Study Task 04- Identities and consumption

What is meant by multiple identities?

Multiple identities are created when a person is placed in more than one social situations quite frequently. These identities are not always visible in day to day life, they can even be created in online virtual environments. An example of this within the text gives the role of a woman with multiple identities, this is created through her every day job as a lawyer during the daytime, but during the morning and evening she takes on the role of a mother. 

How are identities formed?

Identities are formed when a person develops a distinct personality during a certain stage of their life in which individual characteristics are possessed. The formation of identities is complex as they do begin early on in life but continue to develop throughout, self-recognition develops around the age of 2 .

What is social categorisation?

Humans categorise the world around them in relation to themselves, when doing this people usually accentuate their perception of others and those they are categorising. People also make use of material possessions in order to categorise others, this naturally raises the question whether or not the categorisation will represent what the person is really like.

What is social comparison?

Social comparison is about how people learn about themselves by comparing similarities and differences to others. This comparison is driven by a need to maintain and increase positive self-esteem.

What is social identity theory?

Social identity theory can be defined as people being part of a group so it helps them define who they are as well as boosting their self-esteem and general well-being. Tajfel described social identity as 'that part of the individuals self-concept which derives from their knowledge of their membership of a social group together with the value and emotional significance of that memberships.'

What is an example of strong brand identification?

An example of strong brand identification came from a study where Macintosh and PC users were compared. The Macintosh brand was found to be more likely to be part of a consumers self-concept for a hypothetical construct of how Apple computers can be more strongly linked to sell.

What are the negative effects on body image?

There is constant exposure to media messages telling consumers that physical appearance is important, it has been suggested that body image should be considered part of our identities as it is part of an individuals self-representation. However, there are pressures from a very young age to look perfect, children are given unrealistic ideals of what they should look like. There is then a possibility they will want to change their physical appearance, which could lead to poor physical and mental health.

What is self-discrepancy theory?

This theory offers an explanation as to why people become unhappy with their physical appearance. This proposes that people have three types of self-schema.

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

2) Ideal self- the self that we aspire to be.

3) Ought self- the way we think we should be.