AN ASSIGNMENT ON
REAL VS IDEAL SELF IMAGE
Submitted by:
Binay Koirala
MBA First Year, Second Semester
Subject:
Consumer Behavior
Submitted to:
Mr. Ashish Kafle
Faculty of Management
Green Peace Lincoln University
Itahari, Nepal
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master's degree of Business
Administration (MBA)
November, 2019
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Acknowledgement
This work assignment entitled “Real vs. ideal self-image” is prepared in the partial fulfillment of
the requirement for MBA, first year, second semester.
First and foremost, I would like to show my gratitude to Lincoln University College, Itahari, Nepal
for including this audacious field report work assignment as an academic course. I take this
opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Ashish Kafle, supervisor, for his support whenever
I needed any help. I also place on record, my sense of gratitude to everyone who directly or
indirectly helped me to complete this work. Without their assistance and dedicated involvement in
every step throughout the study, this paper would have never been accomplished.
Binay Koirala
MBA First Year, Second Semester
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Abstract
Self-image is the mental picture, generally of a kind that is quite resistant to change, that depicts
not only details that are potentially available to objective investigation by others (height, weight,
hair color, etc.), but also items that have been learned by persons about themselves, either from
personal experiences or by internalizing the judgments of others.
Self-image may consist of four types:
Self-image resulting from how an individual sees oneself.
Self-image resulting from how others see the individual.
Self-image resulting from how the individual perceives others see them.
Self-image resulting from how the individual perceives the individual sees oneself.
These four types may or may not be an accurate representation of the person. All, some, or none
of them may be true.
A more technical term for self-image that is commonly used by social and cognitive psychologists
is self-schema. Like any schema, self-schemas store information and influence the way we think
and remember. For example, research indicates that information which refers to the self is
preferentially encoded and recalled in memory tests, a phenomenon known as "self-referential
encoding”. Self-schemas are also considered the traits people use to define themselves, they draw
information about the self into a coherent scheme.
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Contents
Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... iii
Contents ........................................................................................................................................ iv
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Poor self-image ................................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Healthy vs. unhealthy self-image ...................................................................................... 2
1.2.1 Healthy self-image...................................................................................................... 2
1.2.2 Unhealthy self-image.................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Self-concept in consumer behavior ................................................................................... 3
Real vs. ideal self-image ................................................................................................................ 6
Products that self-image is used as reference while purchasing ............................................... 8
3.1 Gym and self-image .......................................................................................................... 8
3.2 Fairness product and self-image ........................................................................................ 8
3.3 Fashion and self-image...................................................................................................... 8
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Part I
Introduction
A self-image is in its most basic form an internalized mental picture/idea you have of yourself. It’s
how you think and feel about yourself based on your appearance, performance, and relationships
that consistently impact your outlook on life as well as your level of happiness and fulfillment.
Whenever you ask:
How do I look?
How am I doing?
How important am I?
These are all examples of the internalized mental picture/idea you create of yourself that builds the
foundations of your self-image. However, this doesn’t quite provide us with enough information
about what this “self-image” thing is all about. So let’s break this down even further.
Your self-image is the impression you have of yourself that forms a collective representation of
your assets and liabilities. In other words, your self-image is how you see yourself based on your
strengths and weaknesses.
These assets and liabilities often are evident through the labels you give yourself that describe your
qualities and characteristics. For instance, you might say:
I am intelligent… therefore I can…
I am loser… therefore I believe I can’t…
I am outgoing… therefore I am able to…
I am shy… therefore I am unable to…
These are just some of the examples of the many labels you potentially give yourself and the
inevitable conclusions you may reach. And it is these conclusions you make about yourself that
either form the foundations of a healthy self-image or an unhealthy self-image. Moreover, these
labels form the foundations of your belief systems.
Your self-image is not something that is based on reality; in fact, far from it. In actuality, your self-
image is built upon your perception of reality and that is influenced by how you believe you’re
being viewed by society and other people.
Your self-image is something that gradually develops over a lifetime of experience through
learning and societal influence. It is, however, something that is constantly changing over time as
you gain more life experience, as you think and reflect, as you learn, and as you interact with other
people.
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1.1 Poor self-image
Poor self-image may be the result of accumulated criticisms that the person collected as a child
which have led to damaging their own view of themselves. Children in particular are vulnerable
to accepting negative judgments from authority figures because they have yet to develop
competency in evaluating such reports. Also, adolescents are highly targeted to suffer from poor
body-image issues. Individuals who already exhibit a low sense of self-worth may be vulnerable
to develop social disorders.
Negative self-images can arise from a variety of factors. A prominent factor, however, is
personality type. Perfectionists, high achievers, and those with "type A" personalities seem to be
prone to having negative self-images. This is because such people constantly set the standard for
success high above a reasonable, attainable level. Thus, they are constantly disappointed in this
"failure."
Another factor that contributes to a negative self-image is the beauty values of the society in which
a person lives. In the American society, a popular beauty ideal is slimness. Oftentimes, girls feel
that they do not measure up to society's "thin" standards, which leads to their having a negative
self-image.
1.2 Healthy vs. unhealthy self-image
So what does a healthy self-image look like? What about an unhealthy self-image? What’s the
difference? And what impact do both have on your life? Let’s answer these questions by breaking
down what it means to live with a healthy and an unhealthy self-image.
1.2.1 Healthy self-image
A healthy self-image is primarily based on an individual’s personal feelings and perspectives. Here
individuals are no longer influenced by other people’s opinions of them or by societal expectations.
They instead make up their own minds about the internalized mental picture/idea they have of
themselves. As a result, these people often have a more optimistic outlook on life and thereby more
confidence in themselves and in their own ability. Why? Because they feel a greater sense of
control over themselves and over their life.
A person with a healthy self-image doesn’t deny that they have flaws. In fact, they are realistic and
clearly understand and accept the fact that they have their personal shortcomings. However, there
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is no critical judgment here. They acknowledge who they are and how they are at this very moment
and do the best they can with what they have.
A healthy self-image is of course built upon a high level of self-worth. Both work together to help
shape a healthy personality, which effectively builds the foundations of an empowered life.
1.2.2 Unhealthy self-image
A person with an unhealthy self-image tends to consistently focus on their flaws and limitations.
In fact, they persistently criticize themselves and tend to judge most of their decisions and actions:
What was I thinking?
That was such a stupid decision.
I can’t believe I just did that.
This constant critical judgment tends to distort their imperfections — making them larger than life.
In fact, everything on the negative side tends to be exaggerated and blown out of proportion. This
often happens because they are heavily influenced by other people’s opinions of them to their own
detriment. In fact, these peoples’ lives are very much defined by societal standards, norms, and
expectations. As a result, they are consistently comparing themselves to others and trying to live
up to other people’s expectations. And when they notice that they just don’t measure up, this sends
their emotions into a tailspin which triggers doubt, pessimism and insecurity and eventually leads
to discouragement and potentially depression.
Whenever a person builds their self-image upon external factors, there will always be drawbacks.
People’s opinions change and societal expectations constantly shift. When these opinions and
expectations are weighed in our favor this leads to a positive outlook and more fulfillment.
However, when they flip and become unfavorable or unhelpful in respect to the outcomes we
would like to achieve, this then causes upheaval by sending our emotions into a tailspin because
suddenly the perfect mental picture/idea we had of ourselves has been thrown out the door. It’s
certainly not a healthy way to live.
1.3 Self-concept in consumer behavior
Self-concept can be described simply as how one perceives himself and his behavior in the market
place. It is the attitude one holds towards himself. What one thinks of himself? The self-concept
is not very realistic because an unconscious component is always present. It can be divided into
six types, as given below:
Actual self: How a person actually perceives himself.
Ideal self: How a person would like to perceive himself.
Social self: How a person thinks others perceive him.
Ideal social self: How a person would like others to perceive him.
Expected self: An image of self somewhere in between the actual and ideal self.
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Situational self: A person’s self-image in a specific situation.
Self-concept is a social phenomenon. It is an attitude to the self. Consequently, the way we dress,
the products we use, the services we require, depend on how we want to perceive ourselves. There
is a relationship between the self-image of a person and the product one wants to buy. Products act
as symbols for consumers.
People like to use the products which match their personality. These include clothing, leisure
products, and personal care products. Marketers want an idea of the self-concept and the image of
the brand. This can be done on a differential scale of 1 to 7 of several items as shown on the figure.
First the consumers are asked to rate their self-concept on the differential scale. Then they are
asked to rate product brands on the same scales. The responses that watch with the brands are
expected to be preferred by consumers.
After matching the self-concept with the brand image, the individual tries to find products for his
satisfaction. If he is satisfied, his self-concept gets reinforced as shown in the figure.
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The interaction between the product and self-concept can be situation specific. In some situations,
the self-concept can be enhanced or reinforced to a lesser or higher degree. Marketers use these
tools as a guide to product and brand choices
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Part II
Real vs. ideal self-image
In psychology, the real self and the ideal self are terms used to describe personality domains. The
real self is who we actually are. It is how we think, how we feel, look, and act. The real self can
be seen by others, but because we have no way of truly knowing how others view us, the real self
is our self-image.
The ideal self, on the other hand, is how we want to be. It is an idealized image that we have
developed over time, based on what we have learned and experienced. The ideal self could include
components of what our parents have taught us, what we admire in others, what our society
promotes, and what we think is in our best interest.
Have you ever wondered who you really are, deep down inside? Who really lives and breathes
underneath all of the multi-layers of influence projected onto you over the course of your lifetime;
molding you, shaping you, and potentially slotting you into a definition of you that is not your
own? We are all influenced by those around us to some degree – in particular by those who help
develop us in our most formative years, and whom we love and generally look up to – our parents.
We grow up, innocently absorbing and latching onto their values, hopes and aspirations,
unwittingly making them our own. But it`s not necessarily just our parents. We can sometimes
form relationships where the separation between the two becomes blurred and we inadvertently
weave the others` values and expectations into our own. And of course, there`s society`s
stronghold which can also strongly influence our behaviours and the way we choose to live our
lives.
It`s so easy to fall into the trap. You don`t even know that it has happened until one day you wake
up and wonder “who the hell am I“? What do I really want in life? What makes me tick, what
makes me happy, what makes me passionate? If you are lucky (and smart), you will start asking
these questions early on in life. And, although anytime is a good time to start the journey to self-
discovery, the earlier you do it, the more quickly you will come to understand who you really are
and the sooner you will aspire to be, accept, and embrace that person.
Unfortunately, it takes many of us much longer. Sometimes it takes a life altering event to force
us to look in the mirror and when we finally do, we are often surprised by what we see reflected
back.
Humanistic psychologist, Carl Rogers, believed that we all own a real self and an ideal self. The
real self of course is what we are intrinsically. It`s the self that feels most true to what and who
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we really are; the honest self that leaves us most comfortable in our skin. It may not be perfect,
but it`s the part of us that feels most real. And it`s the one we need to learn to love the most.
The ideal self on the other hand, is the self that we think we want to be, that we strive to be, and
that we feel we are expected to be. This self is borne out of influences outside of us. It is the self
that holds values absorbed from others; a culmination of all those things that we think we should
be, and that we feel others think we should be. We want to accommodate those expectations
because we believe we will be more loved and accepted if we do. Holding the values of others is
not a conscious decision, but rather, a process of osmosis. For the most part, we are not even aware
of it.
Sadly, having an overly strong ideal self can be detrimental to our mental health.
It is healthy to some extent to have what we envision as an ideal self. It is something that we all
strive for; to be the best that we can be. Who doesn`t want that? The problem arises when our
ideal selves are too far removed from what we really are. When there is a huge discrepancy
between what we are, and what we think we should be, we begin to experience a dissonance, a
lack of resonance within our true selves, and a gap, sometimes huge, between what we sense as
our real self-compared to what we feel compelled to aspire to (our ideal self). When the
discrepancy is huge, the resulting incongruence can lead us to become demoralized and
discouraged because we have in fact set ourselves up for failure. This discrepancy can lead to
stress and anxiety because the real self never seems good enough and the ideal self seems
impossible to attain.
It can be difficult to identify your ideal self. Often, others will see it before you can see it in
yourself. It helps to be in touch with and to trust your feelings. In fact, your thoughts, emotions
and feelings can usually be trusted to speak the truth to you. They will lead you to your real self,
which in turn, will help you to identify your ideal self. If the two are close, you will be the person
that is comfortable in their skin, with the attainable goal to be the best that you can be. If the two
are miles apart, you will experience that dissonance, and you will know in your heart that things
are not quite right. You will have extremely high expectations of yourself, most of which may be
close to impossible to meet. Those perceived “failures” will take a toll on your self-esteem.
Needlessly. If you let your feelings guide you in an honest way, you will eventually find your real
self. The more you get to know that self, the more you will come to appreciate it and love it for
what it is. The real – perhaps less than perfect – but lovable, one and only you.
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Part III
Products that self-image is used as reference while purchasing
3.1 Gym and self-image
Usually people go to the gym to make their body appear good. When we are dissatisfied with our
looks we develop a low self-esteem. When you feel better physically you start feeling good
mentally and you are able to take up new challenges with a positive attitude.
As a result of gym your body becomes toned, and when u are able to lift heavy weights with less
efforts it gives you an 'I can do anything ' feel. Finally it gives you a sense of achievement when
you are able to meet small successive goals thus improving you confidence.
Lastly exercise feeds oxygen and nutrients to your brain, as a result you feel more alert and
focused. Improved mental function will help you complete your goals more effectively increasing
your self-confidence.
3.2 Fairness product and self-image
While the saying goes that “beauty is only skin deep,” the way your skin looks can definitely affect
how you feel about yourself. Glowing skin can be a major confidence boost, and it’s a sign that
your skin is healthy and taken care of well. When your complexion looks less than perfect, this
can have the opposite effect on your self-esteem. Keep reading to learn how skin affects self-
confidence, how to build a strong foundation for beautiful skin, and how to embrace your natural
beauty and skin tone.
3.3 Fashion and self-image
A very wise woman once said, ‘Dress how you want to be addressed.’ There couldn’t be more
truth to this statement. What started off as a glamorous and burgeoning industry centuries back,
has today evolved as an inextricable part of society. Irrespective of what the naysayers say, being
fashionable and stylish is the easiest way to stay and look classy and fabulous. And when you look
good, you feel confident. That’s just how it goes.