How Consumer Identifiability Alters Identity-Relevant Behavior

When a consumer’s identity is salient or strong, research shows that they consume consistently with their self-concept. In this work, we explore how identifiability, specifically, being unidentifiable, or being unrecognizable by others in the marketplace, increases consumers’ identity-irrelevant behavior or what we refer to as the alter ego effect. In studies 1 – 3, using various consumer identities, we show a robust effect that when said identities are salient or strong, being unidentifiable increases identity-irrelevant behavior. In study 4, we extend our findings from studies 1 -3 and demonstrate that consumers are less interested in expressing their identities to others when unidentifiable. In addition, we exhibit an important boundary condition for our effect, identity concealability. Theoretical and practical marketplace implications are discussed.