Academic literature on the topic 'Symbolic self-completion'

Purpose When consumers experience a self-threat that calls their self-concept into question, the ensuing psychological discomfort motivates them to restore their self-perceptions on the threatened attribute. Although consumers can restore a threatened self-perception by consuming products and brands that possess the desired symbolic associations, this study aims to propose that word of mouth can serve to resolve self-threat and restore a threatened self-perception when the brand at the center of a word-of-mouth communication is symbolically congruent with the domain of the threat. Design/methodology/approach Experimental online survey research was conducted, inducing self-threat, manipulating brand and word-of-mouth conditions and measuring self-perceptions. Data for three studies were analyzed using SPSS and Hayes’ (2013) PROCESS macro. Findings Three studies show that spreading word of mouth can restore consumers’ threatened self-perceptions when the brand is symbolically congruent with the threat domain. Word of mouth about a symbolically congruent brand alleviates psychological discomfort, resulting in higher self-perceptions on the threatened attribute. The restorative effect is amplified for lower self-esteem consumers. Research limitations/implications Participants in the focal conditions were required to spread word of mouth, which may not be an organic response for all consumers; although not spreading word of mouth is ineffective, other compensatory consumer behavior options exist. The brand option was provided to participants, which allowed for control but may have reduced some of the realism. Practical implications Positioning brands to meet consumers’ psychological needs encourages the development of consumer–brand attachments. Brands that resonate with consumers reap the benefits of consumers’ active loyalty behaviors and enjoy stronger brand equity. The present research implies a new way consumers can form brand attachments: by spreading word of mouth to resolve self-threat. As many consumers post detailed, personal information online, this research suggests firms can align their brand messages with relevant identity-related discrepancies. Originality/value This research extends the symbolic self-completion compensatory consumption strategy to the word-of-mouth context, showing that consumers can achieve the same restorative effect as consumption by spreading word of mouth. This research also contributes to compensatory word-of-mouth literature by establishing the role of brand meaning.

Purpose This paper aims to provide evidence that theory-based effects of role-identity cultivation stages on self-symbolizing consumption activities do exist. Design/methodology/approach Specific focus is placed upon differing motives between rookie versus veteran role-identity actors and how these differences lead to symbolic self-completion and self-retention behaviors. Effects of these motives are examined in the context of college student identity transitions. Findings Evidence is found for a pattern, whereby role-identity rookies with fewer role-identity-related possessions are more likely to self-symbolize the role-identity outwardly than veteran consumers having more role-identity-related resources, such as possessions. Self-retention via possessions is also more evident with rookies making the transition from one role-identity to the next, replacement role-identity. Findings are replicated for both readily available and favorite possessions related to a role-identity. Research limitations/implications Future role-identity research in marketing may miss unique and important insights without accounting for role-identity cultivation stage. Practical implications Current evidence highlights the importance of identity cultivation stage, symbolic self-completion and self-retention as factors to consider in understanding market segments associated with respective role-identities. Originality/value Extant research does not yet account for how consumption activities serving both symbolic and functional purposes support role-identity transitions. This inquiry is directed at contributing to this need.

Building on symbolic self-completion theory, we conceptualize group identity as a goal toward which group members strive, using material symbols of that identity. We report four studies showing that the value placed on such material symbols (e.g., a building) depends on commitment to group identity, the extent to which a symbol can be used to represent in-group identity, and situational variability in goal strength induced through group-identity affirmation or threat. Our results suggest that property derives value from its capacity to serve as an effective means in the pursuit of group-identity goals. Implications for inter-group conflict are discussed.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess brand commitment levels demonstrated by luxury brand consumers in China and seeks to identify the most significant combination of antecedents from brand affect, image, value and trust. Design/methodology/approach – A self-completion, researcher-supported questionnaire was disseminated within four Beijing shopping malls, generating 501 participants. The questionnaire comprised a range of scale sets covering brand affect, image, value, trust and commitment. The analysis comprised a summary overview of brand attainment followed by a substantive analysis involving confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modelling to identify the most significant combination of antecedents relating to brand commitment. Findings – Regarding absolute consumer endorsement, brand affect was the most positive area, with image, trust and value representing relatively positive brand attributes. Declared commitment was relatively low, representing a potential commercial challenge. Value, represented by its social and symbolic components, and trust were identified as providing a significant and direct explanation of consumer commitment, represented by its affective and continuance dimensions. The role of value and trust must be central in marketing luxury brands given their direct and combined impact on consumer commitment. Research limitations/implications – The findings are transferable to other “Tier 1” locations in China, but take no account of either consumer behaviour outside of these wealthier conurbations, or segmentation of the associated markets. Originality/value – Geographic setting and consideration of a vast consumer group provides research value and contribution to marketing planning in the pursuit of higher levels of consumer commitment to their brands.

Perché le persone usano i social media? Applicando la teoria dell'auto-completamento simbolico (SCT; Wicklund & Gollwitzer, 1982), la presente tesi ipotizza che le persone utilizzino i social media per pubblicare contenuti auto-simbolizzanti e raggiungere quindi l'auto-completamento verso le proprie mete identitarie, cioè per condividere simboli di completezza e ripristinare obiettivi di identità incompleti (es., diventare un medico, essere una buona madre). Poiché i nuovi siti di social network hanno caratteristiche ideali per l'auto-simbolizzazione, le persone potrebbero persino essere attratte da tali siti proprio a causa di queste caratteristiche ideali (es., la possibilità di rivolgersi a pubblico in qualsiasi momento). Una prima serie di esperimenti ha testato l’ipotesi per cui gli studenti di medicina e giurisprudenza che percepiscono incompletezza riguardo ai propri obiettivi di identità professionale dovrebbero compensare mettendo in atto comportamenti di auto-simbolizzazione su Instagram, per esempio attraverso la pubblicazione di più simboli relativi alla loro identità obiettivi (es., camici bianchi). Lo Studio 1 ha rilevato che gli studenti di medicina incompleti, proprio come ipotizzato, pubblicano effettivamente più simboli relativi alla medicina rispetto agli studenti completi. Lo Studio 2 ha replicato questo effetto in un campione di studenti di giurisprudenza e ha confermato che i post auto-simbolizzanti degli studenti che si stanno completando online si riferiscono specificamente al loro obiettivo incompleto (cioè la carriera in giurisprudenza) e non ad altri domini completi e/o non pertinenti (cioè la vita universitaria). Lo Studio 3 ha dimostrato che gli studenti di medicina incompleti si impegnano a compensare attraverso la pubblicazione di simboli di completezza solo quando la loro incompletezza si riferisce al loro effettivo obiettivo di carriera e non ad altre carriere a cui non aspirano (es., una carriera in giurisprudenza). Guidato dalla teoria, un quarto esperimento ha esteso questi risultati testando due ipotesi correlate: (a) l'incompletezza dell'obiettivo dell'identità, in quanto stato orientato all'obiettivo, dovrebbe indurre effetti di orientamento, come l'impulsività durante la pubblicazione online, il disinteresse per i contenuti pubblicati dagli altri, irritazione e restringimento dell'attenzione; (b) tutti questi effetti di orientamento dovrebbero essere disinnescati attraverso la pubblicazione di un post auto-simbolizzante su Instagram (cioè un post che contiene simboli di raggiungimento dell'obiettivo e che quindi consente alla persona di ripristinare completezza). Lo Studio 4 ha supportato entrambe le ipotesi, dimostrando che l'incompletezza verso un obiettivo identitario provoca effetti di orientamento specifici volti a facilitare il raggiungimento dell'obiettivo e che la pubblicazione di contenuti auto-simbolizzanti sui social media può risolvere l’incompletezza e far scomparire tali effetti di orientamento. Un'ulteriore serie di studi ha portato la presente linea di ricerca un ulteriore passo avanti, verificando se le persone sono attratte dai social media proprio a causa delle loro caratteristiche ideali per l'auto-simbolizzazione. Sulla base di SCT, abbiamo identificato otto di queste caratteristiche ideali (es., la possibilità di trattare gli altri come un mero pubblico e non come un insieme di individui) e creato varie condizioni manipolate in cui i social media avevano o meno queste caratteristiche ideali, aspettandoci che l'assenza di esse avrebbe ridotto l'attrattiva dei social media e la loro efficienza nel soddisfare i bisogni di auto-completamento. Attraverso due esperimenti, abbiamo trovato un supporto parziale per entrambe queste ipotesi. Lo Studio 5 e lo Studio 6 hanno infatti scoperto che i social media con caratteristiche ideali per l'auto-simbolizzazione erano più attraenti di altri siti, oltre che più efficienti nel soddisfare i bisogni di auto-completamento. Vengono discusse le implicazioni teoriche e pratiche della presente ricerca per una migliore comprensione dei comportamenti dei social media, per prevenire le conseguenze negative dell'auto-simbolizzazione sui social media e per approfondire lo studio dei processi di auto-completamento.
Why do people use social media? Drawing on the theory of symbolic self-completion (SCT; Wicklund & Gollwitzer, 1982), the present work hypothesizes that people use social media to engage in self-symbolizing posting and reach self-completion, that is for sharing pertinent symbols of completeness and restore incomplete identity goals such as ‘becoming a physician’ or ‘being a good mother’. Further, since new social networking sites have ideal features for self-symbolizing, people may be attracted to using them right because of these ideal features (e.g., the possibility to address an audience at any time). The first set of experiments tested whether medical and law students who sense incompleteness concerning their professional identity goals engage in compensatory self-symbolizing on Instagram by increasing their posting of respective indicators of goal attainment (e.g., medical white coats vs. court clothes). Study 1 found that incomplete medical students post more medicine-related symbols on Instagram. Study 2 replicated this effect in a sample of law students and clarified that students’ self-symbolizing posts specifically relate to their incomplete goal (i.e., law career) and not to other non-pertinent domains (i.e., university life). Study 3 demonstrated that incomplete medical students only engage in self-symbolizing when their incompleteness refers to their career goal and not to other careers they do not aspire to (i.e., a law career). Driven by the theory, a fourth experiment extended these findings by testing two related hypotheses: (a) identity goal incompleteness—as a goal-oriented state—should induce orienting effects, such as impulsiveness when posting online, disinterest in others’ posted contents, irritation, and narrowing of attention; (b) all these orienting effects should be defused through the publishing of a self-symbolizing post on Instagram (i.e., a post entailing symbols of goal attainment). Study 4 supported both the hypotheses, demonstrating that identity goal incompleteness causes specific orienting effects intended to facilitate goal achievement and that posting self-symbolizing content on social media can resolve incompleteness and make these orienting effects disappear. An additional set of studies took the testing of our self-completion explanation a step further by strictly verifying whether people are attracted to social sites because of their ideal features for self-symbolizing. Based on SCT, we identified eight of these ideal features (e.g., the possibility to treat others as a mere audience) and created various manipulated conditions in which social media had or did not have these ideal characteristics, expecting that the absence of them would have reduced social media’s appeal and their efficiency in satisfying self-completion needs. Across two experiments, we found partial support for both these hypotheses. Study 5 and Study 6 indeed found that social media with ideal features for self-symbolizing were more appealing than other sites, as well as more efficient in satisfying self-completion needs. Theoretical and practical implications of the present research for a better understanding of social media behaviors, preventing negative consequences of self-symbolizing on social media, and deepening the study of self-completion processes are discussed.

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the influence that a threat to university students’ academic competence had on their reported competence, self-efficacy, and the avoidance of help seeking in academics. This dissertation was conceptualized based on symbolic self-completion theory which maintains that when individuals are actively committed to pursuing certain self-definitions, they define themselves as complete (e.g., competent or possessing a desired quality) through the use of symbols of attainment. These symbols can consist of any behavior or material possession that is accepted by others as proof that the individual possesses the desired self-definition. In the present study, the desired quality is being a competent university student, and potential symbols of attainment are measures of perceived competence, self-efficacy, and the avoidance of help seeking in academics. Providing written advice to future undergraduate students was also examined as an additional symbol of attainment. A pre/posttest design was used to gather measures surrounding an academic threat to current undergraduate students (n=203). Results of this dissertation support that being an undergraduate student does represent a self-defining goal and suggest that some students are invested in establishing and maintaining competence within this desired self-definition. This dissertation found that following an academic threat the experimental group did exaggerate (i.e., increase) responses to some of the measures. In addition, both academic commitment and self-esteem were important in determining the extent to which a student engaged in the symbolic self-completion process using measures that focus on competence, self-efficacy, and the avoidance of help seeking in academics.

The existing literature in marketing and consumer behavior tends to adopt a somewhat static view of membership and belonging, focusing on the status uncertainty that surrounds new group aspirants. In the literature, the portrayal of becoming a member is one of a logical step-by-step process as members move toward the top of the social hierarchy and secure status. An underlying assumption of this process is that once an individual secures membership through status, that individual is no longer uncertain about their membership or belonging. This thesis presents an alternative to this static step-by-step view and introduces the idea of the belonging paradox. A belonging paradox is a recursive cycle of an unsolvable duality of simultaneous inclusion and exclusion that can result from idiosyncratic factors such as gender, race, disability or self-doubt. This thesis also develops a new conceptual framework or perspective on the concept of belonging by integrating Uncertainty-Identity Theory, Self-Verification Theory and Symbolic Self-Completion Theory into a more dynamic and fluid understanding about the nature of belonging. Through the introduction of the belonging paradox and the new conceptual framework of belonging, a more comprehensive understanding of belonging emerges. Specifically, the belonging paradox suggests that beyond the initial stages of striving for group membership, uncertainty of belonging can continue to be a pervasive, continuous struggle even for committed hardcore group members. Through an analysis of the skateboarding subculture, this thesis illustrates how members continuously construct and shape their own belonging experience within groups. It also demonstrates the different ways members use consumption to try to cope with the duality and constant tension of the belonging paradox as well as explores the link between uncertainty and the ability to play with identities. This leads to a number of theoretical and managerial contributions.
Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2011-11-27 17:42:26.54

Proclus is part of a long exegetical tradition that understands Plato and Homer to be in agreement. The Sixth Essay of his Commentary on Plato’s Republic particularly significant because it is the only extant ancient text that attempts to prove the concord of Plato and Homer philosophically. Yet, despite his uniquely reasoned approach, this endeavour suffers from charges of irrationalism. The necessity that drives him to seek this conciliation is thought to come from the pious attachment he has to Homer as an authority rather than the properly philosophical demands of his rational system. The aim of this thesis is to show that Proclus’ need to show Plato and Homer’s agreement is not an irrational adjunct to an otherwise rational outlook, but that it follows from the central doctrines of his philosophy. This will be accomplished through a detailed consideration of Proclus’ doctrine of the poetic ????????. In looking at how Proclus’ reading of Plato in the Sixth Essay is informed by his understanding of ????????, we will see how Homer becomes the means, both of taking the traditional criticisms of Plato’s apparent self-contradiction seriously and also of defending him against them. In looking in turn at how the soul actually experiences the ??????? of Homer’s inspired poetry, it shall become apparent that Homer does not just save the coherence of rational thought in this exterior way, but that his poetry operates as both the possibility and perfection of the rational soul’s various powers.

This chapter continues the study of the various types of SC instances that human minds produce via the four categories introduced in the previous chapter: 1) “Types of Self-Communication (SC),” 2) “SC and Learning,” 3) “Reality and Perception-Processing I: Without Metacognition,” and 4) “Reality and Perception-Processing II: With Metacognition.” In addition, the chapter examines the role of language and symbol systems vis-à-vis our SC, as well as communication in general. In this regard, the dynamics of reading and writing offer a number of potential insights, and the author examines them via examples involving the first part of former President Barack Obama's presidential memoirs, journaling and blogging, and the use of “to-do” lists for task-completion.