| dc.description.abstract | Self-congruity theory is a much researched construct in marketing literature. Nevertheless, the
results found are controversial and there is a lack of consensus about several factors including
which variables moderate the self-congruity effect. In an effort to lessen some of the
controversy, this study investigates how different usage situations influence the effects of
consumers’ self-congruity evaluations on brand attitude. Moreover, rapid technological
developments influence consumers’ behavior, affecting the success of marketing efforts.
Therefore, as one of the firsts, our research includes the presence of social media in connection
to self-congruity theory.
Based on a study with 116 respondents, we tested the self-congruity effect for three different
usage situations: public, private and private with social media. It was found that the selfcongruity
effect was strongest in public usage situations, followed by private with social media
usage situations. No significant results were found for private usage situations. In addition,
further tests show that the self-congruity effect on brand attitude diminishes or even
completely disappears when measured together with other variables such as quality, taste, and
brand knowledge.
These findings have interesting implications for measurement of symbolic brand effects and
marketing theory. Firstly, based on the results that the self-congruity effect disappears when
measured together with other variables, we can infer that self-congruity should always be
tested together with other attributes to avoid any measurement bias. Moreover, the varying
effects of perceived self-congruity in different usage situations is valuable information for
brands and can be used to optimize their marketing efficiency. | nb_NO |
