Социальная идентичность и предпочтения потребителей: исследование взаимосвязи (на примере продуктов питания отечественных производителей)

Abstract

Background. With the growing role of economic environment in the socialization of a modern person, there is an increasing interest in understanding the socio-psychological mechanisms of human behavior when choosing goods. Economic realms are refl ected in the self-identifi cation of the individual in relation to other people and social structures. Th e study of the relationship between social identity and the features of consumer behavior when choosing goods is relevant. At the same time, various aspects of social identity in connection with the peculiarities of consumer preferences remain poorly studied in social psychology. Objective. Th e study is aimed at identifying the relationship between the components of social identity and the characteristics of consumer preferences (using the example of locally produced food). Design. Th e study was conducted online by presenting respondents with a questionnaire that included questions about consumer preferences and components of social identity. Th e sample was targeted by experts: consumers of food products of local production, citizens of the Russian Federation, aged 25 to 67 years (N = 200). Results. Th e interrelation of cognitive and value components of social identity with the peculiarities of consumer preferences concerning general attitude to products, their characteristics and selection criteria is revealed. More significant connections were found between value components and all manifestations of consumer preferences. Th e interrelation between local and world identity and preference for food products of domestic production, as well as the features of the criteria for choosing food products among consumers with diff erent severity of the cognitive component of social identity, has been revealed. Conclusion. New data on the relationship between cognitive and value components of social identity and the characteristics of consumer preferences were obtained. Th ey can serve as a basis for a deeper analysis of the identity structure, understanding the role of identity in consumer behavior. Th e main limitations of the study relate to the sample and the methods used.