Research On The Relationship Between Self-concept Gap Of College Students And Compensatory Consumption

Self-concept and compensatory consumption are the two research focuses in the field of consumer psychology in recent years.The reason of these irrational consumer's behaviors are not caused by specific actual consumer demand,which's aim is to compensate for specific mental deficiencies or respond to self-threats.Consumer behaviors for this reason are called compensatory consumptions.College students in different psychological states will have many bad choice preferences in consumer behavior.This paper takes four types of College Students' Self-concept: self-emotional,self-expression,self-development and self extension.Then this paper summarized the previous research results,and defined the psychological mechanism of compensatory consumption.Compensatory consumption behavior was determined in the paper: brand pursuit,shopping enjoyment,impulse shopping,brand loyalty,conspicuous consumption and diversified selection.These compensatory consumer behaviors are closely related to changes in their self-concept.This study uses data from 315 college student consumers,and the influence of self-concept gap on compensatory consumption behavior was discussed.The results of empirical analysis showed that: when there are differences between four different types of self-concept,the reality and the ideal self,it will affect the different types of compensatory consumption behavior among College Students.This paper investigates the psychological mechanisms underlying this effect.The results of these analyses were presented,consumer groups of college students who have a gap between these four concepts put forward ways to avoid such irrational compensatory consumption behavior.Finally,according to the various types of compensato ry consumer behavior behind the psychological reasons,this paper puts forward corresponding marketing activities for enterprises.