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When Identity Comes with Strings

An extensive literature exists that examines consumption-related identity signaling. Yet, to date, researchers have yet to consider the consumer signaling that is not voluntary. Indeed, I argue that some identity signaling behaviors result from largely uncontrollable societal obligations. For example, many women wear makeup and shave their legs in order to adhere to workplace and cultural norms. In this research, I show that when consumers simultaneously hold an identity that includes coercive identity maintenance (such as being a woman) along with an identity that conflicts with that maintenance (such as being a feminist woman) it alters their valuation of involuntary identity maintenance related products. I further show that this effect is mediated by intrinsic motivation to perform maintenance tasks.