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The influence of selfies on variety-seeking behavior
Dissertation   Open access

The influence of selfies on variety-seeking behavior

Haeyoung Jeong
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Jun 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001044
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Jeong_Haeyoung_20201.66 MBDownloadView

Abstract

Marketing--Psychological aspects Selfies (Photography)
In this dissertation research, I examine how the intention to take a self-portrait photo-a selfie-affects consumers' variety seeking in their product choices. Given the proliferation of front-facing digital cameras on smartphones, selfies have become ubiquitous in consumers' daily lives, and many companies have begun incorporating consumer selfies into their marketing practices. Prior research on selfies has identified several psychological motivations and personality traits that can predict the frequency of selfie behavior. However, there has been little research on how selfies affect selfie-takers' consumption behavior. The present research indicates that the intention to take a selfie induces self-image concerns and increases variety seeking in one's product choices. However, this effect diminishes when people intend to take a group (vs. an individual) selfie. I further show that individual differences in self-consciousness moderate the effect of selfie-taking intentions on variety seeking. Lastly, this research suggests that the selfie-taking intention effect holds true regardless of whether the selfie is shared on social media. This research can provide valuable insights into the role of consumers' selfies in their decision making and its downstream marketing implications.

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