propose that consumers who believe that an identity is causally central (has influenced or was influenced by many other features of the self-concept) are more likely to 1) see that identity as more defining of the self-concept and, 2) to engage in behaviors consistent with that identity than those who believe that the same identity is causally peripheral (has influenced or was influenced by fewer other features). Across a range of consumer identities, I present evidence that among consumers who self-ascribe to the same identity, those who believe that the identity is more causally central are more likely to engage in behaviors consistent with the norms of that identity.