Essays in Individual Differences in Consumer Behavior

The understanding of how and why consumers differ is central to theory advancement in consumer research. In my dissertation, I explore two distinct areas of consumer cognition and decision making that are guided by individual
differences among consumers.

In my first essay, I examine the role of cultural differences in the perception of brands. Cultural differences represent shared individual differences that reflect prevalent cognitions (such as schemas and norms) and behaviors (such as customs and practices). Cultural psychology research shows that to some extent, all the cultures contain same ideas and meanings, however, cultural differences reveal a certain subset of ideas and meanings that are paid more attention to and are more accessible in a specific cultural population. Brand personality, a culturally embedded construct, is essential for understanding human relationship with brands. In three studies, I explore how cultural differences influence the
organization of brand personality construct. There is an emergence of a culturally unique dimension of divinity in an Indian culture that reflects the importance placed on religiosity in this cultural population. The findings also document the
presence of semantic differences in isomorphic dimensions of brand personality.

In my second essay, I introduce an individual difference variable of personthing orientation in marketing literature. Individuals vary in their orientation towards two primary elements of their environment- things and people. I examine
how an individual's orientations are related to other personality variables that are already present in consumer behavior literature. In addition, this research documents that orientations predict when and in what form individuals prefer to
help out others. Thing-orientation predicts greater preference for donating in the form of money compared to time, leads to lesser ingroup bias in helping behavior and moderates the impact of person orientation on compassion for multiple
victims. In contrast, person-orientation predicts equal preference for helping in the form of time and money, leads to greater ingroup bias in helping behavior and predicts compassion for a single victim.