Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By Michael R. Solomon
Consumer Behavior
Buying, Having, and Being
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Goal:
The end state that is desired by the consumer.
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Want:
A manifestation of a need created by personal and cultural factors.
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Motivational Strength
Biological vs. Learned Needs:
Instinct: Innate patterns of behavior universal in a species Tautology: Circular explanation (e.g. instinct is inferred from the behavior it is supposed to explain)
Drive Theory:
Biological needs produce unpleasant states of arousal. We are motivated to reduce tension caused by this arousal. Homeostasis: A balanced state of arousal
Expectancy Theory:
Behavior is pulled by expectations of achieving desirable outcomes positive incentives rather than pushed from within
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Motivational Direction
Needs Versus Wants:
Want: The particular form of consumption used to satisfy a need.
Types of Needs
Biogenic needs: Needs necessary to maintain life Psychogenic needs: Culture-related needs (e.g. need for status, power, affiliation, etc.) Utilitarian needs: Implies that consumers will emphasize the objective, tangible aspects of products Hedonic needs: Subjective and experiential needs (e.g. excitement, self-confidence, fantasy, etc.)
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Motivational Conflicts
Approach-Approach Conflict:
A person must choose between two desirable alternatives. Theory of Cognitive Dissonance: A state of tension occurs when beliefs or behaviors conflict with one another. Cognitive Dissonance Reduction: Process by which people are motivated to reduce tension between beliefs or behaviors.
Approach-Avoidance Conflict:
Exists when consumers desire a goal but wish to avoid it at the same time.
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict:
Consumers face a choice between two undesirable alternatives.
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Figure 4.1
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Discussion Question
Do sporting events, satisfy utilitarian or hedonic needs? Which specific needs do they address? Give some other examples of utilitarian and hedonic needs.
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Negative Consequences
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America points out the negative consequences of drug addiction for those who are tempted to start.
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Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): (1) What is happening? (2) What led up to this situation? (3) What is being thought? (4) What will happen? People freely project their subconscious needs onto the stimulus
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Figure 4.2
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It is too culture-bound:
The assumptions of the hierarchy may be restricted to Western culture
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Consumer Involvement
Involvement:
A persons perceived relevance of the object based on his/her inherent needs, values, and interests.
Object: A product or brand
Conceptualizing Involvement
Figure 4.3
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Cult Products:
Command fierce consumer loyalty and perhaps worship by consumers who are highly involved in the product
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Message-Response Involvement:
(a.k.a. advertising involvement) Refers to a consumers interest in processing marketing communications
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Measuring Involvement
Teasing out the Dimensions of Involvement:
Involvement Profile:
Personal interest in a product category Risk importance Probability of making a bad purchase Pleasure value of the product category How closely the product is related to the self
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High Involvement
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Values
Value:
A belief that some condition is preferable to its opposite (e.g. freedom is better than slavery)
Core Values:
General set of values that uniquely define a culture Value system: A cultures unique set of rankings of the relative importance of universal values. Enculturation: Process of learning the value systems of ones own culture Acculturation: Process of learning the value system of another culture Cultural beliefs are taught by socialization agents (i.e., parents, friends, and teachers)
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Virtually all consumer research is ultimately related to identification and measurement of values.
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The positive value we place on the activities of large corporations is changing among some consumers who prefer to go anticorporate. This ad for a coffee shop in Boulder, Colorado reflects that sentiment.
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Syndicated Surveys
Large-scale commercial surveys Voluntary simplifiers:
Believe that once basic needs are sated, additional income does not add to happiness.
Examples:
VALS 2 GlobalScan New Wave Lifestyles Study
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Materialism
Materialism:
The importance people attach to worldly possessions Tends to emphasize the well-being of the individual versus the group People with highly material values tend to be less happy America is a highly materialistic society There are a number of anti-materialism movements
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Values of Materialists
Discussion Question
Materialists are more likely to consume for status. Can you think of products and brands that convey status? There is a movement away from materialism in our culture. Can you think of products, ads, or brands that are antimaterialistic?
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