Motives underlying human agency: How self-efficacy versus self-enhancement affect consumer behavior

Abstract

Agency reflects an orientation in which the individual prioritizes the self. Agency has been associated with positive consequences, such as directing people to accomplish tasks and attain goals. Yet, agency is also associated with negative consequences, such as fueling materialistic and narcissistic behavior. This paper reviews recent research that conceptualizes agency as a hierarchical framework. Specifically, a general orientation toward agency can be rooted in two distinct and separable motives: self-efficacy and self-enhancement. Specifically, these motives can differentially guide how agency affects consumption and psychological well-being. As such, recognizing the distinct motives underlying agency allows for greater precision in predicting and understanding both consumer behavior in particular and human behavior in general.

Keywords: Agency; Consumption; Self-efficacy; Self-enhancement; Self-improvement; Social status.