The effects of self‐awareness on consumer evaluation of experiential creation

Abstract

Self‐awareness is increasingly invoked in consumer contexts. The current studies find that self‐awareness heightened during product creation interacts with consumers’ chronic self‐focus tendency and the level of autonomy‐constraint of the task to influence consumer experience. Prior findings suggest that (a) self‐awareness makes individually valued standards salient and (b) consumers who are chronically more (less) self‐conscious value conformity (autonomy). In line with these two prior findings, results of six studies show that when experiential creation involves constraints on autonomy (i.e., explicit guidance), self‐aware consumers who are chronically more self‐conscious evaluate experiential creation more favorably. In contrast, when products impose less constraints on autonomy (i.e., no explicit guidance), the opposite results emerge. The perceived fit between individuals’ esteemed standards and the level of autonomy‐constraint inherent to the product interaction mediates these effects. This research advances the understanding of self‐awareness theory by considering self‐awareness evoked during experiential creation (vs. recalled in retrospect) and shedding new light on the effect of self‐awareness on a task with rich experiential value.

Sustainability and socially responsible food consumption: an empirical investigation based on self-awareness and self-congruity theories

“…This mechanism suggests that when people enter a public situation or one that may impact their own life in society, social norms are activated, resulting in people's attention more to themselves than others (Munger and Harris, 1989;Berry et al, 2012). Furthermore, this attention to self is associated with greater adherence to the triggered social norm, thus ensuring that the person is not deviant (Berry et al, 2012;Brandenberger and Bowman, 2015;Min and Wakslak, 2022). Furthermore, this behaviour is also common on social networks that, with different influences, can polarise the attention towards plate-food waste (Gong et al, 2023).…”

“…Hence, the consumer's motivation to reduce food waste with HA would encourage own to get involved in minimum food waste activities to highlight the possibility of recovering potentially valuable food sources or resources for use in other processes or raising awareness regarding the associated losses to society (Nahman et al, 2012). Furthermore, the more awareness constrains people's autonomy, the more people will act consciously according to the level of awareness owned (Min and Wakslak, 2022).…”

“…The utilisation of self-concept has been well-documented in consumer behaviour, even though earlier studies essentially consider only four categories: actual-self, ideal-self, social-self and ideal social-self (Li and Uysal, 2016). The fundamental logic of the four categories of self-concepts that were used in consumer behaviour was just to experience their association with the commercial marketing concept (Ekinci and Riley, 2003;Jamal and Al-Marri, 2007;Ibrahim and Najjar, 2008;Min and Wakslak, 2022;Gong et al, 2023). Based on the number of self-concepts, human personality changed over time: previous studies verified the relationship between academic self-concept and reading attitude and found that self-concept positively influenced education's reading attitude (Alvord, 1971;Tapia-Fonllem et al, 2013).…”

“…Furthermore, this attention to self is associated with greater adherence to the triggered social norm, thus ensuring that the person is not deviant (Berry et al. , 2012; Brandenberger and Bowman, 2015; Min and Wakslak, 2022). Furthermore, this behaviour is also common on social networks that, with different influences, can polarise the attention towards plate-food waste (Gong et al.…”

“…, 2012). Furthermore, the more awareness constrains people's autonomy, the more people will act consciously according to the level of awareness owned (Min and Wakslak, 2022).…”