Social Comparison of Less Than Ideal Images in Television Advertising: an Exploratory Study of Masculine Gender Identity
Research suggests that comparing oneself to ideal images in advertising may result in dissatisfaction, however, there is little research to support our understanding of what happens when comparison is made to less than ideal images. This paper is an exploratory study of social comparisons by male consumers of less than ideal images in television advertising, including those of cavemen, men depicted as wolves, and men humiliated in public. The study finds social comparisons were self-enhancing, but comparisons were more complex than theory has suggested. This result is a reflection of shifting social norms regarding masculine gender identity.
Citation:
Neil Alperstein (2011) ,"Social Comparison of Less Than Ideal Images in Television Advertising: an Exploratory Study of Masculine Gender Identity", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9, eds. Alan Bradshaw, Chris Hackley, and Pauline Maclaran, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 341-346.
Authors
Neil Alperstein, Loyola University Maryland, USA
Volume
E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9 | 2011
Share Proceeding
Featured papers
See MoreFeatured
Want to Stick to Your Goals? Think about “Dissimilar” Alternatives that You’ve Forgone!
Hye-young Kim, University of Chicago, USA
Oleg Urminsky, University of Chicago, USA
Featured
To Apologize, or Not to Apologize? That is A Question - How Should an Organization Respond to Executive Employees’ Private Life Misconduct?
Zayed Bin Islam, University of Guelph, Canada
Juan Wang, University of Guelph, Canada
Towhidul Islam, University of Guelph, Canada
Featured
Faster than Fact: Consuming in Post-Truth Society
Robert Kozinets, University of Southern California, USA
Rossella Gambetti, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
Silvia Biraghi, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart