CHAPTER SIX

Behavioral
Dimensions of the
Consumer Market

For use only with

Perreault and McCarthy
texts.
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Companies, Inc.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin www.mhhe.com/fourps
When we finish this lecture you should

1. Understand the economic buyer model of buyer

behavior.
2. Understand how psychological variables affect an
individual’s buying behavior.
3. Understand how social influences affect an
individual’s and household’s buying behavior.
4. See why the purchase situation has an effect on
consumer behavior.
5. Know how consumers use problem-solving processes.
6. Have some feel for how a consumer handles all the
behavioral variables and incoming stimuli.

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The Behavioral Sciences Help You
Understand the Buying Process

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ECONOMIC NEEDS

 Making the best use of a consumer’s time &

money
- Economy of purchase or use
- Efficiency in operation or use
- Dependability in use
- Improvement of earnings
- Convenience

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Exhibit 6-1
How We Will View Consumer Behavior

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Psychological Influences within an Individual

Needs

Wants

Drives

Consumers seek benefits to match

needs and wants!
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Several Needs at the Same Time

Personal
Needs

Social Needs

Safety Needs

Physiological Needs

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Interactive Exercise: Needs

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Personal Needs

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Perception Determines What
Consumers See and Feel

Selective
Exposure

Selective Selective
Retention Perception

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Learning Determines What Response Is Likely

Drive

Cues

Reinforcement

Response

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Cue

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Attitudes Relate to Buying

Belief: An
Opinion
Need To
Attitude: A Understand
Point of View Attitudes &
Beliefs
Key
Concepts
Meeting Work with
Expectations Existing
Is Important Attitudes
Ethical Issues
May Arise

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Personality and Lifestyle Analysis

Personality: How
People See Things

Activities

Interests

Opinions
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Social Influences Affect Consumer Behavior

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Simple Approaches for Measuring
Social Class in the U.S.

Type of Location of
Occupation Education
Housing Housing

Income Is Not the Main Determinant!

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Other Social Influences

Reference Groups

Opinion Leaders

Culture

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Individuals Are Affected by
the Purchase Situation

Purchase Physical
Time Available
Reason Surroundings

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Consumers Use Problem Solving Processes

Psychological Social Influences Purchase

Variables Situation
Need-want Awareness

Information Search

Set Criteria

Decide on Solution

Purchase Product

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Exhibit 6-7
Grid of Evaluative Criteria Helps

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Three Levels of Problem Solving Are Useful

Low involvement High involvement

Frequently purchased Infrequently purchased
Inexpensive Expensive
Little risk High risk
Little information Much information desired

Routinized Limited Extensive

Response Problem Problem
Behavior Solving Solving

Low involvement High involvement

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Limited or Extensive Problem Solving?

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Problem Solving Is a Learning Process

Awareness

Interest

Evaluation

Trial Dissonance
may set in
after the
Decision
decision!

Confirmation
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Problem Solving

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Exhibit 6-9
Several Processes Are Relevant to Strategy Planning

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Key Terms

• Economic buyers • Selective perception

• Economic needs • Selective retention
• Needs • Learning
• Wants • Cues
• Drive • Response
• Physiological needs • Reinforcement
• Safety needs • Attitude
• Social needs • Belief
• Personal needs • Expectation
• Perception • Psychographics
• Selective exposure • Lifestyle analysis
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Key Terms

• Social class • Low-involvement

• Reference group purchases
• Opinion leader • Adoption process
• Culture • Dissonance
• Consideration set
• Extensive problem
solving
• Limited problem
solving
• Routinized response
behavior

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