Micro Cultures

Chapter 10
Microcultures
Babin/Harris,
Babin/Harris,Consumer
ConsumerBehavior,
Behavior,9th9thEdition.
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Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
10-1 Apply the concept of microculture as it influences consumer behavior.
10-2 Know the major United States microcultural groups.
10-3 Realize that microculture is not a uniquely American phenomenon.
10-4 Perform a demographic analysis.
10-5 Identify major cultural and demographic trends.
Babin/Harris, Consumer Behavior, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved.
May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
10-1
Microculture and Consumer Behavior
Babin/Harris,
Babin/Harris,Consumer Behavior,
Consumer 9th Edition.
Behavior, © 2022
9th Edition. Cengage.
© 2022 All Rights
Cengage. Reserved.
All Rights Reserved.
May
Maynot bebe
not scanned, copied
scanned, or duplicated,
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or duplicated, to a publicly
or posted accessible
to a publicly website,website,
accessible in wholein
orwhole
in part.or in part.
10-1 Microculture and Consumer Behavior
(1 of 3)
We can think of a given culture as containing multiple smaller and more
specific microcultures.
Microculture – a group of people who share similar values and tastes that are
subsumed within a larger culture
Can be quite distinct from the larger group or overall culture
Term subculture is often used to capture much of the same idea
Group is smaller, but in no way less significant in terms of the potential influence on
consumer behavior
Similar in some ways to the group influence topic, however, microcultures are generally
based on specific variables
(2 of 3)
Culture Is Hierarchical
Culture ultimately explains the habits and idiosyncrasies of all groups of
consumers.
Each consumer belongs to many cultural groups—they move in and out of
microcultures.
Culture is hierarchical: A consumer belongs to one large, overall culture and
then to many microcultures existing and interlinking within the overall culture.
Exhibit 10.1, on the next slide, illustrates a cultural hierarchy.
Exhibit 10.1 The Hierarchical Nature of
Culture and Microculture
(3 of 3)
Microcultural Roles and Value
Microculture membership changes the value of things.
Example: Soccer fans
Many American consumers find watching it dull, thus a low-value activity
Number one spectator sport in other parts of the world
Cultural groups even arise within sports fans; extreme fans may become hooligans
Divergence – a situation in which consumers choose membership in
microcultures in an effort to stand out or define themselves from the crowd
Group Activity 1
1. Form a team with three other students.

2. Each member of the team should draw a cultural hierarchical map that relates
to their own life.
3. As a group, compare the individual hierarchical maps and create a new map
that matches most members in the group.
Group Activity 1 Debrief
How close is your individual cultural hierarchical map to the one in Exhibit
10.1?
How difficult was it to create a cultural hierarchical map that was reflective of
the entire group?
Is your group hierarchical map similar to other group’s maps?
10-2
Major United States Microcultures
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ConsumerBehavior,
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10-2 Major United States Microcultures
(1 of 16)
There are many types of microcultures in the United States.
Regional Microculture
Lifestyles and culture vary as you travel around the United States.
The Nine Nations of North America identifies nine geographical regions that share similar value
profiles, containing consumers with similar preferences (see Exhibit 10.2 on the next slide).
This captures the fact that priorities among consumers do vary regionally.
Brand and food preferences, choices of favorite beverages, favorite sports, and even the names of
things vary by region.
The Borderland region, not part of original nine, receives significant attention
Exhibit 10.2 North American Regions
(2 of 16)
Sex Roles and Microculture
Sex roles – the societal expectations for men (i.e., biologically male) and
women (i.e., biologically female) among members of a cultural group
SOCIETAL ROLE EXPECTATIONS
Even in Western cultures, certain responsibilities such as child care and
household cleaning are unevenly spread among cultures.
Marketers need to do research to identify sex roles or they run the risk of
targeting the wrong family member with marketing communications.
(3 of 16)
MALE AND FEMALE SEGMENTS
Marketing is directed toward either a male or female market segment.
Media are often distinguished easily based on the proportion of male and
female customers.
Cognitive structuring – the reliance on schema-based heuristics in making
decisions
Men tend to be more heuristic and intuitive in their processing.
Women tend to process information in a more piecemeal fashion.
(4 of 16)
Age-Based Microculture
Age-based microculture – the concept that people of the same age end up
sharing many of the same values and developing similar consumer
preferences
WORLD TEEN CULTURE?
World teen culture – the speculation that teenagers around the world are
more similar to each other than to people from other generations in the same
culture
Teens around the world may find value in many of the same types of music
and clothing, but the cultural values of their home nation remain relatively
distinct from nation to nation, particularly concerning personal products.
(5 of 16)
Generation Microculture
Cohort – a group of people who have lived the same major experiences in their lives
Life experiences have many different effects on a cohort.
Greatest Generation
The term “greatest generation” refers to American consumers who were young adults during
World War II; they were born prior to 1928.
Their lives and values are shaped by World War II and their post-war experiences.
They tend to be thriftier and price conscious.
(6 of 16)
SILENT GENERATION
Born between 1928 and 1945
Major events: Great Depression and World War II
They tend to be frugal and follow largely utilitarian motivations.
BABY BOOMERS
Many came of age during the very turbulent 1960s.
They have a huge amount of spending power relative to other generations.
(7 of 16)
GENERATION X
Were long thought to be a group that was marked by alienation and cynicism
Focus strongly on the family and traditional family values
MILLENNIALS
Born between 1981 and 1995; represent the largest cohort in the United States
Tend to embrace technology; use as a means to build community and relationships
Tend to be relatively impulsive and optimistic
(8 of 16)
GENERATION Z
Will be the most educated, diverse, and mobile group to date
Will also be the first truly “global” generation, due to racial and cultural diversity, increased
population mobility and migration, and comfort with mobile technologies
GENERATION INFLUENCE AND MARKETING
Generations provide a good basis for marketing segments.
The largest number of people within a generation are similar to some extent.
Knowledge Check
1. Born between 1946 and 1964, ___________ have huge spending power
relative to other generations.
2. Members of the ___________ tend to be frugal and have largely utilitarian
motivations when making purchases.
3. ___________ tend to use technology as a means to build community and
relationships.
4. Consumers from ___________ have often been associated with alienation and
cynicism.
(9 of 16)
Religious Microculture
Religion represents one of the key institutions that shapes consumer culture,
and it provides a basis for microcultures within national or regional cultures.
Religion affects all manner of daily life, including material acquisitions,
consumption of food and alcoholic beverages, and types of clothing worn.
Various religions have rules and customs about public displays of the body.
Stigmatization – a situation in which consumers are marked in some way that is typically
not flattering and indicates their place in society
(10 of 16)
Ethnic Microculture
The melting pot analogy tries to make the point that America is a land filled
with people from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds who all blend together
into a single American culture.
Consumption in the United States remains tied to ethnicity to varying extents.
Exhibit 10.6, on the next slide, breaks down the major ethnic groups in the
United States.
Exhibit 10.6 Major Ethnic Groups in the
United States
(11 of 16)
HISPANIC CULTURE
Largest ethnic group (aside from whites); about 1 in 5 people in the United States
The group is not homogeneous; Hispanic consumers vary from one another based on personal
preferences, degree of acculturation, ancestral country, and other demographic characteristics.
Bicultural – a term used to describe immigrants as they face decisions and form preferences
based on their old or new cultures
Bicultural consumers begin to express lower ethnocentrism than their counterparts in the native
country and thus are more open to products from their new country.
Hispanic market is the fastest growing market segment in the United States.
(12 of 16)
AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE
Represents about 13% of the total U.S. market
Can be broken down into other more specific microcultures
Factors such as social class may have more influence in a situation than ethnicity.
One of the most important trends among African-American consumers is their growing affluence.
ASIAN CULTURE
Represents just over 5% of the U.S. population
The Asian‑American culture is highly educated and highly affluent.
Asian Americans are concentrated in large numbers in a few areas.
(13 of 16)
Income and Social Class Microculture
Income level – a demographic based on the amount of monetary resources a person receives
periodically (usually measured per year)
Social class – a culturally defined group to which a consumer belongs based on resources like
prestige, income, occupation, and education
Habitus – mental and cognitive structures through which individuals perceive the world based
largely on their standing in a social class
Social class tends to be a better predictor of purchases that involve value and lifestyles, as well
as symbolic and highly visible products.
Income tends to be a better predictor of what consumers buy than of their social class.
(14 of 16)
SOCIAL CLASS IN THE UNITED STATES
Six major social classes have been
identified in the United States. Some consumers strive to move up the social
Upper Class ladder; some do not.
Lower Upper Class Some consumers are born into a social class
Upper Middle Class (ascribed status), whereas others work their
Lower Middle Class way into a class (achieved status).
Upper Lower Class
Class strongly influences lifestyles, opinions,
Lower Lower Class
attitudes, and behaviors.
Homogamy – the finding that most marriages
comprise people from similar social classes
(15 of 16)
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Social stratification – the division of society into classes that have unequal access to scarce and
valuable resources
Disparity exists between the upper and lower classes found in the United States, but social stratification is
not so large in the United States as in other parts of the world.
SOCIAL CLASS WORLDWIDE
China exhibits a wide range of social stratification.
Japan has witnessed a gradual widening of the gap between have and have nots and a generally shrinking
middle class.
India has a growing middle class, estimated at over 500 million.
(16 of 16)
Street Microculture
Microcultures can grow around any number of phenomena (sports, music, gaming).
One way to refer to these microcultures is by using the label street microcultures.
The hip-hop microculture is one such group.
The “Gothic” (or “goth”) microculture represents another prevalent microculture in the United States.
The “emo” subculture has been considered an emotional evolution of hardcore punk rock, alternative,
or underground music.
The more easily microcultures can be reached, the better marketers can connect with
them through value-added communications and products.
Group Activity 2
1. Form a team with two to three other students.
2. Within your group, talk to those who are in Generation Z and who are related to
consumers in the Millennial generation (for example, older brothers, sisters,
cousins, etc.), baby boomers, or members of another generation. Gather data
including the following:
What are the differences between you and your relatives?
How does your consumer behavior differ from theirs?
What is your attitude regarding spending and saving? What is their attitude?
1. Use the data collected to develop a list of characteristics that can be attributed
to each of the generations interviewed.
How many different generations were represented in your group’s study?

Did the characteristics you attributed to the members of the generation you
interviewed match those described in the text?
10-3
Microculture Is Not Uniquely American
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ConsumerBehavior,
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10-3 Microculture Is Not Uniquely American
Microcultures Around the World

We often think of foreign countries with a single stereotype, but the idea of cultures within a
broader culture transcends any specific country.
Diversity has always been a reality, but with continued immigration of people across borders,
many countries in Europe and elsewhere are developing more microcultures.
Street Microcultures Worldwide
Many street microcultures, including music, sports, and fashion, exist around the world.
Social media facilitates the spread of street culture from one region to another leading to
opportunity for all manner of marketers.
Discussion 1
Browse the Internet, using a tool such as Google Images to search for photos of
college-aged students in various microcultures worldwide. For example, look for
Emo or Goth consumers in a country that you consider to be foreign.
Would these consumers appear to fit in your home culture?
Why, or why not?
How are they different from, for example Emos or Goths, in your home
country?
Discussion 1 Debrief
What similarities did you see in images of the microcultures you viewed?
What differences did you see in the images of the microcultures you viewed?
Why do you think there are these similarities or differences?
10-4
Demographic Analysis
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ConsumerBehavior,
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10-4 Demographic Analysis (1 of 2)
Demographics is an important concept for marketers and consumer researchers alike.

Demographic variables are closely related to microculture.
Demographic information becomes even more valuable when it is combined with
geodemographic information because members of microcultures often live in close proximity to
one another.
Demographic analysis – a profile of a consumer group based on their demographics
Demographic analyses provide the basis of a demographic segmentation strategy.
10-4 Demographic Analysis (2 of 2)
United States Census Data
The United States Census Bureau’s website (www.census.gov) is an important
source for performing a demographic analysis. Data include:
A real-time estimate of the country’s population
Details about people and households
Actual counts from the most recent census
Statistics on a region of interest
Internationally, the CIA World Factbook provides a good source of data for
analyzing market segments.
Group Activity 3
1. Form a team with three to four other students.

2. Using the U.S. Census Bureau or a popular geodemographic tool such as
Claritas PRIZM, conduct a demographic analysis of your local college town.
3. Based on your analysis, create a market segment profile and describe how it
could be useful for a marketer.
What did you learn about the demographics and geodemographics of the
area?
Were the market segment profiles created by the other groups similar? How
did they differ?
10-5
Major Cultural and Demographic Trends
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ConsumerBehavior,
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10-5 Major Cultural and Demographic Trends
(1 of 5)
Cultural, microcultural, and demographic trends are especially important to
monitor.
Trends Affecting Consumer Behavior
There are four notable trends that are relevant to consumer researchers and
managers that deserve careful attention.
Declining birthrates
Increasing consumer affluence
Increasing life expectancy
Increasing cultural diversity worldwide
(2 of 5)
DECLINING BIRTHRATES
Two of the biggest trends in Western countries include increasing life expectancies and
declining birthrates. (See Exhibit 10.9 on the next slide.)
In many European countries, the birthrate has dropped to less than two per woman; a birthrate
of 2.1 per female is considered the amount necessary to sustain a population.
SUCCESS AT THE BOTTOM
Over one billion consumers worldwide live in severe poverty.
Success can be found in the marketplace for products that provide these consumers
economical ways to address basic needs for sustenance, safety, and esteem.
Agricultural products offer entrepreneurial opportunities.
Exhibit 10.9 Projected Birthrates per Woman
and Life Expectancies for Countries Around
the World (2020)
(3 of 5)
INCREASING LIFE EXPECTANCY AND THE AGING CONSUMER
Life expectancy is increasing in many, but not all, countries. (See Exhibit 10.9 on previous
slide.)
If we consider life expectancy as a proxy for standard of living, we can see that as the birthrate
declines, the standard of living increases.
The countries with the highest birthrates in the world are among the poorest.
In developed countries, more wealth is spread over fewer consumers.
The baby boomer segment is expected to affect business practices for many years to come as
boomers tend to have relatively high incomes and spending power.
(4 of 5)
INCREASING CONSUMER AFFLUENCE
The combination of working couples and lower birthrates has led to greater
levels of consumer affluence.
Many consumer segments have become targets for products once considered
to be luxuries.
Consumers have generally become less price-sensitive in many categories.
The rise of the middle class in both China and India is evidence of growing
consumer affluence worldwide.
(5 of 5)
INCREASING CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Cultures become more diverse through immigration and the growth of microcultures.
There are numerous trends:
In European countries, Islam is rapidly growing in popularity.
In the United States, ethnic microcultures continue to become increasingly diverse due to both legal
and illegal immigration.
The United Kingdom is experiencing a general increase in immigration, with many immigrants arriving
from the European Union.
The continued expansion of the world teen culture market is expected as many Western brands
continue to succeed with foreign expansion.
Discussion 2
In what ways are the emerging trends of working couples, lower birthrates, and
higher levels of consumer affluence interrelated? How do businesses, such as
credit card companies, focus on these trends in their advertisements?
Discussion 2 Debrief
How do these emerging trends affect consumer behavior?

Why is it important for marketers to be aware of these emerging trends?

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Chapter 10

1. Form a team with three other students.

How many different generations were represented in your group’s study?

Microcultures Around the World

Demographics is an important concept for marketers and consumer researchers alike.

1. Form a team with three to four other students.

How do these emerging trends affect consumer behavior?

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