Egocentric Improvement Evaluations: Change in the Self as an Anchor for Brand Improvement Judgments

• Published in: Journal of marketing research 2018-12, Vol.55 (6), p.934-950
• Main Authors: Dagogo-Jack, Sokiente W., Forehand, Mark R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brands; Consumer attitudes; Identity; Judgment; Marketing
• ISSN: 0022-2437; 1547-7193
• DOI: 10.1177/0022243718810801

Prior research has identified product improvement perceptions as critical to consumers' product upgrade decisions (e.g., upgrading to a new iPhone), but little work has examined factors influencing these improvement perceptions. This research shows that drawing consumers' attention to their global self-improvement can increase product improvement judgments and upgrade intentions when self–brand connection is high, a phenomenon the authors refer to as egocentric improvement evaluation. In line with egocentric categorization theory, which identifies the self as a dominant reference category in product judgment, the authors demonstrate cognitive drivers of the effect. Specifically, egocentric improvement evaluations are moderated by self-focus, which determines whether the self is an accessible reference category. Furthermore, the authors propose that egocentric improvement evaluations also have a motivational driver: consumers project their self-improvement onto self-connected brands to satisfy self-enhancement motives. The core effect is moderated by self-affirmation, which quells the need for self-enhancement, and by self-threat, which heightens the need for self-enhancement. The authors investigate this effect in five studies and discuss the theoretical and practical implications.