The Psychological Image of Wood

Every product has an image; the image can be broken into two levels, physical and psychological. The psychological image can be quite complex as well as very important. The specific item a consumer purchases is an expression of his attitudes toward life and an attempt to communicate and enhance his own self concept. From a business standpoint, it is important to understand a product’s psychological image and related consumer motivations. The manufacturer creates the image. Wood has a number of basic emotional appeals; it has a depth of psychological meaning that other products lack. Wood is associated with life and growth. Wood suggests strength and security; it is sensuous and intriguing. Wood may be romantic and distinctive; it is ideally suited for image development. Wood personality and craftsmanship go well together. Wood is not cold and artificial; it is warm, personable, reliable, and may evoke memories, especially if it is viewed as an antique. To obtain specific impressions of the average consumer’s image of wood, a brief questionnaire study was conducted. The consumer was requested to choose five descriptive adjectives which were most closely associated with a species of wood and the five words which were least associated with a species. Species used were redwood, walnut, teak, pine, cherry, maple, mahogany, oak, and pecan. The 75 respondents were separated by sex. Due to the diversity of opinion expressed, some advantages were seen in increasing the sample size, breaking the respondents down in terms of educational level, income level, and socio-economic status, and in associating a species with a specific item, such as wall paneling versus flooring or furniture. Studies such as this are best conducted in relation to specific marketing interests. The specific species images are discussed and the differences in images as expressed by men and women are pointed out. The author is of the opinion that the emphasis on convenience and maintenance-free products is overdone. Yet there is reason to believe that psychological needs, such as mastery of one’s environment, the desire to create, and the ability to do things oneself–especially in modern suburbia–are more important than ever.

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