Recap of Session Dated 29th Feb 2012

In this session we discussed about

1. Model of Motivation process
2. Type of needs
3. Rational and Emotional Motives
4. Frustration and Defense mechanisms
5. Theories of personality
6. Brand Personality Framework
7. Different self-images

Model of Motivation process

Motivation is the force that impels and individual to do an action. This motivation can be explained by Model of motivation process, which is as follows

Driving force is produced by tension, which exist as unfulfilled need. Individuals try to reduce this tension through selecting goals and striving towards them. The goals they choose depends upon their personal characteristics, perception, previous experiences and attitude.

Type of Needs

Every individual has some needs: Some are innate others are acquired.

Innate Needs are physiological (Need of food, water, air clothing, shelter and sex). Whereas Acquired needs are our responses to our culture or environment (Self esteem, prestige, affection, power and learning).

Further, we discussed about Rational Versus Emotional Motives

The term rationality implies that consumers select goals based on totally objective criteria, like size, weight, price, etc. Emotional motives on the other hand imply the selection of goals according to personal or subjective criteria. However, such motives are quite complex and subjective in nature, as what may appear irrational to an outside observer may be perfectly rational in the context of the consumer’s own psychological field.

Frustration and Defense Mechanisms

Failure to achieve a goal often results in frustration. Some people manage to cope by finding a substitute goal where as other consider it as personal failure and use different defense mechanisms. Such defense mechanisms are often used to protect their self-images and self-esteem. Different types of defense mechanisms are as

Aggression: Individual resort to aggressive behavior like slamming a bat.

Rationalization: Inventing plausible reasons like couldn’t practice.

Regression: Childish or immature behavior

Withdrawal: Withdrawing from the situation like quitting an organization

Projection: Projecting blame of his/her own failures and inabilities on other objects

Day Dreaming: Imaginary gratification of unfulfilled needs.

Identification: Seeing one’s own self in others.

Repression: Forcefully forgetting

Theories of personality

Personality which can be defined as those inner psychological characteristics that both determine and reflect how a person responds to his or her environment. There are different theories of personality that were discussed like,

Freudian Theory: It states that unconscious needs especially sexual and other biological drives are at the heart of human motivation and personality. Freud proposed id, superego and ego, where id referred to basic physiological need, superego as individual internal expression and ego is the individual’s conscious control.

Non- Freudian Theory: It states that social relationships are fundamental to formation and development of personality.

Trait Theory: This focuses on measurement of personality in terms of psychological characteristics called traits.

Brand Personality Framework

Framework suggests that there are five defining dimensions and nature of a brand’s personality. The framework suggests that there are five defining dimensions of a brand’s personality and some facets. If we carefully review these facets, it appears that this framework tends to accommodate the brand personalities pursued by many consumer products.

Self-Images
Consumers have a variety of enduring self images of themselves. These self images or perceptions of self are very closely associated with personality in that individuals tend to buy products and services. Some of the different kinds of self images are as:

Actual Self Image: How consumers in fact see themselves?
Ideal Self Image: How consumer would like to see himself?
Social Self-Image: How consumer feel other see them?
Ideal Social Self-Image: How consumers would like others to see them?
Expected self Image: This is future oriented combination of what is and what consumer likes to be?

Thanks and Regards,

Mohit Talwar

Roll No 77, IM Sec A