Exploring the Impact of Gender Identity Within Consumers’ Self-Schemas on Their Consumption of Advertising

ABSTRACT - This exploratory study examines the potential impact of gender identity within consumers’ self-schemas on their consumption of advertising. There is some evidence that individuals process gender-related information differently depending on the degree of centrality of gender to their self-schemas. Bem’s Sex Role Inventory was administered to twenty-five young adults who then watched two television advertisements. The focus group discussions were taped and transcribed. The data was analysed within the context of the respondents’ gender schemas identified via the BEM SRI scores: masculine, feminine, androgynous or undifferentiated; and largely supported the view that the centrality of gender identity affected how consumers process and interpret advertising.

Citation:

Margaret K. Hogg and Jade Garrow (2001) ,"Exploring the Impact of Gender Identity Within Consumers’ Self-Schemas on Their Consumption of Advertising", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 5, eds. Andrea Groeppel-Klien and Frank-Rudolf Esch, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 268.

European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 5, 2001      Page 268

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF GENDER IDENTITY WITHIN CONSUMERS’ SELF-SCHEMAS ON THEIR CONSUMPTION OF ADVERTISING

Margaret K. Hogg, Manchester School of Management, United Kingdom

Jade Garrow, Manchester School of Management, United Kingdom

[Acknowledgement: The authors would like to acknowledge the grant from the Mark Harrison Bursary Fund, Manchester School of Management, UMIST which supported the costs of data collection for this study.]

ABSTRACT -

This exploratory study examines the potential impact of gender identity within consumers’ self-schemas on their consumption of advertising. There is some evidence that individuals process gender-related information differently depending on the degree of centrality of gender to their self-schemas. Bem’s Sex Role Inventory was administered to twenty-five young adults who then watched two television advertisements. The focus group discussions were taped and transcribed. The data was analysed within the context of the respondents’ gender schemas identified via the BEM SRI scores: masculine, feminine, androgynous or undifferentiated; and largely supported the view that the centrality of gender identity affected how consumers process and interpret advertising.

----------------------------------------