Final answer:
The ego-defensive function allows consumers to choose products that reaffirm and protect their self-image utilizing ego defense mechanisms that operate unconsciously to reduce anxiety.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ego-defensive function of attitudes allows consumers to choose products that protect their self-image. when individuals face anxieties they may turn towards ego defense mechanisms which operate unconsciously to reduce these anxious feelings by distorting reality. one such mechanism is the formation of attitudes that defend the ego by creating favorable feelings and beliefs around a product that confirms one's self-identity, enhancing self-esteem and protecting the ego from negative feelings.
This aspect of the ego is concerned with balancing various parts of our personality, as per Freud's theory. The ego aims to maintain a congruence state, meaning the real and ideal selves are in harmony. When consumers choose products that accord with their values and self-perception, they are thereby defending their ego against the anxiety caused by cognitive dissonance or the conflict between actual behavior and internal values.