Value Expression Function In Consumer Behavior

2.2.2. Value expression function

The value expression function is defined as the tendency to buy and use brands to connect individual identities (beliefs, attitudes, and values) with others (Expression and Forresti, 2012; Wilcox, 2009). Acording to Wilcox et al. (2009), consumers who have earned the value expression function for a brand, trend to use it as a form of self-expression. Hence, this function is related to people trying to transfer their identity to others, even if they are not in line with the expectations of their peer group (Goral et al., 2004; Shawit, 1990; Wilcox et al., 2009). These consumers are going to buy brands that, according to their characteristics, express their identity (Forsyth and Expression, 2012). Given the prominence

Utility function

Grival et al. (2004) combined the results of the hedonism and utility functions in consumption, while Woos et al. (2003) and Batra and Achatla (1990) differed between these two functions. This suggestion is related to recent research on the luxury brand, which examined the dimensions of both roles individually in order to explain the amount of the consumption of luxury goods (Shackle & Pourney, 2012; Vignon & Johnson, 2004; Widhamn et al., 2009).

The dimensions of utility derive from the functions created by the products, while the role of hedonism is focused on providing emotional experience. The role of utility depends on the quality of the goods and focuses on rational goals (Batra and Ahetoul, 1990; Tienan, Makhanti and Chuan, 2010; Woos et al., 2003), and discusses how a product or service (for example, the durability) takes shape a brand (Woos et al., 2003). As for the amount of the consumption of luxury goods, Widman et al. (2009) believe that luxury goods have better quality and performance than non- luxury products. Shackla and Pourani (2012) found out that the utility function significantly affects the purchase of luxury goods in Western societies. According to the "process of identity development", there is no indication that the utility function is more or less in relation to different age groups. Thus, this author assumes

(2004). To assess the hedonism and utility functions, valid scales were presented by Vous et al. (2003). These researchers ignored the theories given by Grival et al. (2004) on the utility function, combining both hedonism and utility functions. Using the Benzel and Taylor scale (0042) in the 2-month period, they scrutinized purchase intention. Since the validity of the correct prediction of intentions may be biased over time (Calvin and Sylk, 1982), the author considered the duration of 2 months. The full list of items is presented in Table 2. The authors considered the 5-point Likert scale to measure, which No. 1 was "strongly inagreement", and No. 5 was "strongly agreement". For the validity of the content of the questionnaire, the authors showed the questionnaire to 5 people, followed by Zaychkvfsky's recommendations (1985). The original questionnaire is in English and then, it was translated into German, and the translation-back method was used to eliminate the difference between the two versions in order to check the accuracy of the