The Three-Component Multidimensional Model of Self-Image Congruence: An Abstract

Self-congruence theory is one of the most widely cited theories explaining consumer behavior (Aguirre-Rodriguez et al. 2012; Sirgy 1982, 2018). The importance of congruence between a self-image and the brand user image stems from the meaningfulness of self-concept to well-being and an individual’s functioning (Carver and Scheier 1998; Higgins 1997) as well as the large potential of brand image for constructing the user self-concept (Belk 1988; Wicklund and Gollwitzer 1982). Researchers note that the validity of self-image congruence studies is threatened by the lack of universal instruments (Avis et al. 2014), the domain adjustment problem (Avis 2012), the unidimensionality of measurement (Eisend and Stokburger-Sauer 2013), underestimating the salience of undesired typical brand-user images (Bosnjak and Brand 2008). The purpose of presentation is to propose a solution to the problems by providing a new conceptualization of self-image congruence and on their operationalization according to a methodological framework of psycholexical studies applied in personality psychology (De Raad 1998; Saucier and Srivastava 2015).