1) What is the role of Filipino Consumer culture to Filipino self identity?

2. How does Filipino Consumer affects the self perception of Filipinos in their culture?

3. How does Filipino consumer culture affects understanding one self?

 

• What is the role of Filipino Consumer culture to Filipino self identity?

Consumer behavior has affected Filipinos' self identity. Consumer behavior refers the study on how people mentally, physically or emotionally react or respond on different products and services. Self-identity refers to the overall perception of oneself in relation to the society someone belongs to.

• How does Filipino Consumer affects the self perception of Filipinos in their culture?

The Filipino people's buying behavior has become highly dependent on vanity and materialism nowadays. This means that more people would more likely buy products as long as these have higher aesthetic value and "better" than what others are using. An example of this phenomenon is investing more on top-rated yet very expensive gadgets as opposed choosing more functional ones. People buy products based on the physical aspects and not by the content. Another example of this is parents opting to buy formula milk brand A because it is simply much more expensive than brand B when in fact the nutritional value of both is just the same. These characteristics of Filipino consumers lead to higher spending on disposable income and not being able to save money anymore. Expensive products like cars and gadgets also need higher maintenance which means consumers end up spending even more than what they originally planned.

• How does Filipino consumer culture affects understanding one self?

Evidence from four studies shows that signing one's name influences consumption-related behavior in a predictable manner. Signing acts as a general self-identity prime that facilitates the activation of the particular aspect of a consumer's self-identity that is afforded by the situation, resulting in behavior congruent with that aspect. Our findings demonstrate that signing causes consumers to become more (less) engaged when shopping in a product domain they (do not) closely identify with (studies 1 and 2), to identify more (less) closely with in(out)-groups (study 3), and to conform more with (diverge more from) in(out)-groups when making consumption choices in preference domains that are relevant to signaling one's identity (study 4). We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

In my own opinion, Filipino consumers' buying habits have to be remodeled. I am also guilty of this unhealthy behavior and I think people's perception on products have to change.

• How does Filipino consumer culture affects understanding one self?

In consumer culture, people no longer consume goods and services merely for functional satisfaction. Consumption has become increasingly more meaning-based; brands are often used as symbolic resources for the construction and maintenance of identity. Consumers use brands and products to express their identities.