This study empirically investigates how four individual-level characteristics impact the effect of the four self-congruity types on brand attitude. A widely used practice among marketers focuses on communicating that using their brands will bring consumers closer to how they would like to see themselves, their ideal self-concept (e.g. being a slim person like the models in the ads), instead of how they actually see themselves, their actual self-concept. However, recent research shows that there is no “universality” of a superior self-congruity effect. Specifically, individual-level characteristics (e.g. self-esteem levels, product involvement levels) determine if actual or ideal self-congruity impact brand perceptions more strongly (Malär, Krohmer, Hoyer & Nyffenegger, 2011). This study extends that research by (a) considering all four self-congruity types (actual, ideal, social, and ideal social) and (b) four additional individual-level characteristics, which are valuable for segmenting consumer markets within and across countries. The four individual-level characteristics are a dominant independent self-construal, interdependent self-construal, cosmopolitan orientation and local orientation. Considering these individual-level characteristics offers marketers insights on which of the four self-concept types they should try to match with their brand communications when targeting these specific consumer groups. Survey data from a non-student sample was collected in the US. After performing data cleaning procedures, 800+ usable responses were analysed with the use of PLS-SEM (Lohmöller, 1989). The measurement models demonstrate satisfactory reliability, convergent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, the results suggest that the data is not compromised by non-response bias and common method variance. The structural models display satisfactory predictive capabilities of the four self-congruity types on brand attitude. The findings show that as expected an individual’s dominant independent self-construal, interdependent self-construal, cosmopolitan and local orientation impact which of the four self-congruity types has the strongest effect on brand attitude. For individuals with a dominant local orientation or interdependent self-construal, actual self-congruity has the strongest effect on brand attitude. For individuals with a dominant cosmopolitan orientation or independent self-construal, ideal self-congruity has the strongest effect on brand attitude. The findings of this study extend self-congruity theory by considering the effect of these four individual-level characteristics. Managerial implications are also presented.

본 연구는 게임 이용자를 비사회적 게이머 집단과 사회적 게이머 집단으로 구분하고, 온라인 게임의 재미 요소와 자아성향이 그들의 게임에 대한 몰입 정도와 게임 충성도에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지를 집단 간 비교를 통해 살펴보았다. 연구 결과, 첫째, 게임의 재미 요소(성취감, 도전 감, 친밀감)에 있어 두 집단간의 차이는 모두 유의미하였다. 둘째, 게이머들의 자아 성향에 있어 서의 차이는 생활 환경보다는 게임 환경에서 발견되었다. 셋째, 응답자들의 게임 몰입 정도와 게임 충성도는 사회적 게이머들이 비사회적 게이머들에 비해 높았다. 넷째, 게임 몰입도와 충성 도에 미치는 재미 요소와 자아성향의 영향력은 사회적 게이머 집단과 비사회적 게이머 집단에 서 상이하게 나타났다.