Professional Documents
Culture Documents
McDaniel 9781285091860
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This chapter begins with the learning outcome summaries, followed by a set of lesson plans for
you to use to deliver the content in Chapter 6.
• Lecture (for large sections) on page 3
• Company Clips (video) on page 5
• Group Work (for smaller sections) on page 6
Review and Assignments begin on page 7
Review questions
Application questions
Application exercise
Ethics exercise
Video assignment
Case assignment
Great Ideas for Teaching Marketing from faculty around the country begin on page 16
TERMS
aspirational reference group marketing-controlled information routine response behavior
attitude source secondary membership group
belief Maslow’s hierarchy of needs selective distortion
cognitive dissonance motive selective exposure
consumer behavior need recognition selective retention
consumer decision-making process nonaspirational reference group self-concept
culture nonmarketing-controlled information social class
evoked set (consideration set) source socialization process
extensive decision making opinion leader stimulus
external information search perception stimulus discrimination
ideal self-image personality stimulus generalization
internal information search primary membership group subculture
involvement real self-image value
learning reference group want
limited decision making
LO2 Analyze the components of the consumer decision- 6: The Consumer Decision-Making Process
making process 7: Consumer Decision-Making Process
6-2 The Consumer Decision-Making Process 8: Exh 6.1: Consumer Decision-Making Process
9: Need Recognition
10: When “Need” Turns to Greed
11: Need Recognition
12: Stimulus
13: Recognition of Unfulfilled Wants
14: Information Search
15: External Information Searches
16: Evoked Set
17: Evaluation of Alternatives
18: Purchase
LO5 Identify and understand the cultural factors that 32: Cultural Influences on Consumer Buying Decisions
affect consumer buying decisions 33: Factors Influencing Buying Decisions
6-5 Cultural Influences on Consumer Buying 34: Components of Culture
Decisions 35: Culture is . . .
36: Value
37: Subculture
38: Social Class
39: Exh 6.4: U.S. Social Classes
40: Social Class Measurements
41: The Impact of Social Class on Marketing
LO6 Identify and understand the social factors that 42: Social Influences on Consumer Buying Decisions
affect consumer buying decisions 43: Social Influences
6-6 Social Influences on Consumer Buying 44: Exh 6.5: Types of Reference Groups
Decisions 45: Influences of Reference Groups
46: Opinion Leaders
47: Family
LO7 Identify and understand the individual factors that 48: Individual Influences on Consumer Buying
affect consumer buying decisions Decisions
6-7 Individual Influences on Consumer Buying 49: Individual Influences
Decisions 50: Age and Family Life Cycle Stage
51: Personality, Self-Concept, and Lifestyle
LO8 Identify and understand the psychological factors 52: Psychological Influences on Consumer Buying
that affect consumer buying decisions Decisions
6-8 Psychological Influences on Consumer 53: Psychological Influences
Buying Decisions 54: Perception
55: Marketing Implications of Perception
56: Exh 6.6: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
57: Types of Learning
58: Beliefs and Attitudes
59: Changing Beliefs
60: Chapter 6 Video—Ski Butternut
Suggested Homework:
• The end of this chapter contains assignments for the Ski Butternut video and for the eBay case.
• Each Chapter Prep Card contains numerous questions that can be assigned or used as the basis for longer
investigations into marketing.
6 Chapter 6 ♦ Consumer Decision Making
LESSON PLAN FOR VIDEO
Company Clips
Segment Summary: Ski Butternut
Ski Butternut is a ski and snowboard mountain in the Berkshires. Because the mountain is a “soft” mountain, Ski
Butternut collects large amounts of data based on rentals and Web traffic to make sure that they understand who the
customer is and to whom they need to market. Matt Sawyer also discusses how they change the mountain itself to
meet the needs of the customer.
• Have students break into groups of up to four students to describe the cultural, social, and
psychological influences that are likely at work on Ski Butternut patrons. What are the
implications for Butternut’s marketing managers, given these influences? Give students about
Follow-up five minutes and then come back together as a class to share results.
Being perceived as fun is important for Ski Butternut to ensure that it builds a loyal set of young customers. Without
the social influence of opinion leaders who enjoy Butternut’s terrain park, Butternut would lose many of its customers
as soon as they were old enough to ski or board at another mountain with a more “fun” perception.
2. In general, which type of consumer behavior is described in this video, for new skiers? What involvement
factors are likely to be associated with choosing which ski resort to visit?
Consumers making infrequent, expensive, or unfamiliar purchases, such as new skiers, engage in extensive decision
making. If a customer has had previous positive experiences with skiing in general or at Ski Butternut in particular,
his or her involvement may be lower than another customer with no previous experience. If a consumer is concerned
with [perceived] social visibility, his involvement may remain high, particularly in the teen age group. In addition, the
statistic that the first time skier makes seven trips to the same mountain before trying another mountain suggests that
enduring involvement would be a factor. Based on the pricing offered to first timers and the addition of the terrain
parks to entertain youths, Ski Butternut is well aware of the importance of these factors of involvement.
• For “Class Activity – Consumer Buying Behavior,” divide the class into small groups of four or five people.
Provide the information and the questions asked by the class activity.
• Application Questions 3 and 5 lend themselves well to group work. For this activity, divide the class into small
groups of four or five people. Each group should read the question and then use their textbooks, or any work that
was completed previously, to perform the exercise. Then each group should discuss or present their work to the
class.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. The type of decision making a consumer uses for a product does not necessarily remain constant. Why?
Support your answer with an example from your own experience.
Students’ answers should address some of the following points. Once a consumer has had experience in
purchasing a particular product, extensive decision making may no longer be necessary. For example, if a
consumer has owned a Nikon camera and been satisfied with its performance, he or she may opt to buy another
Nikon without seeking further information about alternatives. Thus, buying behavior changes from extensive to
routine. Moreover, if a routinely purchased product is not available or no longer satisfies, a consumer may engage
in limited or extensive decision making to explore other alternatives.
2. Describe the three categories of consumer decision-making behavior. Name typical products for which each
type of consumer behavior is used.
3. Describe the level of involvement and the involvement factors likely to be associated with buying a new
computer. Do you think Apple’s Web site at http://www.apple.com simplifies or complicates the process
for the average consumer? Explain.
Answers may vary according to students’ characterizations of the average consumer and personal experience.
Generally, consumers making infrequent, expensive, or unfamiliar purchases, such as a computer, engage in
extensive decision making.
4. How do beliefs and attitudes influence consumer behavior? How can negative attitudes toward a product
be changed? How can marketers alter beliefs about a product? Give some examples of how marketers have
changed negative attitudes about a product or added or altered beliefs about a product.
Beliefs are organized patterns of knowledge that an individual holds as true about his or her world. Consumers
tend to develop a set of beliefs about a product’s attributes and then, through those beliefs, form a brand image—
a set of beliefs about a particular brand.
An attitude is a learned tendency to respond consistently toward a given object. Beliefs help form the basis for
attitudes, as do values. Often, the marketer’s goal is to change attitudes toward a brand. This goal might be
accomplished in three ways: changing beliefs about the brand’s attributes, changing the relative importance of
those beliefs, and adding new beliefs. For example, Harley Davidson, through strict quality control, has changed
the belief about the quality of their product. And by limiting production they have added a new belief that it is an
exclusive and sought-after product.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
1. Visit CarPoint’s Web site at http://carpoint.msn.com/home/New.asp. How does the site assist consumers in
the evaluation stage of choosing a new car? Develop your own hypothetical evoked set of three or four car
models and present your comparisons. Which vehicle attributes would be the most important in your
purchase decision?
This Web site provides a select list of cars, price points, and outside reviews of each car. Thus, the consumer can
evaluate an evoked set with somewhat objective information, as opposed to information provided by a subjective
source, such as a friend or the dealership.
2. Recall an occasion when you experienced cognitive dissonance about a purchase. In a letter to a friend,
describe the event, and explain what you did about it.
Although students’ answers will vary, the following example shows some of the points students should address.
I decided to replace the two front tires on my car because they were beginning to look worn. I suspected that my
tires probably could hold out longer, but I wanted to be on the safe side. When I went to shop for tires at a place
that had been recommended to me, the mechanic advised me to replace all four. Putting faith in his
recommendation, I spent more than I had planned and bought all four tires. Afterward, because I had spent so
much money for tires that I wasn’t even sure I needed, I experienced cognitive dissonance about the decision.
Hoping to dispel my doubts, I compared prices of tires at other places and discussed my decision with people who
had experience buying tires. The evidence I collected convinced me that I had used good judgment in replacing
my old tires. I also realized that I had gotten a good bargain.
Students’ answers should address some of the following points. American college students represent a large and
powerful subculture. Marketers frequently promote products to this group by appealing to social motivations,
such as the desire for love and acceptance. Advertisements might show groups of friends having fun, participating
in street basketball, hiking, or just hanging out at the local pub. A status appeal is also important to this group as
they are frequently drawn to the current fad or fashion. Technological improvements in athletic shoes are also
appealing to this group.
4. Family members play many different roles in the buying process: initiator, influencer, decision maker,
purchaser, and consumer. Identify the person in your family who might play each of these roles in the
purchase of a dinner at Pizza Hut, a summer vacation, Froot Loops breakfast cereal, an Abercrombie &
Fitch sweater, golf clubs, an Internet service provider, and a new car.
Although students’ answers will vary, they should note that some categories of purchases involve more people.
5. Assume you are involved in the following consumer decision situations: a) renting a video to watch with
your roommates, b) choosing a fast-food restaurant to go to with a new friend, c) buying a popular music
compact disc, and d) buying jeans to wear to class. List the factors that would influence your decision in
each situation and explain your responses.
Students’ answers will vary, but they should include the importance of cultural, social, psychological, and
individual factors in their purchase decision.
APPLICATION EXERCISE
Principles of consumer behavior are evident in many areas of marketing. Perhaps the easiest place to see this critical
foundation of marketing activity is in print ads.
Activities
1. Review the main concepts in this chapter and create a checklist that itemizes them. Then, comb through your
favorite magazines and newspapers for advertisements that illustrate each concept. To get a wide variety of ads,
you will need to look through several magazines. If you don’t have many magazines at your disposal, go to the
campus library periodical room. Photocopy the ads you select to support this chapter.
2. Because pictures can help reinforce understanding, consider doing this exercise for each chapter in the book. At
the end of the semester, you will have a portfolio of ads that illustrate the concepts in the entire book, which can
help you study. Simply look through your portfolio and try to recall the concepts at work in each advertisement.
This exercise can be a prelude to a longer study session for comprehensive exams.
Purpose: This exercise requires students to closely examine print ads to see how they use the principles of consumer
buying behavior to make their message more successful. By collecting ads and creating a portfolio showcasing
different products, different ad styles, and so forth, students will see how many marketing concepts discussed in the
book are played out in print media.
Setting It Up: Students may not subscribe to a diverse enough set of magazines to create a varied portfolio. Also,
they may be unwilling to spend a large sum photocopying ads in the library periodical section. Encourage them to
select 10 concepts from the chapter and find ads to illustrate them. If your class is small and conducive to group work,
you can have student group their ads according to chapter concepts and then compare how advertisers convey their
messages. Alternatively, you could have students group ads by product categories and see if any consumer behavior
P.J. Forrest
Mississippi College
If you use a managerial approach to teaching Consumer Behavior (i.e., this is the concept, this is what you do with
it), you might find the use of Print Ad Projects very helpful. This project has evolved over the years from my asking
the students to bring in a single magazine ad that related to the topics we were discussing in class that day, to
requiring a portfolio of ads that illustrates each of the topic areas we cover.
One of the main benefits for the student in using this project is simple: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” For
example, one undergraduate would not be convinced that the automobile market specifically targeted women. I
handed her a Chevy ad, which showed a young woman and the phrase “this is not my boyfriend’s truck.” In
gathering ads that are examples for the various consumer behavior concepts, the students are forced to look at
dozens of ads in a critical thinking manner. They must analyze both the ads they chose to use and the ones that are
unsuitable for the topic they are trying to illustrate.
Over the years I have kept the “best of” ads from the student projects, and as a result I now have a thick folder of
ads for every chapter in the text. After I lecture on a topic, I whip out a bundle of ads that illustrate the concept and
show them how it is used. It is much easier to create understanding when you can show them the differences in ads
that use latent motives versus manifest motives, or a series of ads that are directed at each of the VALS 2 lifestyle
segments. Generational marketing is also very interesting and illustrates the changes that must be made when
advertising to baby boomers, generation X or generation Y. And you would be amazed at the true depth and breadth
of the “Where’s your mustache?” milk campaign—I must have 50 different print ads.
Depending on the size of the class, I sometimes use this as an individual project or group project. Sometimes I
require a presentation, and sometimes I have the students turn in a portfolio of ads. This project has been a major
contribution to the learning process in my consumer behavior classes and has made them more interesting—for the
students and for me.
ETHICS EXERCISE
EyeOnU operates a Web filter service for public schools and libraries to protect students from inappropriate material
on the Internet. Like the industry as a whole, the company’s market share has been stagnant for the past two years.
Looking for new sources of revenue, the company is considering selling the data it has collected about student surfing
habits to marketers trying to learn more about students’ behavior on the Web. The data are anonymous, but privacy
advocates are concerned about the precedent of selling information about children to marketers.
Questions
1. What should EyeOnU do? Should it protect the students’ data or should it take the opportunity to create
new revenues?
EyeOnU could create new revenues from its information, but in order to comply with the Children’s Online
Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), the company could not make use of personal data, including name,
address, age, telephone number, e-mail address, or any other information that would allow someone to contact
the child. Likewise, information on hobbies, interests, or other information collected through cookies is off limits
when it can be tied to individually identifiable information. Therefore, by collecting completely anonymous
information, EyeOnU can sell its clickstream data without compromising its ethics. The value of such completely
general information is dubious, however, because the information cannot be sifted out according to age, gender,
or any other common segmentation variables.
Although the AMA Code of Ethics does not specifically mention collecting information from children, it does
state, “Information collected from customers should be confidential and used only for expressed purposes. All
data, especially confidential customer data, should be safeguarded against unauthorized access.” This language
puts the marketer in the position of trustee of the data—someone who has access and control over the data, and
who is responsible and accountable for it and its use as well. The obligation of the marketer in this role is not
negligible. Under COPPA, the marketer is severely restrained in the use of data collected from children.
1. For Ski Butternut, racers, first-timers, and terrain-park enthusiasts would be considered
a. opinion leaders
b. lifestyle groups
c. subcultures
d. high-risk categories
ANS: C
These would be considered a subculture—a homogenous group of people who share elements of the overall
culture (skiers/snowboarders) as well as cultural elements unique to their own group (racing, beginners, and
terrain park users)
2. Matt Sawyer says that first time skiiers tend to stay with their first mountain for as many as seven visits before
trying another ski area. That makes choosing Ski Butternut what for the first-time skier?
a. a want
b. a consideration set
c. a highly visible decision
d. an enduring involvement decision
ANS: D
Because the first time skier exhibits such loyalty for their first mountain, choosing Butternut becomes a decision
with high, enduring involvement.
5. By understanding how its customers search for ski options, Butternut is able to direct potential customers to
a. a place where they will be tagged by cookies and monitored for Butternut’s database.
b. a marketing controlled information source
c. listen to its radio ad
d. a Web site with a Ski Butternut pop-up ad.
ANS: B
By targeting customers searching for words such as “ski resort” or “beginner skiing,” Butternut can place an ad
for their Website—a marketing controlled information source.
6. By using images of families skiing and people using the terrain park, Ski Butternut is forming an:
a. primary membership group
b. need
c. subculture
d. aspirational membership group
ANS: D
By showing other families having fun or other skiiers/boarders shredding the terrain park, Ski Butternut creates a
group that other families or terrain park enthusiasts want to emulate—an aspirational membership group.
7. Customers visiting the Ski Butternut mobile Web site are responding to:
a. some kind of stimulus.
b. something from their subculture.
c. an evaluation of an alternative Web site.
d. one of their consideration set.
ANS: A
Visiting a web site occurs in response to some kind of stimulus: an internal need for information, and external
request for Butternut’s hours, etc.
Open-ended questions
1. Which stages of the consumer decision-making process are affected most by comparison shopping on
mobile platforms? Explain.
The ability to comparison shop on a mobile platform most directly affects the second, third, and fourth stages. It
enhances the information search process as consumers can immediately perform price comparisons. Consumers can
also evaluate alternatives more broadly, as they have access to a much wider range of similar products across various
online venues. Finally, it creates an alternate avenue for purchase, as consumers can purchase from their physical
locations or use their mobile devices to execute purchases if they find better deals online.
2. Based on the goal expressed by Steve Yancovich, which stage of the consumer decision-making process is
eBay trying to influence? How are they doing so?
eBay is attempting to influence the needs recognition stage, by engaging with consumers even when they don’t have
a specific purchase in mind. eBay’s various mobile apps are designed to create search and buying opportunities for
potential customers anywhere and at any time. Customers often might use these apps in their downtime, like when
they’re getting a haircut or standing in line for coffee. The eBay Fashion app is designed to encourage browsing, and
allows for customization of product combinations. So a customer might not be looking for a specific handbag, but if
she finds one that goes well with the pair of shoes she was interested in buying, this might create a new need or want,
and ultimately she may be more inclined to purchase both items.
Close-ended questions
TRUE/FALSE
1. eBays Selling, Fashion, and RedLaser apps are nonmarketing-controlled information sources.
ANS: F
Consumers can search for information about brick-and-mortar stores and even make purchases from them with the
assistance of m-commerce technology.
3. In cultures where consumers are reluctant to use credit cards, they might be just as reluctant to make purchases on a
smartphone and thus restrict their m-commerce activities to research.
4. Most people are now comfortable with spending just under $1,000 when making m-commerce purchases.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What does it mean when we say m-commerce applications level the playing field for shoppers?
a. Consumers can deal directly with the sellers just like using eBay.
b. m-commerce means tax free shopping in many states.
c. It makes the market a buyer’s market.
d. Consumers can comparison shop on the price and features of a product.
e. all of the above
ANS: D
In the evaluation of alternatives and purchase, the consumer, as much as the marketer, has access to information about
price and selection, especially in regard to traditional stores.
3. Using a mobile app such as RedLaser, a bar code scanner for smartphones, would assist in what kind of decision
making?
a. limited decision making
b. extensive decision making
c. routine decision making
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
4. The combination of apps and smartphones eliminates __________. The cultural impact of this is that consumers and
marketers interact in situations where a purchase would be unthinkable before.
a. downtime
b. driving
c. closed stores
d. in-store browsing
e. comparison shopping
ANS: A
The combination of apps with mobile devices enables browsing and purchasing virtually anywhere at any time,
especially during downtime.
5. Using a camera phone and the Fashion app to see how an outfit looks on you is an example of what aspect of the
consumer decision-making process? 1. Need recognition 2. Information search 3 Evaluation of alternatives 4. Purchase
5. Postpurchase behavior
a. 1, 2, 4, & 5
b. 3
c. 1, 2, & 3
d. 1 & 3
e. 2 & 3
ANS: E
Information search involves searching for alternatives and the evaluation of alternatives determines the desired
selection.
6. An eBay VP said of his company’s m-commerce business, “We want consumers to engage when they don’t have a
purchase in mind.” What kind of consumer involvement does he most likely mean?
a. product involvement
b. enduring involvement
c. shopping involvement
d. emotional involvement
e. all of the above
ANS: B
Enduring involvement represents an ongoing interest in some product or activity. The consumer is always searching
for opportunities to consume the product or participate in the activity.
Discussion board questions provided to students to encourage them to engage in thinking and writing about the content
of the Principles of Marketing course usually take the form of a provocative statement to which students are asked to
respond. An example of this would be “All PR is good PR.”
Discussion topics such as this one are abstract and often require that the instructor provide an initial reply to show
students what is expected of them in their own replies. For students with limited work experience, this approach may
be quite appropriate. For adult students with extensive experience as employees and consumers, however, the abstract
nature of such topics can be frustrating.
I have developed, therefore, a series of discussion board questions to use with experienced, adult students. These
questions are designed to encourage them to use their experiences as employees and consumers as doorways to better
understand the course material, and to make their own responses more interesting to themselves and to the other
students in the class who will read and comment on them.
Here are additional such discussion board questions developed for Chapter 6 of MKTG5. Each is written to fit the
same text cited above but could easily be rewritten and revised to fit another text.
Series A
1. All consumer buying decisions generally fall along a continuum of three broad categories: routine response
behavior, limited decision making, and extensive decision making.
2. Review this process in section 6-4 of your text.
3. Then describe a purchase you have made that involved extensive decision making in terms of the five stages
of the consumer decision-making process.
Series B
1. Culture is the essential character of a society that distinguishes it from other cultural groups.
2. Review the components of American culture in section 6-5 of your text.
3. Then describe how one or more of these cultural components resulted in recent purchases you made.
The selection of an institution for higher education or the selection of particular degree programs within that institution
is a decision of considerable involvement for most individuals. The choice of one alternative (college or university of
discussion) over another alternative institution can cause the decision maker some psychological discomfort (cognitive
dissonance) as he or she grapples with the relative correctness of the decision. The same can be said for the selection
of a particular discipline of study (i.e., business, education, arts, sciences, nursing, communications) as other options
are bypassed.
Given the level of involvement of the college or university decision, some individuals may feel this psychological
discomfort at some point in their academic careers. The challenge for marketing organizations (including the
institution of discussion) is to effectively deal with this phenomenon in order to achieve the highest levels of consumer
satisfaction. In a university setting, the presence of this phenomenon is vital to student retention efforts. Simply stated,
some students (customers) may act upon this level of discomfort by removing themselves from the university in favor
of other institutions or other employment or training opportunities.
The purpose of the project is to provide students with the opportunity to integrate marketing theory with marketing
practice. Simply put, students analyze the concept (cognitive dissonance) and its presence on their particular campus,
and offer creative marketing solutions for consideration by university administrative personnel. The institution is used
as the focal point of the project in the interest of building the students’ sense of belonging and commitment to their
institution.
The inclusion of this project in a Marketing course provides the following outcomes: 1) the realization of an
institutional desire for operational and management effectiveness, 2) the provision of experiential learning outcomes,
3) the realization of the learning objectives for the course, and 4) student participation in the strategic planning
processes of the institution.
Student Applications
This application can be administered in a Principles of Marketing course or a specialized Consumer Behavior course.
The project is developed with the students over the life of the term with the final output delivered to university
administrative personnel for consideration. The project may be done on an individual group basis depending on the
nature of the audience or desires of the instructor.
The following focus areas are suggested as contributors to the problem of cognitive dissonance on a college or
university campus:
1. Freshman students during their first year experience
2. Students transferring from other institutions
3. Students entering upper-division degree programs
4. Students selecting particular academic programs in favor of others
5. Students selecting academic/service/professional organizations for membership and participation
6. Mature students returning to the university to complete partially completed degree programs
7. Ongoing efforts: student academic counseling; student academic tutoring; student career counseling;
student counseling (more personal in nature); scheduling of classes; payment of fees; financial aid
assistance; library accessibility; student on-campus activities; adequacy of physical campus
Suggested Outline
The following outline is offered to guide the preparation of the documents and/or presentation to be made available to
university personnel for consideration and implementation:
1. Illustrate your understanding of the concept of cognitive dissonance. (What problem are you
addressing?)
2. Briefly discuss why a college or university should be concerned with the presence of cognitive
dissonance within its student population. (Why are you concerned?)
3. What solutions can you suggest to address the presence of cognitive dissonance on a university campus?
(What are your solutions?)
a. focal point
b. target group
c. discuss specific action
d. desired outcomes
4. Attempt to integrate your actions into a short-term plan that can be operationalized and put into action
by university officials. (How should your solutions be implemented?)
I have applied the following process to the case in my Consumer Behavior course and referred to the process as a
“competitive case presentation.”
Students are formed into two consulting management teams and present the same case to me, as the president of the
client company. First, this really livens up a case presentation since the teams must 1) pick out “unique selling
propositions,” 2) evaluate the competitive position, and 3) develop the appropriate presentation. Second, each
presenting team must listen very carefully to the competitor’s statements and use the information in either a
contributory or an offset response. Third, the students seem to become very strongly interested in the environments of
the competition and customers. That is really helpful in getting across the idea of consumer behavior.
In consumer behavior, it is vital that upon completion of the course students have acquired a sound understanding of
how consumers search for, purchase, and use products and services. Furthermore, students should also be exposed to
the social and psychological influences on these behaviors. Finally, to have garnered the most benefit, students should
understand how to integrate the theoretical concepts into their real-world experiences. To achieve these broad
objectives, a large amount of information must be presented by the instructor and then processed by the students.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of consumption journals. This exercise enables students to not only
observe and record their own consumption habits, but also to explore the social and psychological factors that may be
20 Chapter 6 ♦ Consumer Decision Making
influencing their and others’ purchase decisions. Furthermore, the greatest benefit is that they enjoy the learning
process.
Exercise Overview
This exercise is designed to be an incremental three-part assignment. The first part requires students to maintain a
personal consumption journal. In the second part, each student is told to construct a portrait of themselves as a
consumer by developing a list of ten products or services typically purchased. The third portion of the assignment is
an advertisement evaluation. This requires students to select two products from their ten-product list and locate
advertisements or promotions for them. For each advertisement selected, students are required to identify four to six
consumer behavior concepts used in the ad, to describe the demographic and psychographic segments to which the ad
was targeted, and to explain the reasoning for their conclusions. Finally, students are asked to assess whether or not
they are representative of these segments.
Consumption Journal
Each student is responsible for maintaining a consumption journal that describes the products and services they
purchase. Descriptions include what products and services are purchased, where the items are purchased, why the
items are purchased, and what feelings are associated with the purchase. Students are required to complete a minimum
of two entries each week. Students are asked to submit the preceding weeks’ entries with the new entries, allowing
the instructor to view the weekly progress and making the students more aware of the patterns present in their
consumption behavior.
An example journal entry template should be provided to the students at an introduction of the assignment.
Date:
Place of Purchase:
Items(s) Purchased:
Brand Name (for each item):
Price (for each item):
Other Descriptive Information:
Reason for Purchase:
Feelings Associated with Purchase:
The length of time that students are required to main consumption journals is at the discretion of the instructor, but
four submissions should be the minimum as students only begin to understand and appreciate the assignment around
the fourth submission.
After the third submission of the consumer journal, students should be instructed to review their consumption behavior
and to create a list of ten products or services they own and/or regularly use. Students are asked to select only those
products and services that best portray their personality, values, and lifestyle. Similar to the journal entry, the list is
required to contain detailed information (such as brands, sizes, colors, and/or models) about the products and services.
Advertisement Analysis
Once the ten-item product list is complete, each student should select two of the items on the list and locate an
advertisement for each of the selected products. The two advertisements then serve as the medium for a short analysis
paper. For the paper, the analysis of each advertisement is broken down into three sections. First, students have to
identify between four and six consumer behavior concepts used in the advertisements. Second, students are asked to
identify and explain the demographic and psychographic segments to which the ad was designed to appeal. Finally,
students explain whether or not they fit into the identified target market.
Benefits to Students
Conclusion
A class exercise that integrates class material with students’ lives increases their interest in learning the core concepts.
This increased interest is highly desirable and the use of consumption journals provides this advantage.
Via the journal entries, the ten-product list, and advertisement analysis, students learn about their personal
consumption habits. This self-discovery is an exploration of the social and psychological factors that influenced their
consumption behavior and how their behavior could be generalized to others. Thus, although the instructor’s
investment in developing this exercise is considerable, students’ return is well worth the effort!
Instructions: The students are instructed to come to the next class displaying some symbol that identifies them with a
reference group. They are told that they will have to identify the reference group, what type of reference group it is,
its influence, and its power structure.
On the day of class, the students ask to find their reference group peers among the other students and to form groups
based on their reference symbols. Allow the groups several minutes to discuss and define themselves as a group and
to choose a spokesperson for their group.
Begin with a series of questions and follow with an open discussion of the material. Sometimes you have to lead the
students through this exercise; other times they proceed without much assistance. The following questions are those
that I have found successful in covering the material; however, they are just suggestions. Feel free to improvise as you
go along. Each group represented in class is asked the following questions:
1. What type of reference group do you represent (formal or informal)? Explain.
2. What type of social influence does the group have on its members (normative or informational)? Explain.
3. Why do group members conform to the standards of the group (cultural pressure, fear of deviance,
commitment)? Explain.
4. Do group size, unanimity, expertise, or sex differences cause greater or lesser conformity within the group?
Explain.
5. Next ask the spokesperson for each of the groups to define how the group influences consumption of its
members (informational, utilitarian, value-expressive).
5a) After the spokesperson has expressed his or her view, ask if there is a difference of opinion within the
group. This can lead to a discussion of the social power of the group and whether members conform to
the dictates of the group by private agreement or by surveillance.
6. Now ask if there is agreement or disagreement with any of the positions that have been expressed by the
groups’ spokespersons. Allow an open discussion for several minutes.
7. Ask if the spokesperson is the opinion leader of the group. Answers will vary and leave room for further
discussion on the topic of opinion leadership.
8. Then ask the spokesperson: Did the comments of your group change your perception of your position within
the group? This allows you to discuss group opinion and social power of the group.
There are usually students who do not have similar symbols and cannot find a reference group within the class. If you
have independents within the class:
10. Ask if they avoid groups because of their power structure. This allows the class to discuss the need for
uniqueness or freedom.
11. Finally, ask the students if word of mouth information from a group they belong to or aspire to has more
influence on them than word of mouth from a stranger.
This exercise covers most of the material on reference group influences. It also involves the students and they feel
free to open up in class.
Teaching Objectives
1. To reinforce, through an in-class activity, the concept of “levels of involvement”
2. To demonstrate how levels of involvement relate to other marketing variables, especially segmentation
All introductory marketing texts introduce the concept of levels of involvement in their chapters on consumer
behavior. Generally, texts treat levels of involvement as being either high or low. I expand on this with the following
mini-lecture.
Henry Assael has further developed the concept of involvement by correlating levels of involvement with decision-
making. He creates a matrix as follows:
High
Limited Decision Making Complex Decision Making
Extent of Information
Inertia Brand Loyal
Search
Low
Low High
Levels of Involvement
Assael further describes each cell. Complex decision-making is complicated, is high risk, involves an extensive
information search, and results in the “best” decision for the consumer. Complex decision-making results in brand
loyalty through habit. Brands serve as shortcuts, thereby reducing the amount of time consumers need to search. The
inertia cell represents traditional low- involvement products, that is, those products that mean little to consumers. They
are generally low cost, don’t result in serious consequences when a “bad” decision is made, and don’t reflect on one’s
social image. Consumers don’t care very deeply about inertia products and, as a result, don’t spend much time thinking
about them. Limited decision-making occurs when consumers are forced to spend time thinking about a low
involvement product, as when, for example, an item is out of stock and they must decide what to do.
In-Class Activity
The exercise works best with the following beginning statement: “Think about a consumer who is buying a tie that is
described by your cell in the matrix. First, develop a mental picture of who that consumer is: what motivates your
consumer to buy that tie, what kinds of stores will that consumer go to, what media will that consumer look at (if any),
what specific feature will they look for in a tie, and most importantly, what does a tie mean to that consumer? Now,
write those ideas on the newsprint.” This generally is enough to get the activity going. This activity takes about 30
minutes total (including the time needed for teams to report out their consumer profiles).
1. Consumers can—and often do—see a common product in very different ways. Inductively this demonstrates
that there are different market segments for ties.
2. Different marketing strategies are required to reach consumers in different matrix cells.
3. Products are complex entities. It is the consumer who gives meaning to products, not necessarily the marketer.
Although, obviously, marketers attempt to influence the meaning!
4. There is an inertia market for ties. This suggests that every product might have an inertia market segment.
Marketers have an obligation to understand the size of each segment and make decisions about whether this
is a segment worth pursuing.
5. Women may do some of the tie purchasing. It’s important not to stereotype your target market.
6. Brands function as short cuts for consumers in the decision-making process. Brands are promises that
products, even ties, will perform in consistent ways. When brands fail to meet consumer expectations, then
consumers go back into complex decision making.
7. A level of involvement is a critical component of consumer behavior. It leads the marketer into thinking
about market segments, target markets, marketing strategy, and brand equity.
8. Consumer segments can have different motivations, beliefs, and attitudes from the students in each team.
Marketers (and students) must get past their own specific biases and not project their own attitudes onto
consumers. This is perhaps the most important learning.