CHAPTER 5

THE SELF
Multiple Choice
1. Many ___________________ cultures stress the importance of a collective self, where
the persons identity is derived in large measure from his or her social group.
a. Eastern
b. Northern
c. Western
d. Southern
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 150
2. If a persons identity is derived in large measure from his or her social group, this is
called:
a. the inner self.
b. the occupational self.
c. the collective self.
d. the dynamic self.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 150
3. Both Eastern and Western cultures see the self as divided into a(n):
a. single, group, and dynamic self.
b. single, extended, and group self.
c. relational, occupational, and religious self.
d. inner, private self, and an outer, public self.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 150
4. If Chen Ho follows a Confucian perspective and dresses according to accepted rules
of the group (where others perceptions of the self and maintaining ones desired
status in their eyes is important), then he is recognizing the importance of:
a. conformity.
b. face.
c. force and will.
d. politeness.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 150
5. Yoi Tanabe has often had difficulties with U.S. customs since she moved here from
her native Japan. One of those difficulties occurs with the informalities present in
dress codes for Casual Fridays at her work. Yoi was always taught that dress was a

76

way of expressing ones station or status in life and should not be taken lightly.
However, Casual Fridays encourage the expression of a persons __________
which is somewhat foreign in business circles in Japan.
a. reputational self
b. face self
c. dual self
d. unique self
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 150
6. The _________________ refers to the beliefs a person holds about his or her own
attributes, and how he or she evaluates these qualities.
a. self-concept
b. reference-self
c. personality
d. self-ego
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 150
7. Attributes of self-concept can be described along several dimensions. If Rudi
Gonzalez sees himself as being one who is handsome (has a highly attractive face)
rather than a person who is intellectual, which of the following self-concept
dimensions best applies to Rudis view of himself?
a. Content.
b. Positivity.
c. Intensity.
d. Stability over time.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 150, 151
8. ________________ refers to the positivity of a persons self-concept.
a. Content
b. Self-esteem
c. Intensity
d. Stability over time
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 151
9. If a female consumer sees an ad about a woman who can no longer fit in her old
bathing suit, the consumer might think about her own situation and make a personal
pledge to lose some weight before summer arrives. This would be an example of
marketing communications that attempt to influence a consumers level of:
a. doubt and regret.
b. self-esteem.
c. dedication and control.
d. strength and conviction.

77

Answer: (b) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 151

10. _________________ attempts to change product attitudes by stimulating positive
feelings about the self. For example, Virginia Slims cigarettes proclaim, Youve
come a long way, baby.
a. Self-reliance advertising
b. Self-dependency promotion
c. Self-esteem advertising
d. Self-deceiving advertising
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 151
11. College student Jeff Barnes sees himself as a rich banker who drives a top-of-the-line
BMW. This fantasy is an expression of the:
a. ideal self.
b. actual self.
c. multiple self.
d. directed self.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 151
12. The ideal self is a persons conception of how he or she:
a. appears to friends and co-workers.
b. appears in the real world to all people.
c. would like to be.
d. thinks he or she is.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 151
13. The ________________ refers to our more realistic appraisal of the qualities we have
and dont have.
a. ideal self
b. inner self
c. actual self
d. outer self
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 151
14. Mary Jane is a very conservative businesswoman by day. However, when she decides
to go out on the town, she likes to party and kick up her heels. This would be an
example of a reaction due to the fact that many consumers:
a. are psychotic.
b. have multiple selves.
c. are not confident with their real selves.

78

d. prefer their ideal self.

Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 152
15. _________________ stresses that relationships with other people play a large part in
forming the self.
a. Gestaltism
b. Symbolic interactionism
c. Symbolic consumerism
d. Freudian symbolism
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 153
16. Grace Norris is a 50 year-old housewife who recently selected Chryslers PT Cruiser
as her new car. To some extent, she selected the car because it is practical and has
ample storage space for groceries and other items she gets on her many shopping trips.
On the other hand, she also confesses that she selected the car because of its bad boy
image. It looks like a gangster car from the 1930s, says Grace. It says dont mess
with me, she tells her friends. Grace is exhibiting ________________ in her
selection of a car.
a. Gestaltism
b. Symbolic consumerism
c. Symbolic interactionism
d. Draconian fantasies
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 153
17. Pamela Ortiz rarely makes eye contact with others in social settings. Though by
many standards she is physically attractive, she perceives that others find her plain and
uninteresting. By not making eye contact, she is somewhat creating a self-fulfilling
prophecy with respect to males in her social circle. This situation matches
occurrences in which of the following self situations?
a. The dynamic self.
b. The dependency self.
c. The frustrated self.
d. The looking-glass self.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 153
18. Jane Jones loves liver and onions. She often sees this dish available in cafeterias.
However, she has also overheard fellow cafeteria patrons comment that only old
people eat liverhow disgusting! Because of the social criticism that she has
overheard, she almost never buys liver and onions when she is out in public. Jane
would best be characterized as being a(n):
a. high self-monitor.
b. medium self-monitor.

79

c. low self-monitor.
d. image-resistant consumer.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 153, 154
19. ______________ suggests that people who have an incomplete self-definition tend to
complete this identity by acquiring and displaying symbols associated with it.
a. Self-completion theory.
b. Adolescent-expansion theory.
c. Freudian theory.
d. Acceptance-rejection theory.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 155
20. If a consumer chooses a product based on whether the products attributes match the
consumers self image or not, then the product is most likely being chosen based on:
a. a self-image congruence model.
b. a reference-self model.
c. a copy-cat model.
d. a looking-glass self model.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 156
21. If Volkswagen owners see themselves as being more economical and conservative
than do owners of the flashy Pontiac TransAm, then a ____________________ is
probably at work.
a. self-image congruence model
b. reference-self model
c. copy-cat model
d. looking-glass self model
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 156
22. Many of the props and settings consumers use to define their social roles become
part of themselves. For example, one of Mary Bennetts last requests was that when
she died, she wanted to be buried in her favorite dress. This would be an example of
which of
the following forms of the self?
a. Real self.
b. Ideal self.
c. Extended self.
d. Looking-glass self.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 156
23. Personal objects, places, and things allow people to feel that they are rooted in their

80

larger social environments. If consumers feel personally rooted to their jewelry, cars,
or clothing, they are expressing which of the following levels of the extended self?
a. Family level.
b. Individual level.
c. Community level.
d. Group level.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact and Application Page: 158, 159
24. Personal objects, places, and things allow people to feel that they are rooted in their
larger social environments. The home can be symbolic for the extended self. Which
of the following categories or levels of the extended self would the home most likely
be associated with?
a. Family level.
b. Individual level.
c. Community level.
d. Group level.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 158, 159
25. Fred Johnson lives, eats, and breathes pro football. His favorite team is the Dallas
Cowboys. His home looks like a Dallas Cowboys museum. Which of the following
categories or levels of the extended self would most likely apply to Freds situation?
a. Family level.
b. Individual level.
c. Community level.
d. Group level.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 158-159
26. Research has shown that men are more likely to eat meat. As one writer puts it, Boy
food doesnt grow. It is hunted or killed. This would be an example of which of the
following types of goals?
a. Agentic goals
b. Communal goals
c. Androgyny goals
d. Clan goals
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 159
27. In many societies, males are controlled by ___________________, which stress
self-assertion and mastery.
a. agentic goals
b. communal goals
c. androgyny goals
d. clan goals

81

Answer: (a) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 159

28. In many societies, females are said to have communal goals. If so, which of the
following characteristics or activities would most closely match feminine communal
goals?
a. Self-assertion and mastery.
b. Affiliation and fostering harmonious relations.
c. Profit motives and competitive environments.
d. Music preservation and coyness.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact and Application Page: 159
29. If products take on masculine or feminine attributes, they are said to be:
a. sexually explicit.
b. sex-typed.
c. sexy.
d. androgynous.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 161
30. U.S. Steel runs an ad showing a female ironworker coming out of a steel plant. The
setting shows that she is more than just one of the guysshe is a steel worker. If
such an ad were used to try and recruit more female ironworkers, the ad would be
appealing to which of the following human traits?
a. Heterosexual.
b. Homosexual.
c. Androgyny.
d. Amorphany.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Application Page: 162
31. ___________________ refers to the possession of both masculine and feminine
traits.
a. Heterosexual
b. Homosexual
c. Androgyny
d. Amorphany
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 162
32. _______________ people are able function to well in a variety of social situations.
This might explain why several professional sports stars are also gourmet cooks.
a. Asexual
b. Homosexual
c. Androgynous

82

d. Amorphous
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 162
33. If women are shown in advertisements to be sexual objects who exist solely for the
pleasure of men, this form of advertising might be called:
a. Beefcake.
b. Cheesecake.
c. Androgynous.
d. Bake-a-Cake.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 165
34. Men being shown as sex objects in advertising is known as:
a. Beefcake.
b. Cheesecake.
c. Muscle mania.
d. Bare-chested glamour.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 165
35. MTV Networks and Showtime are developing a plan to create the first cable channels
directed at gay viewers. According to research, gay viewers make up about ______
of television households.
a. 1%
b. 3%
c. 6.5%
d. 8%
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 167
36. Acting on research that showed that lesbians are four times as likely as the average
consumer to own one of their cars, ____________ decided to target this market in a
big way.
a. Honda
b. Toyota
c. BMW
d. Subaru of America
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 168
37. A persons physical appearance is a large part of his or her:
a. inner pattern.
b. self-concept.
c. group status.
d. cultural right.

83

Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 168

38. ________________ refers to a consumers subjective evaluation of his or her
physical self.
a. Body dialect
b. Body tone
c. Body fantasy
d. Body image
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 168
39. A persons feelings about his or her body can be described in terms of:
a. body tone.
b. body plexus.
c. body cathexis.
d. body universality.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 168
40. A recent study of young adults feelings about their bodies found that they had the
least positive feelings about their:
a. hair.
b. eyes.
c. teeth.
d. waists.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 168
41. Rose Marie seems to be very satisfied with her hair and eyes and the way her friends
react to these parts of her body. However, based on comments from men, she believes
that her waist is too large and prevents her from having the kind of dates that she
would like to have. Her feelings about these body parts can be summed under the
general category of:
a. body universality.
b. body cathexis.
c. body tone.
d. body glamour.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 168
42. The preference in a culture for a particular model of beauty (or exemplar) is called
a(n):
a. ideal of sexuality.
b. ideal of beauty.
c. narcissism.

84

d. beauty universality.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 168
43. According to information presented in the text, all of the following are considered
to be universal traits of beauty EXCEPT:
a. large eyes.
b. below average height.
c. high cheekbones.
d. a narrow jaw.
Answer: (b) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 168
44. According to research, men are more likely to use ______________ as a sexual
cue since it might provide evidence of reproductive potential.
a. a womans height
b. a womans weight
c. a womans body shape
d. a womans provactiveness
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 169
45. Attention to the body is almost an obsession with many consumers. According to a
recent study, elementary school children perceive _______________ as worse (more
difficult to live with) than a disability.
a. short height
b. being tall
c. being obese
d. being underweight
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 172
46. A distorted body image has been linked to eating disorders. People with _________
perceive themselves as being too fat; they virtually starve themselves in the quest
for thinness.
a. hypochondria
b. fattism
c. anorexia
d. symmetry
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 175
47. Celia Brown hates her body. She looks at herself in the mirror constantly and
definitely does not like what she sees. On any given day, she is too fat, too thin, or
discolored. Celia most likely has which of the following disorders?
a. Cosmetic dysfunction.

85

b. Body enhancement phobia.

c. Body dysmorphic disorder.
d. Rational-judgment syndrome.
Answer: (c) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 176
48. The body is adorned or altered in some way in every culture. Decorating the
self serves a number of purposes. Which of the following is NOT one of those
purposes?
a. To indicate negative feelings towards oneself.
b. To separate group members from nonmembers.
c. To place the individual in the social organization.
d. To provide a sense of security.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 177-180
49. The modern use of high heels (which can cause knee and hip problems) may be
compared to the traditional Asian practice of foot binding. According to the text,
which of the following purposes best describes why high heels are worn?
a. To separate group members from non-group members.
b. To place the individual in the social organization.
c. To place the person in a gender category.
d. To enhance sex-role identification.
Answer: (d) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 177-180
50. Tattoos have a long history of association with people who are:
a. social outcasts.
b. members of the ruling class.
c. members of fraternities.
d. members of a religious order.
Answer: (a) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 181
True/False
51. The concept of the self is one of the oldest descriptions of man going back to the time
of the caveman.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 150
52. Non-Western cultures stress the importance of the independent self.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 150

86

53. Eastern and Western cultures see the self divided into an inner, private, and an outer,
public self.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 150
54. Casual Fridays in the workplace are evidence that Western societies tend to
subscribe to the idea that an inherent separateness should be possible for each
individual.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Application Page: 150
55. The self-concept refers to the beliefs a person holds about his or her own attributes
and how he or she evaluates these qualities.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 150
56. Self-esteem refers to the intensity and stability over time of a persons self-concept.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 151
57. Mary Ann reads high fashion magazines weekly. Many times she is frustrated
because she has been unable to achieve a look that she thinks features the
real her. When Mary Ann thinks in this way, she is going through a social
comparison process.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 151
58. In South Korean shopping malls, teenage girls line up at photo machines that provide
high-tech makeovers, including glamour lighting, a hair-blowing breeze, and virtual
plastic surgery. If one of these girls sends a photo from this machine to her boyfriend,
she is expressing the actual self state.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 151
59. The actual self is a persons conception of how he or she would like to be.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact

Page: 151

60. The ideal self is a reference to our more realistic appraisals of the qualities we have
and dont have.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 151
61. When Philip daydreams in class about being a super spy, driving fast cars, and
romancing beautiful women, he is really having a self-induced shift in consciousness.

87

Answer: (True) Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 152

62. Many psychologists say that we are a number of different people or have multiple
selves; however, this has been proven to be wrong. Today, marketers are looking for
what they call the true self. That is where the best appeals should be directed.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 152
63. The looking-glass self is molded by elements of the pop culture, such as comic book
heroes.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 153
64. The real-self theory suggests that people who have an incomplete self-definition tend
to complete this identity by acquiring and displaying symbols associated with it.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 155
65. VW drivers see themselves as practical and somewhat conservative. This is
informal proof of the self-image congruence model.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 156
66. External objects that we consider a part of us (such as a wedding ring or favorite
photograph) comprise the extended self.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Fact and Application Page: 156
67. Every time Tim goes to bat in his baseball game, he rubs the charm on the necklace
that his professional baseball player uncle gave him. This charm has never failed to
help him get a good hit. The charm has become part of Tims extended self.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 156
68. One of the important levels of the extended self is the family level.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 158, 159
69. Such goals as affiliation and the fostering of harmonious relations are found
among what are called agentic goals.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 159
70. Males in our society are expected to pursue agentic goals.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact Page: 159

88

71. Luvs color-coded diapers (blue for boys and pink for girls) are an example of a
product that emphasizes its androgynous characteristics.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 162
72. Beefcake advertising is considered by many to be a negative presentation of men in
advertising.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (E) Fact Page: 162
73. A persons feelings about his or her body can be described in terms of body alexis.
Answer: (False) Difficulty: (H) Fact Page: 168
74. Jeb Foster obsessively checks himself out in mirrors to see if he has any
imperfections, uses Clearasil almost hourly to hide facial blemishes, and always
presents what he calls his good facial side when talking with females. Jeb is
showing signs of what psychiatrists call body dysmorphic disorder.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Application Page: 176
75. The body is adorned or altered in some way in every culture. One of the chief
purposes for doing this is to place the individual in the social organization.
Answer: (True) Difficulty: (M) Fact and Application Page: 178
Essay Questions
76. Define the self-concept. Next, discuss and describe the dimensions that can be used
to describe the attributes of the self-concept.
Answer:
The self-concept refers to the beliefs a person holds about his or her own attributes and
how he or she evaluates these qualities. Although ones overall self-concept may be
positive, there are certainly parts of the self that are evaluated more positively than
others.
We can describe attributes of self-concept along such dimensions as their content (facial
attractiveness versus mental ability), positivity (self-esteem), stability over time, and
accuracy (the degree to which ones self-assessment corresponds to reality).
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Discussion Page: 150, 151
77. Relate the concept of self-esteem to advertising.

89

Answer:
Self-esteem refers to the positivity of ones attitude toward oneself. Self-esteem
advertising attempts to change attitudes about products by stimulating positive feelings
about the self.
Persons of low self-esteem expect not to perform well, and they will try to avoid
embarrassment, failure, or rejection. They need advertising which encourages them (or
does not threaten them) and which takes into account that their use of certain products
reflects their lack of self-confidence (Diet Pepsi: Youre feeling good about yourself and
youre drinking Diet Pepsi--and it shows.)
Persons of high self-esteem expect to be successful and enjoy being the focus of
attention. They respond well to advertising that challenges them or acknowledges their
success.
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Discussion Page: 151
78. Explain the concepts of the ideal and actual self. How do we bridge the gaps between
these two selves?
Answer:
The ideal self is a persons conception of how he or she would like to be.
The real or actual self refers to our more realistic appraisal of the qualities we have and
dont have.
Most people experience a discrepancy between their real and ideal selves, but for some
consumers this gap is especially large. These people are especially good targets for
marketing communications that employ fantasy appeals. A fantasy or daydream is a selfinduced shift in consciousness, which is sometimes a way of compensating for a lack of
external stimulation or of escaping from problems in the real world.
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Discussion Page: 151, 152
79. Discuss the terms symbolic interactionism and the looking-glass self. Give an
example of each term.
Answer:
As described in the text:
Symbolic interactionismstresses that relationships with other people exist in a
large part in forming the self. This perspective maintains that people exist in a
symbolic environment; we assign meaning to any situation or object by
interpreting these symbols. Examples might be the golden arches means fast
food and blondes have more fun.
Looking-glass selfthis process of imagining the reaction of others toward us is
known as taking the role of the other. According to this view of the self, we

90

have a desire to define ourselves by taking readings from others. We bounce

signals off of others and try to project what impression they have of us. These
signals, whether interpreted correctly or not, become self-fulfilling prophecies in
many cases.
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Discussion Page: 153
80. Explain and give a brief example of symbolic self-completion theory.
Answer:
Symbolic self-completion theory suggests that people who have an incomplete selfdefinition tend to complete this identity by acquiring and displaying symbols associated
with it. Adolescent boys, for example, may use macho products such as cars and
cigarettes to bolster their developing masculinity; these items act as a social crutch during
a period of uncertainty and identity.
Difficulty: (E) Fact and Application Page: 155
81. Discuss the extended self and demonstrate how each level of the extended self can be
related to marketing?
Answer:
Many of the props and settings we use to define our social roles in a sense become a part
of ourselves. Those external objects that we consider a part of us comprise the extended
self, helping form one's identity. Just about everyone can name a valued possession that
has a lot of self "wrapped up" in it, whether this is a treasured photograph, a trophy, an
old shirt, a car, or a cat.
To define themselves, consumers use four levels of the extended self. These range from
very personal objects to places and things that allow people to feel like they are rooted in
their environments:
The individual level - Consumers include personal possessions as part of their
self-definition, such as cars, jewelry, favorite clothing.
The family level - This includes the place of residence and furnishings that
comprise "our home.
The community level - There is a sense of neighborhood or locale used in public
self-description and a private sense of belonging.
The group level - Attachments to larger social groups characterize the fourth
level; affiliation may be through identification with sports teams,
landmarks,
and monuments.
Although each student may answer differently, for each level of the extended self the
proposed marketing strategy should link product attributes directly with the appropriate
level. Students might use specific advertisements in their answers. For example, one
Acura Legend ad described all of the possessions owned by the man in the ad as

91

statements about the kind of "person you are." The Legend is promoted as "the kind of
car built for the way you drive."
Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application

Page: 156-159

82. "Maleness-femaleness" and "masculinity-femininity"do these terms basically mean

the same thing? Discuss and illustrate with sex-typed products.
Answer:
The issue is gender versus sexuality. Gender differences are biologically determined,
whereas the subjective feelings of sexuality are socially learned. Culturally, males are
often controlled by agentic goals, which stress self-assertion and mastery. Females are
taught to value communal goals such as affiliation and cooperative relationships.
A person's biological gender (i.e., male or female) does not totally determine if he or she
will exhibit sex-typed traits -- characteristics usually associated with one sex or the other.
A consumer's subjective feelings about his or her sexuality are crucial as well. Unlike
maleness and femaleness, masculinity and femininity are not biological characteristics. A
behavior that would be considered masculine in one culture may not necessarily be
regarded as such in another culture. Also, products are often sex-typed. That is, they
take on masculine or feminine attributes and may be stereotypically associated by
consumers with one sex. The car, for example, has long been thought of as a masculine
product.
Androgyny refers to the possession of both masculine and feminine traits, although
androgyny can also refer to traits that are neutral. Products that are not sex-typed are
considered to be marketable to androgynous people whose mixture of characteristics
allows them to function well in a variety of social situations.
Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 159-165
83. Briefly comment on gender differences in socialization, female sex roles, and male
sex roles in our society.
Answer:
In many societies, males are controlled by agentic goals, which stress self-assertion and
mastery. Females, on the other hand, are taught to value communal goals, such as
affiliation and the fostering of harmonious relations.
Each society creates a set of expectations regarding the behaviors appropriate for men
and women and finds ways to communicate these priorities. This training begins very
early in a childs life.
Today, the field of marketing tends to be dominated by male values. However, this is
changing.
Difficulty: (M) Fact and Discussion Page: 159-165
84. Describe how ideals of beauty within a culture motivate consumers to change
themselves physically. Mention specific categories where this occurs.

92

Answer:
A person's satisfaction with the physical image she/he presents to others is affected by
how closely that image corresponds to the image valued by his or her culture. Ideals of
beauty, however, vary radically across cultures and even over time within the same
society. Women in particular have worked very hard to conform to the current "look" and
attain ideal beauty. Among Western women, today's "natural look" emphasizes health
and vigor. During the 1960s and 1970s, Playboy centerfolds became leaner and more
muscular. Protests by feminist groups that there was too much emphasis upon "thinness"
and the "waif" look of the early 1990s, leading to eating disorders, seems to be moving
Western women toward fuller figures again.
Manifestations of the desire to alter one's physical self to conform to current ideals of
beauty include:
Fattism - Our society has an obsession with weight and thinness, reinforced by
advertising and peers.
Eating disorders - Anorexia and bulimia eating disorders, noted often in white,
upper-middle-class girls, are evidence of exaggerated concern about
desirable
body images.
Cosmetic surgery - Increasingly cosmetic surgery is performed (and accepted) by
men as well as women. Women use surgery to reduce weight or to
increase
sexual desirability. Men have used implants for chests and legs.
Body decoration and mutilation - Performed in every culture, body adornment
serves purposes other than contributing to ideal beauty. Tattoos are one
popular form of adornment.
Difficulty: (H) Fact and Discussion Page: 168-180
85. The body is adorned or altered in some way in every culture. Decorating the self
serves a number of purposes. According to information provided in the text, what are
these purposes? Which one do you think is most important to marketers? Explain.
Answer:
a). To separate group members from nonmembers. In our society, teens go out of their
way to separate themselves from adults by selecting unique hair and clothing styles.
b). To place the individual in the social organization. These are the rites of passage.
c). To place the person in a gender category. Women using lipstick to enhance
femininity.
d). To enhance sex-role identification. Women wearing high heels.
e). To indicate desired social conduct. Gays wearing earrings in particular ears to
indicate preference for dominance or submission.
f). To indicate high status or rank. Wearing headdresses in tribes.
g). To provide a sense of security. Caring a lucky charm.

93

Students may pick any of the above for their selection on marketing importance;
however, proper examples and justification should be made. A, D, E, or G would
probably be the most popular picks.
Difficulty: (H) Fact and Application Page: 177-180

94