The Role of Personal Values in Marketing and Consumer Behavior

Author(s): Donald E. Vinson, Jerome E. Scott and Lawrence M. Lamont

Source: Journal of Marketing , Apr., 1977, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Apr., 1977), pp. 44-50
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of American Marketing Association

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 44 / Journal of Marketing, April 1977

Donald E. Vinson, Jerome E. Scott and Lawrence M. Lamont

The Role of Personal Values in

Marketing and Consumer Behavior
Can Personal Values be used to assist marketers in
determining consumer choice behavior?

2. Presentation of an operational value para-

M ARKETERS
importance have long acknowledged
of attitudes the
and attitude change digm suitable for studying consumer behavior.
in the study of marketing and consumer behavior,
3. Results of an empirical investigation of the
but the role of values has received relatively little
impact of value orientations on the impor-
attention. Even though the marketing literature
tance of product attributes, the appeal of var-
reflects an emerging interest in the topic,1 per-
ious consumer products, and a number of
sonal values have not been widely used to inves- social issues.
tigate the underlying dimensions of consumer be-
havior. This is surprising considering the impor- 4. The implications of value analysis for the
tance typically assigned to values by a wide vari- practice of marketing.
ety of social observers and businessmen alike.2
While it seems that personal values have im- Personal Values
portant implications for marketing practitioners
and researchers, values and the ways in which Conceptualization of the term "value" reflects the
they influence the behavior of consumers who interest of several disciplines:
look at and choose brands, product classes, and
N Anthropology, with its interest in life styles
product attributes is not clear. In order to investi-
and cultural patterns. (For example, Thomas
gate these relationships, it is necessary to opera-
and Zaraniecki define values as ". . . objec-
tionally define what values are, and to indicate
tive, social elements which impose them-
empirical methods available for examining the selves upon the individual as a given and
connections between personal values and con- provoke his reaction.")3
sumer behavior.
0 Sociology, focusing on ideologies and cus-
The purpose of this article is to address these
issues. Specifically, attention will be focused on: toms. (For example, Bronowski suggests that
"a value is a concept which groups together
1. A discussion of the meaning of values and
some modes of behavior in our society.")4
their relationship to behavior.
N Psychology, which examines values from the
standpoint of attitudes and personal motives.
About the Authors (For example, Rokeach views ". . . a value as
DONALD E. VINSON is Associate Professor of Market-
a centrally held, enduring belief which
ing, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. guides actions and judgments across specific
JEROME E. SCOTT is Associate Professor of Business
situations and beyond immediate goals to
Administration, University of Delaware, Newark. more ultimate end-states of existence.")s
LAWRENCE M. LAMONT is Associate Professor of
Marketing, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, In this article, and in the study reported
Virginia. herein, we follow mostly the psychological defini-
tion, and in particular Rokeach's view.

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 The Role of Personal Values . . . / 45

Values & Behavior A Model of Consumers'

Value
The role of personal values as a standard or criterion Systems
for influencing evaluations or choices regarding
A review of existing value literature, recent empiri-
persons, objects, and ideas suggest the relationship
cal research, and the cultural conditioning view-
of values to behavior. Rokeach reports that "various
point on value acquisition leads us to propose that
combinations of values significantly differentiate
values may be investigated at three mutually de-
men from women, hippies from non-hippies,
pendent and at least partially consistent levels of
hawks from doves, policemen from unemployed
abstraction. These levels, arranged in a hierarchical
Negroes, good students from poor students, retail
network, are referred to as global or generalized
merchants from salesclerks, Jews from Catholics,
personal values, domain-specific values, and evali-
Democrats from Republicans, and so forth."6 Wil-
ations of product attributes. Exhibit 1 shows each
liams has demonstrated that values relating to
level of values and suggest the influence of the
"cleanliness" have led to decisions concerning socio-cultural,
the economic, and familial environment
choice of occupations,7 while England used per-
on the formation and development of the individ-
sonal values to investigate behavioral differences
ual's value system.
among corporate managers.8
Values, then, are responsible for the selection
Global Values
and maintenance of the ends or goals toward which
human beings strive and, at the same time, regulate
Beliefs exist as the most elementary unit within this
the methods and manner in which this striving
sytem. Very centrally held and enduring beliefs
takes place. guide actions and judgments across specific situa-
tions and are referred to as global values. These
Values & Consumer Behavior global values are more abstract and generalizable
than less centrally held beliefs. In our conception,
Other than a few isolated studies discussing
these values form the central core of an individual's
changes in national values, research in marketing
value system. They consist of closely held personal
has been in the context of expectancy-value analysis
values which are of high salience in important eval-
based on the models of Rosenberg and Fishbein.9 uations and choices.
Research interests have centered on predicting
brand choice and assessing the relative importance
of various product attributes in determining brand
Domain-Specific Values
preference. The second level of values, domain-specific values
It is important to note that, with few excep- reflects the belief that people acquire values
tions,10 "value" as used in the context of expec- through experiences in specific situations or do-
tancy-value research has been taken to mean prod- mains of activity and that behavior cannot be un-
uct attributes and thus has a meaning different from derstood or efficiently predicted except in the con-
that developed in this article. The expectancy-value text of a specific environment. Thus, we contend
approach has been useful in predicting brand that individuals arrive at values specific to eco-
choice but does not explain why consumers differ- nomic transactions through economic exchange and
entially evaluate product attributes and thus preferconsumption, at social values through familial and
one brand to another.
peer group interaction, at religious values through
In order to gain insight into this question andreligious instruction and so on.
to understand how changing national values influ- This intermediate value construct bridges the
ence consumption patterns, it would be useful, gap between the traditional conception of closely
both for students of consumer behavior and forheld, but very general, global values and the less
those marketing executives responsible for the for- closely held descriptive and evaluative beliefs about
mulation of marketing strategy, to have a frame-product attributes. Previous research has demon-
work integrating: strated this value construct to be cognitively sepa-
* Deep-rooted personal values rate but functionally related to an individual's sys-
* Generalized consumption values tem of global values and descriptive and evaluative
beliefs.1 A list of domain-specific values developed
* Beliefs relating to product attributes for consumption-related activities is shown in
Exhibit 2.

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46 / Journal of Marketing, April 1977

EXHIBIT 1
Organization of the Consumer's Value-Attitude System

Individual's Belief System

Global Values Domain-Specific Values Evaluations of Product

Attributes

enduring beliefs concerning beliefs relevant to economic, evaluative beliefs about product
desired states of existence social, religious and attributes (e.g., beliefs used
or modes of behavior other activities in expectancy-value research)
dozens hundreds thousands

More Centrally Less Centrally

Held Held

Central-Peripheral Dimension

External Environment of the Individual

Sociocultural, Economic and Familial Influence

This value set was developed from explora- turn, are inter-connected along the central-
tory research with a large set of items and reducedperipheral dimension and further influence the
through factor analysis. It includes statements individual's evaluative beliefs associated with the
about desirable modes of company behavior andattributes of products or brands.
desirable attributes of consumer products.

Evaluative Beliefs Comparative Analysis of Values and

Product Attributes
The third category of values shown in Exhibit 1 is
less abstract and consists of descriptive and eval- We have suggested that value acquisition repre-
sents a socio-cultural process and that differential
uative beliefs. While such beliefs may be im-
value orientations will lead to variations in pref-
portant, they are less centrally held. Among the
erences for products and brands. To investigate
many kinds of beliefs in this category are evaluative
beliefs about the desirable attributes of product these propositions, an exploratory research study
was undertaken to investigate whether subjects
classes as well as specific brands. It is this category
from two culturally distinct- regions of the United
of values that most of the expectancy-value research
States would manifest different value orientations;
has used in predicting brand appeal.
and, if so, the extent to which these value differ-
Note that the conceptual model shown in
ences may be related to attitudes toward automo-
Exhibit 1 suggests that people have many
thousands of evaluative beliefs, hundreds of biles and the importance of automobile attributes.
Additionally, measures were taken on at-
domain-specific values, but only dozens of global titudes toward a number of social issues to further
values. Those beliefs and values do not exist as
explore attitudinal differences between the two
sharply separated and unconnected elements; they
coexist in an interconnected hierarchical structure groups. Information on related social issues such
as air pollution and the energy problem can be of
with the more durable and closely held global
great importance in designing product and com-
values exerting influence on each other as well as
munications strategy for automobiles.
affecting the more peripherally located domain-
Subjects used in the research were selected
specific values. These domain-specific values, in
from a sample of undergraduate marketing majors

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 The Role of Personal Values ... / 47

EXHIBIT 2
Domain-Specific Values (Consumption-Related)
Manufacturers should... Manufacturers & products should be..
provide prompt service on complaints durable, long lasting
guarantee products to work as advertised fairly, reasonably priced
be responsive to true needs of consumers non-polluting

supply clear, accurate information on products safe

help eliminate environmental pollution inexpensive to use

care about the needs of individual consumers exciting, stylish

repair defective products free of charge easy to use

locate stores for convenience to consumers dependable, trustworthy

not lie or be deceptive in advertisements beautiful, attractive

make products available nights and weekends in a wide variety

use courteous, helpful sales personnel health-promoting

maintain the lowest prices possible easy to repair

compete for the business of consumers resistant to environmental damage

help solve urban decay and unemployment quiet

work for legislation to protect consumers comfortable, secure

not misrepresent a product

the items shown with subjects in Group II are

at two large state universities. Group I subjects
consisted of 47 students from a western university
those for which these students scored significantly
well known for the liberal attitudes and view- higher.
points of its student body and faculty. The 80 sub- The differences between the two groups on
jects comprising Group II were selected from values and
a attitudes toward social issues are strik-
conservative southern university known for its seem to identify two clear stereotypes.
ing and
more traditional approach to education. Data The col-
first group seems to embrace more liberal,
lected on demographic variables indicated that
socially-motivated values and attitudes, while the
subjects were equivalently matched in terms secondof group seems more traditional or conserva-
age, sex, and family income. tive in outlook. This confirms our prior hypothe-
Each group was administered an identical ses about these two groups. It should be noted,
questionnaire, which included a number of however,
seven that we are describing the groups in a
point Likert-type scales designed to measure thefashion, i.e., Group I relative to Group II.
relative
importance of the Rokeach global values It and
may the
be possible to find other segments of the
consumption-related values presented in population Exhibit who, in absolute terms, would score
1. In addition, data were also collected on the im- higher or lower than either group on any of the
portance of 20 automobile attributes, the appeal of items.

10 consumer products and services, and the im- It is particularly interesting to the marketer
portance of 15 current social issues. to examine how these two groups rated the im-
portance of the automobile attributes and their
Significant Differences appeal for classes of automobiles and other prod-
ucts. Specifically, the data suggest that the auto-
The results, summarized in Exhibit 3, indicate a
mobile attributes evaluated as important to each
large number of differences relative to the number group are related to the type of automobile more
of items. Items included under Group I subjects are
preferable to that group, and several of the global
those for which subjects in the group scored sig- and consumption values seem logically related to
nificantly higher than Group II subjects. Likewise,

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48 / Journal of Marketing, April 1977

EXHIBIT 3
Summary of Significant Differences Between Groups I and II

Group I Subjects
Global Domain-Specific Automobile Consumer Social
Values Values Attributes Products Issues

Exciting life' Durable Products Operate on Compact Cars" Air pollution's

Equality Non-polluting products' unleaded gas' Outdoor Freedom of pressa
Self-respect Health promoting products High speed Recreations Control of ho
capabilities discriminationa
Forgiving Products easy to repair Handlingdiscrimination
Intellectual Quiet products' Quality
Logical Help eliminate workmanships
environmental Advanced
pollution engineerings
Low level
pollution
emissions

Group II Subjects
National Prompt service on Smooth ridings Standard-size cars Crime control
securitya complaints Luxurious Stylish The drug problem
Salvationa interiors attractive clothing
Polite Prestige a Television
Social Large size
recognition Spacious interiors
a Significant at p > .01 level using "t" distribution. All others significa

the differentially evaluatedMarket

automobile attributes
Analysis and Segmentation
and the appeal of various products or services:
The research findings suggest that the basic value
N The more liberal Group I subjects
orientations had
of consumers can a
be expected to vary
higher preference for compact cars than
across geographical regions of the United States
standard size cars, which is consistent with when various socio-cultural influences exist. Ad-
their global and domain-specific economic ditionally, we might also expect the importance of
values. They also indicated a higher prefer- personal values to vary by age, education, income,
ence for automobile attributes which en-
and other consumer demographics.
hance their desire for an exciting life, yet Knowledge of consumer value orientations
with non-polluting, durable products. provides an efficient, measurable set of variables
S On the other hand, the more traditional closely related to needs which expand the market-
er's knowledge beyond demographic and psycho-
Group II subjects preferred larger, more
prestigious standard-size cars, which is graphic
con- differences. If large market segments can be
sistent with their values. identified on the basis of value profiles, the market-
ing strategist could develop programs which would
maximally enhance the important values of con-
Implications for Marketing sumers in each market segment. Thus, in addition
Management to the more traditional variables, values could be
employed as a standard consideration in market
While knowledge of personal values and changing
analysis and as a tool to achieve greater precision
value orientations has potential impact on all as-
and effectiveness in market segmentation.
pects of a marketing program, we believe some of
Changing values in American society also
the most promising avenues for research and ap-
have important implications for market analysis
plication include market analysis and segmenta-
and segmentation. Business should be concerned
tion, product planning, promotional strategy, and
with assessing changes in the size and composition
public policy and society. Each of these applica-
tion areas is discussed below. of value segments and the implications of these
changes for marketing. Here, professional market-

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 The Role of Personal Values . .. / 49

ing research organizations are useful in conductingAdditionally, the appeal to closely held per-
broad based longitudinal research studies tosonal
iden-values might have the effect of making con-
tify changes in value orientations.12 Marketing
sumers even more aware of an attribute of a product
management would find this information of use in previously may not have been considered
which
identifying new product opportunities and in salient
mod- or of which an awareness may not have
ifying existing products to be consistent withexisted.
con- A department store, for example, knowing
sumer value profiles. that the consumers in their target market held the
consumption values, care about the needs of indi-
Product Planning vidual consumers and prompt service on com-
plaints, and that these were in turn connected to the
Careful assessment of value orientations and
global values polite and cheerful, might initiate an
emerging value trends will allow the identification
advertising campaign emphasizing courteous,
of new product opportunities and the repositioning
helpful personnel, and the store as a pleasant,
of existing products. Changing importance of
cheerful place to shop.
global values such as pleasure, an exciting life, a
Values should also be connected to media
comfortable life, and self respect may very well signal
readership and viewing habits. By knowing the
the need for products having brand names, colors,
preferences of large market segments, the promo-
and designs which enhance these important values
tional strategist will be better able to select media
in their use and consumption. A furniture manufac-
and design appeals which will reach and enhance
turer, for example, might connect this value change
the important value of consumers. Gourmet
with an increasing demand for contemporary styled
Magazine, for example, might be associated with
furniture and design a new line having bright, bold
the un-
colors, unique materials of construction, and values polite, true friendship, and imaginative.
usual comfort features. This magazine would then be useful as a medium to
advertise products which enhanced these same
The existence of value segments containing
consumer values, thus allowing the medium to
significant numbers of consumers suggests that
reinforce the advertising message.
products can be positioned by designing products
with the attributes which are connected to the
global values distinguishing that particular market Public Policy and Society
segment. For example, a value segment containingValue research also has important implications for
consumers who regard the values imaginative, anpublic policy. Consumers holding truth in advertis-
exciting life, and independent as important might being and honesty in representing products as impor-
defined as a market segment of consumers con-tant values in the economic system, for example,
cerned with individuality and self expression.might react favorably toward federal regulation of
Manufacturers might find this a viable market for marketing programs. By monitoring changes in the
products which are partially finished (furniture,importance of these values, and other values
pottery, homes, etc.) as well as for products which dealing with the ethics of marketing, marketers can
can be tailored to the individual needs of consum- assess the mood of consumers and take action to
ers through the use of accessories, styling, chemical correct undesirable aspects of their marketing pro-
formulation, etc. Manufacturers and marketers of grams before adverse consumer reaction makes it a
homes, automobiles, clothing, cosmetics, and fast necessity. Additionally, knowledge of the global
foods have successfully pursued this strategy. values which are connected to these consumption
values might be of interest to business firms plan-
Promotional Strategy ning corporate image and corrective advertising.
Since global and consumption values appear to be
connected to the importance of product attributes
and the appeal of different product classes, this
Conclusion
suggests that a promotional strategy designed to It has been suggested that values are centrally held
create and reinforce a preference by appealing to cognitive elements which stimulate motivation for
centrally held values may be highly effective. Thus, behavioral response. They exist in an intercon-
the promotional messages for a product or service nected, hierarchical structure in which global val-
could be developed to not only refer to the desirable ues are related and connected to generalized
attributes of the product but also to enhance these consumption-related values which are, in turn,
global and consumption values associated with the similarly associated with product attributes. It has
product attributes. been generally accepted in consumer behavior re-
search that these product attributes represent the

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50 / Journal of Marketing, April 1977

basic elements ordering an individual's attitude each of the three constructs representing the value-
toward products and services. Hence, in our view, attitude system were logically structured. That is,
an individual's attributes are ultimately based upon global values, consumption-related values and the
his values, and changing values could have a pro- evaluation of product attributes were consistent
found impact upon these attitudes and upon behav- with preference for the consumer products or ser-
ior as well. vices as well as for the perceived importance of the
In order to test the proposition that values are
selected social issues.
culturally and socially learned, a study was con- Finally, while values have been shown to be
ducted with subjects from two culturally distinct theoretically important for studying consumer be-
regions of the United States. The results indicated havior, we have attempted to describe their rele-
that the subjects were significantly different with vance to the businessman engaged in marketing
respect to their basic value orientations and that management activities.

ENDNOTES

1. William Lazer, "Changing Societal Norms 6. and Mar-

M. Rokeach, "The Role of Values in Public Opinion
keting Implications," in Reed Mayer, ed.,Research,"
ChangingPublic Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 32 (Winter
Marketing Systems (Chicago: American Marketing As-
1968-69), pg. 555.
sociation, 1967), pp. 156-60; Daniel Yankelovich, "What
7. R.M. Williams, American Society: A Sociological In
New Life Styles Mean to Market Planners," Marketing
terpretation (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951).
Communication, Vol. 299 (June 1971), pp. 38-45; "2nd
8. G.W. the
Washington Social Indicators Conference to Explore England, "Personal Value Systems of America
Response of Business to New Values," TheManagers,"
Marketing Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 1
News, Vol. VI (January 1, 1973), pg. 1. (March 1967), pp. 53-68.
2. Otto A. Bremer, "Is Business the Source of New So-9. M.J. Rosenberg, "Cognitive Structure and Attitudi-
cial Values," Harvard Business Review, Vol. 49 nal Affect," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology
(November-December 1971), pp. 121-26; Arnold Mitch- Vol. 53 (November 1956), pg. 330; M. Fishbein, "An
Investigation of the Relationships Between Beliefs
ell, "Changing Values," International Advertiser (March
1971), pp. 5-9; Arnold Mitchell, "Changing Values Aboutandan Object and the Attitude Toward That Ob-
the Marketplace," in Fred C. Allvine, ed., Marketingject,"
in Human Relations, Vol. 16 (1963), pp. 233-40.
Motion and Relevance in Marketing (Chicago: American10. S.W. Bither and S. Miller, "A Cognitive Theory of
Marketing Association, 1971), pg. 614; "The Squeeze Brand on Preference," in P.R. McDonald, ed., Marketing
the Middle Class," Business Week, March 10, 1975, pg.
Involvement in Society and the Economy (Chicago: Amer-
53.
ican Marketing Association, 1969).
3. W.I. Thomas and F. Zaraniecki, The Polish Peasant11.inJ.E. Scott and L.M. Lamont, "Relating Consumer
Values to Consumer Behavior: A Model and Method for
Europe and America (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1927),
pg. 1131. Investigation," in Thomas W. Greer, ed., Increasing
4. J. Bronowski, "The Value of Science," in A. H.Marketing
Mas- Productivity (Chicago: American Marketing
low, ed., New Knowledge in Human Values (New Association,
York: 1973), pp. 283-88.
Harper & Row, 1959), pg. 62. 12. Yankelovich, Same as reference 1.
5. M.J. Rokeach, Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values (San Fran-
cisco: Jossey Bass, 1968), pg. 161

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