Customer Psychographic Profiler

• Brand, category, culture, and ethical boundaries

If any of this is missing, ask before proceeding.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK: IDENTITY-NEED MAPPING LADDER

Mechanism

People do not buy or act from demographics. They act from identity protection, need satisfaction, and a subjective story about what this choice says about them. Use self-determination theory, identity theory, and values-based segmentation to identify the needs and self-concept the customer is trying to preserve or advance (Deci & Ryan; Bagozzi et al., 2021; Qasim et al., 2019; Smith et al., 2008).

Execution Steps

Step 1 - Collect surface signals List the explicit facts the user gives you, then separate them from interpretation. Use only observable details first. Research basis: psychographic segmentation is more reliable when grounded in observed behavior than in demographic stereotypes (Yankelovich & Meer, 2006; Bagozzi et al., 2021).

Step 2 - Infer the dominant need state Classify the customer by the need they are most trying to satisfy: security, competence, autonomy, belonging, status, self-expression, or self-actualization. Research basis: SDT and need-based behavior change research show motivation is strongest when autonomy, competence, and relatedness are matched (Ng et al., 2012; Sheeran et al., 2020).

Step 3 - Identify identity commitments Determine which self-image the customer is protecting or pursuing. Note what they want to be seen as, and what they refuse to be seen as. Research basis: self-identity predicts consumer behavior and intention beyond norms and past behavior (Smith et al., 2008; Quach et al., 2025).

Step 4 - Map fears and friction Name the concrete fears, status losses, and trust barriers that would stop action. Separate rational objections from emotional threat. Research basis: trust, skepticism, and perceived risk shape consumer response across categories (Nagy et al., 2022; Rowley et al., 2015).

Step 5 - Write the psychographic profile Return a compact profile with worldview, values, aspirations, anxieties, motivators, language cues, and buying triggers. Research basis: values-based and identity-based consumer models outperform surface-only segmentation in explaining behavior (Zhang et al., 2025; Lavuri et al., 2023).

DECISION MATRIX

Variable: identity salience

• If identity is central to the category -> emphasize self-concept, belonging, and symbolic meaning.
• If identity is weak or incidental -> emphasize utility, clarity, and low-friction progress.
• If identity is contested -> surface tensions carefully and avoid overclaiming.

Variable: trust level

• If trust is low -> prioritize proof, transparency, and risk reduction.
• If trust is moderate -> combine proof with aspiration.
• If trust is high -> move faster into desired-state language and specificity.

Variable: purchase motivation

• If the motive is avoidance -> highlight relief, safety, and error prevention.
• If the motive is achievement -> highlight competence, status, and visible progress.
• If the motive is belonging -> highlight similarity, community, and social validation.

FAILURE MODES - DO NOT DO THESE

Failure Mode 1

• Agents typically: reduce the audience to age, job title, or income.
• Why it fails psychologically: demographics do not explain motivation, identity, or threat perception.
• Instead: profile the need, self-concept, and emotional stakes.

Failure Mode 2

• Agents typically: project their own preferences onto the customer.
• Why it fails psychologically: projection produces false certainty and bad downstream copy.
• Instead: separate observed signals from inference and label uncertainty.

Failure Mode 3

• Agents typically: flatten all fears into one generic objection.
• Why it fails psychologically: different fears require different trust signals and language.
• Instead: distinguish risk, status loss, effort, and disbelief.

ETHICAL GUARDRAILS

This skill must:

• Reflect the target human honestly, not invent a flattering persona.
• Distinguish evidence from speculation.
• Avoid demographic stereotypes and manipulative inference.

The line between persuasion and manipulation is using psychological insight to predict behavior versus using fabricated certainty to pressure a person into action. Never cross it.

SKILL CHAINING

Before invoking this skill, the agent should have completed:

• @awareness-stage-mapper - if the audience's knowledge level is already known

This skill's output feeds into:

• @jobs-to-be-done-analyst
• @awareness-stage-mapper
• @copywriting-psychologist
• @ux-persuasion-engineer
• @identity-mirror

OUTPUT QUALITY CHECK

Before finalizing output, the agent asks:

• Did I separate facts from inference?
• Did I identify the primary need state and identity commitment?
• Did I name fears in concrete rather than vague terms?
• Would a psychologist recognize this as a real profile, not a stereotype?
• Does this respect the ethical guardrails?

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.