Self-congruity and product evaluation: a cross-cultural study

Self-image, product image and their combination, self-congruity, are important concepts in consumer behaviour. They have been hypothesised and found to affect significantly product choice and purchase intention. In this study, two samples from contrasting cultural backgrounds are compared in relation to the importance of self-congruity with respect to four brands of two products categories of contrasting involvement levels. Unexpectedly, samples from Australia and Malaysia were found to use differently actual vs ideal self-image in their product evaluation. This confirms overall the role of self-congruence in consumer's choice and points to the need for further investigation of this concept in a cross-cultural context