Interrelationships among facets of self, motivation, and conspicuous and sustainable consumption behaviour

The current study focuses on a process the current researchers label intra-negotiation-which deals with resolution of an individual's potential conflict across facets of oneself-and its influence on two distinctly different kinds of consumption (one favouring consumption, the other reducing the import of it). Specifically, we explore the discrepancy between actual-, ideal-, and ought-self and investigate the effect of these gaps on consumption behaviour. Moreover, attention is given to the association between three dominant human motives and consumption behaviour. The findings reveal that (1) ideal-actual self-discrepancy is inversely associated with achievement motivation, and (2) affiliation motivation is negatively related to conspicuous consumption. Affiliation motivation is ascertained to be positively related to sustainable consumption, whereas power motivation is discerned to be positively associated with conspicuous consumption. Neither conspicuous nor sustainable consumption is associated with the ideal-actual self or ought-actual self discrepancy. Possible rationales for the findings of the study, as well as study implications, are proffered.