Running head: CYBER ATTACKS 1

Unformatted text preview: Dark Side The of Consumer Behavior !! Consumers can often

be their own “worst enemies” !! Consumers’ desires, choices, and actions often result in NEGATIVE

consequences to themselves and / or to society. Social pressures, a culture’s value of money,

exposure to unattainable ideals of success, social status, and / or beauty – all contribute to negative

consumer behavior. Consumers are NOT always rational decision makers in the marketplace, in

which they rationally obtain products and services to maximize their well-being. Consumer Addiction

– a pyschological or physiological dependency on products or services. Can include ANY

product/service. Consumption goes to extremes! It becomes a priority over other behaviors; an

obsession. Compulsive Consumption When people shop because they are ‘compelled’ to do so . . . .

Rather than because shopping is a functional or pleasurable task. Considered to be an ‘out-

of’control’ abnormal behavior. Includes: Repetitive shopping, excessive buying, as an antidote for

depression, boredom, anxiety, or stress. Shopaholics Consumers who use shopping in much the

same way as people with other addictions use alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. Filling of a

pyschological/spiritual/emotional void as a temporary fix. Compulsive consumption is long-lasting,

and different from impulsive buying which is temporary. There is little to NO CONTROL over

consumption. Damaging consequences result to them and those around them. Pyschological,

therapy is required to treat. Destructive or negative consumer behavior is characterized by 4

common elements: The behavior is not done by choice, The gratification derived from the behavior is

short-lived, and therefore repeated, A temporary “high” is felt, The person experiences strong

feelings of regret or guilt afterwards. Conspicuous Consumption The extent to which a consumer

purchase items to visually display to others . . . Research found that females are more prone to this

than males. Status consumption - the degree to which a consumer purchases for the sake of

displaying status (whether real or imagined). Imagined status consumption has the truest negative

impact on a consumers’ life. Consumer Materialism identities and Regarded as a ‘personality-like’

trait, that distinguishes between individuals who regard possessions as essential to their lives from

those individuals who consider possessions as secondary to their identities and lives. Research

shows that materialistic people: - Value acquiring and showing off possessions. - Are self-centered
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and selfish. - Seek lifestyles full of possessions and lots of ‘things’. - Do not gain greater pleasure

and happiness in life from their possession. (materialism video on youTube) Fixated Consumer

Behavior Somewhere between materialistic and compulsive/addictive consumers is being “fixated”

on the purchase of certain things. Considered normal and socially acceptable behavior. Consumers

collect, display, share with others with similar interests. Dedicate a considerable amount of time and

money to search and purchase the items. Negativity results from the sheer numbers of ‘whatever the

item’ is in the person’s life, and the amount of money that could be spent in acquiring the items.

Really comes into play in auctions or on e-Bay. Consumer Ethnocentrism Consumers who have a

predisposition to reject products made by a certain country or group. Consumers who are advocates

of buying their own country’s products and services to protect the domestic economy. These

consumers respond more favorably to a nationalistic stressed theme in advertising messages (ie:

Made in America” or “Made in Japan”). Consumed Consumers People themselves are used or

exploited, willingly or against their will, for commercial gain in the marketplace. Traveling circuses

(dwarfs or extremely obese people) Prostitutes (> $21 billion annual expenditures in U.S. alone)

Organ, blood, hair donors (when done unwillingly) Babies for sale Illegal Consumer Activities

Consumer dishonesty in order to acquire insurance. Sneaking into admission-required

businesses/activities without paying. Identity theft. Embezzling company funds. Padding expense

accounts and pocketing the money. Shoplifting (internal and external). Each American pays over

$300 extra in the honest purchase of goods as a result of retail mark-ups necessary to offset the

cost of “shrinkage” – inventory and/or cash losses due to shoplifting and employee theft. Shoplifting

is the fastest growing crime in America. “Thrill seeking” shoplifting. “Bulk” shoplifting Anti-

Consumption Destructive consumer behavior whereby products and services are deliberately

defaced or mutilated. Product tampering (hurts innocent consumers) Graffiti on businesses Culture

Jamming – political protests in the form of destruction of billboards/ads which others believe are

unhealthy or unethical towards others. Lastly . . . Disposal of consumption Environmental pollution,

lack of recycling Litter Dumping in other states/countries (illegal) Etc. etc. etc. Affluenza Are you

feeling a little ‘sick’ with this ailment? This is not the same as Influenza (the ‘flu’), It’s AFFLUENZA!
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Let’s take a quiz to see if you suffer from this . . . Part 1-4 of 6 Affluenza (on PBS) The cure for

affluenza: These are very hard to find videos that someone kindly placed on youTube. Escape from

Affluenza Happy Halloween !! ...