Self-Affirmation through the Choice of Highly Aesthetic Products
COMPLETE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE ARTICLE
Claudia Townsend &Sanjay Sood. 2012. Self-affirmation through the choice of
Highly aesthetic products.vol 39.p000
Description of the basic purpose and focus of the article and the research questions addressed in the study
The purpose of the article is to examine the reverse connection that is, the choice of a product can directly influence the self and affirm a personal innermost individual values. It goes further to provide suggestion that a good-looking design of a product can have comparable impacts as an attractive physical appearance for an individual. The authors also focuses on reviewing how products that are aesthetically beautiful seem to represents some sort of self affirmation. Some of the study questions addressed as such as, can choosing an attractive product directly affirm the self?
The paper also focuses on outlining the findings to implicate aesthetics as a special feature of goods that have the capacity to affirm the self. The article further examines the relationship that exists between consumers and their products. It also reviews how different views regarding the self affect consumption and more connectedly ways in which consumption may influence concepts of the self. The paper integrates a number of findings from the research into a model of self affirmation and offers a basis of the hypothesis.
The article reflects on the self and ways in which the choice of a product can influence the self. Consequently it reveals the firm connection between the sense of self and aesthetic. According to a number of previous studies, consumers may manipulate their sense of self and expand their self esteem by consciously selecting these kinds of experimental influences. The authors focus on explaining how similar kinds of experimental purchases, aesthetic affirms consumers sense of self but not simply via selection rather than involvement in an activity.
Description of the procedure used in the study
The topic has been discussed in three categories of studies which have been used to explore the ideas of the choice of attractive products as a means of expression for affirmation of the self. A well established methodology of self affirmation research has been used as the preliminary point of the exploration. The three studies aim at revealing the effect of aesthetics selection of the subsequent behavior as it connects to self affirmation. Consequently, the studies propose, self affirmation as a motivation for selection of highly aesthetic products, and then affirm the consumers’ sense of self before choosing an activity ought to minimize the share of a more aesthetic product.
The second study examines ways in which a selecting a preferred design, functionality or any other hedonic feature apart from design affects the openness to counter attitudinal arguments. The third study looks at how an individual’s choice of high design, high function or desired brand affects increase in commitment. Collectively the studies examine how the choice of high design is self affirming since self affirmation has an impact on openness to arguments and propensity to improve initial commitments (Townsend & Sood, 2012).
The conclusion drawn from the study by the authors
The first study examines the prediction that preference for self affirmation is a motivator for choice of highly aesthetic products by having respondents affirm the self prior to making decisions between options that differ in aesthetic appeal. The conclusion drawn by the authors from this study is that disaffirming an individual sense of self does not have a significant impact on their choice behavior. However, affirming an individual’s sense of self minimizes the share of the high design options (Townsend & Sood, 2012). Consequently, individuals do not look to choice of a highly functioning option as a way of affirming their self sense.
The second study tries to find out whether choosing a good-looking product directly affirms the self and also examine the influence of aesthetic choice on subsequent attitudes. Conclusion of the authors in regards to this study is that choice of a product has the capacity to cause an impact on subsequent judgments as the more explicit positive feedback used.
The third study reviews the impact of design choice on escalation of commitment. Conclusions drawn from the study is that self affirmation minimizes escalation of commitment. Respondents of this study seemed to respond in a more assured way after choosing the high design therefore, this confirms that self affirmation influences the choice of a product with high aesthetics (Townsend & Sood, 2012). Another conclusion is that the choice of appealing design is self affirming for everybody regardless of whether they acknowledge the significance of the design in their choices.
Analysis of the findings of the study
In regards to the first study, affirming a person’s self sense makes them less likely to choose the highly aesthetic option means that part of motivation to selecting a high design in an attempt to improve self sense. However, this is not an obvious occurrence in cases where design variation lacks. The influence for self affirmation is not widely directed to a more costly option or high quality choice but particularly to a more aesthetically appealing one. The preference of appealing goods is a very significant value among many people and is influenced by affirmation conditions meaning that consumers are in a constant state of seeking affirmation (Townsend & Sood, 2012).
Findings in the second study implies that selecting products at the basis of aesthetic features can result to a more positive and accepting point of view that is distinct from any influence of aesthetics and self affirmation. The author implies that the feelings of self worth emerge from affirming one’s commitment to a value of personal relevance alleviate the risk of making a poor decision. Choosing a high design leads to de-escalation of commitment and is a sign of self affirmation. Consequently, there is a clear distinction between self affirmation and positive bias.
According to the findings in the third study, the choice of high design leads to reduced allocation to the previous chosen consumer products. This identifies the possible reason as to why the choice of high design products leads to a more positive response compared to self- affirmation. The study distinguishes between the impacts of aesthetic as the principle functional attribute. The superiority of a brand does not have such significant impact compared to aesthetics. Consequently, the findings of this study reveal that aesthetic as a feature of products is universally appreciated than any other attribute and that the selection influences the self sense of a consumer.
Analysis of the value of this research
This research has identified that the choice of a product may lead self affirmation. This is particularly due to product aesthetics which is a principle feature through which self affirmation occurs. The three studies illustrate that design of a product need not to be treated the same as any other feature such as price, functionality among others. It’s normal for people to appreciate beauty and the choice of an appealing product make individuals feel better about them and may make them react in a less biased way. According to this research the choice of a very attractive design is a very distinct form of affirmation and it doesn’t encompass feedback or inspire thought of oneself, their performance or values. This idea makes the whole research appear surprising and very valuable
In this research, it’s evident that consumers aware of the self affirming advantage of selecting a high design product. Moreover the choice of an attractive design of a product may be a specifically prominent form of affirmation basically due to the fact that the connection between self and individual values is not always obvious. The results of this research provides way in which the self sense of an individual may be affirmed without priming the thoughts connected to self, values, personal performance or esteem
However, the knowledge from the research helps us understand that bias exists for appealing products. Consequently, this extension is comparably intuitive considering the scatted, implicit, and seemingly innate revelation of the premium and intrinsic connection between individuals and their possessions. The research also expounds the understanding of aesthetic in various ways unlike previous research that examined ways in which perceptions of others are subject to appearance.
The findings in this research, provides an opportunistic analysis of materialism, conspicuous and consumption as a reaction to negative emotions. Although previous research focused on the firm relationship between addictive purchasing and low self esteem, this research investigates the extreme behavior as revealed in the select groups. It goes further to point out the university of purchase for the aim of improving the self related feelings. The research has also opened various avenues for further investigation. For instance the possibility that product category is connected to the feelings and may regulate the link between choice and self affirmation.
Work cited
Claudia Townsend & Sanjay Sood. 2012. Self-affirmation through the choice of
Highly aesthetic products.vol 39.p000
