Individuals' Identity Narratives of Self-Construct Within the Framework of Product Consumption Experiences Using Visual Self-Motivation Method

Abstract

Considering Iran's demographic structure, young adults and middle-aged workers comprise a significant portion of society. These individuals utilize materialistic approaches in product consumption—particularly luxury and premium imported brands—to express their identity through their self-construct. This study aims to exploratively identify the gap between actual self-image, ideal self-image, actual social self-image, and ideal social self-image, as well as the role of product consumption experiences in bridging this gap using individuals' identity narratives of self-construct.The research employed a qualitative method. On average, each participant provided 50 photographs of items they associate with their identity. Subsequently, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants (12 men and 11 women) aged 21–50. Through open, axial, and selective coding, as well as analysis and comparison of retained and eliminated categories, 25 core categories were identified and analyzed to recognize the actual/ideal self-image gap. Findings indicate that leisure activities, personal traits, occupation, and family are the most significant identity expressions of individuals' self-construct. Furthermore, results from the ideal social self suggest that individuals prefer to be seen as well-groomed and respectable, though not necessarily with ostentatious intent. The study also reveals that young individuals partially define their choices and positions independently, often adopting a lifestyle distinct from societal or familial norms. Nevertheless, social and familial origins retain substantial importance.Given the family's central role, its influence on shaping individuals' self-construct is considerable. Since the family plays a critical role in significant domains such as travel, national occasions, religious beliefs, and clothing, it can be concluded that family directly and indirectly impacts other aspects of self-construct.