CHAPTER

FOUR

Consumer Motivation

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1
 Learning Objectives

1. To Understand the Types of Human Needs and

Motives and the Meaning of Goals.
2. To Understand the Dynamics of Motivation, Arousal
of Needs, Setting of Goals, and Interrelationship
Between Needs and Goals.
3. To Learn About Several Systems of Needs Developed
by Researchers.
4. To Understand How Human Motives Are Studied and
Measured.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 2
 Motivation as a Psychological Force
• Motivation is the driving force
within individuals that impels
them to action.
• Needs are the essence of the
marketing concept. Marketers
do not create needs but can
make consumers aware of
needs.

Motivation is produced by a state of tension, by having a need which is unfulfilled. Consumers

want to fulfill these needs and reduce the state of tension. For example, when you are very hungry,
you are extremely motivated to find food. Perhaps when you need a new pair of pants, you are a
bit less motivated to fulfill this need as compared to your need for food. In the case of needing
pants, it is important for marketers to help increase your motivation and/or specify your need for
their products - perhaps Diesel Jeans

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 3
 Model of the Motivation Process
Figure 4.2
This model highlights the motivation
process. We can see that the “drive”
toward behavior will often end in the
fulfillment of the need. The processes and
effects of previous learning tie strongly into
choices made when the behavior is
defined.

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 4
 Types of Needs

• Innate Needs
– Physiological (or biogenic) needs that are considered primary needs or
motives

• Acquired Needs
– Learned in response to our culture or environment. Are generally
psychological and considered secondary needs

The example of the need for food compared to a new pair of jeans can be further described by
understanding types of needs. The need for food is more of an innate need and is considered a
primary need. The need for a pair of jeans would be considered acquired. The need for clothing
could be considered primary, but the need specifically for a pair of jeans is acquired, especially
when they are a certain brand or designer jean.
Needs may have a positive or negative direction. There are in fact some products we are NOT
drawn to. For example, when people shop for funeral services, this is not something they are
usually drawn to but rather must pursue and purchase.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 5
 Goals

• The sought-after results of motivated behavior

• Generic goals are general categories of goals that
consumers see as a way to fulfill their needs
• Product-specific goals are specifically branded
products or services that consumers select as their
goals

Continuing with our example of jeans, we can understand the types of goals that
exist. When a consumer states they want a pair of jeans, they have stated a generic
goal. When they announce they really want a pair of Calvin Klein jeans, then they
have stated product-specific goals.

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 6
 The Selection of Goals

• The goals selected by an individual depend on their:

– Personal experiences
– Physical capacity
– Prevailing cultural norms and values
– Goal’s accessibility in the physical and social environment

Consumers have many possible goals when making decisions. They are strongly
influenced by their experiences, personality, and others’ opinions and input. When
choosing goals, they have to keep in mind what is socially acceptable and what they
can physically attain. Think of a recent decision you might have made to go on a
vacation. How was it influenced by personal experiences, the accessibility of the goal,
and the social environment?

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 7
 Discussion Questions
• What are three generic goals you have set for yourself in the past year?
• What are three product-specific goals you have set in the past year?
• In what situations are these two related?
• How were these goals selected? Was it personal experiences, physical
capacity, or prevailing cultural norms and values?

There are many responses to this question based on your personality, family,
experiences, friends, and teacher influences. Maybe your goals are educational,
financial, and fitness related. Perhaps you have decided to attend a certain
program at the college, join a gym, and open accounts at stock brokerage firms.
In general, the product goals should fit in to the generic goals. It is interesting to
reflect on how each of the influences and experiences in your life have led you to
both your generic and your product-specific goals.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 8
 Motivations and Goals

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 9
 comment

We learned in an earlier slide that needs

can be positive or negative. The same is
true for goals which can be positive or
negative. A positive goal would include
joining a gym to get strong and train for an
upcoming race. Another person, with a
negative goal, might join the gym to avoid
health problems that will certainly exist if
they do not exercise regularly. Which are
you?

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 Blogger’s Motivation - Table 4.1 (excerpt)
Construct Items
Blogging for I use my blog to free my mind when I am moody.
self- I express myself by writing in my blog.
expressing My blog is the place where I express what I feel.
Blogging for I use my blog as my diary to document my life.
life By writing text and posting video/audio files, I keep a record of my life.
documenting
Blogging for I’m willing to comment on what other bloggers say.
commenting I’d like to respond to other blogs that I read (no matter if I know of the
blogger or not).
I’d like to receive people’s comments on what I post on my blog.
Blogging for Blogging helps me to make more like-minded friends.
forum In my blogroll I have friends with whom I can share things.
participating By blogging I interact with a set of blogs that have contents similar to
what I put in my blog.
Blogging for Blogging helps me extract information behind events that interest me.
information Blogging helps me explore more information about products and/or
seeking services.
To me it is convenient to search for information by blogging.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 11
 comment

The value of bloggers to marketers is

undeniable – they post their experiences
and exposures to brands online where
many other users or potential users can
hear more about the brands. Marketers
must understand the motivations, needs,
and goals of bloggers to effectively target
them. In the research results in Table 4.1,
respondents answered on a 7-point Likert
scale ranging from “strongly agree” to
“strongly disagree.”

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 Rational versus Emotional Motives

• Rationality implies that consumers select

goals based on totally objective criteria, such
as size, weight, price, or miles per gallon
• Emotional motives imply the selection of
goals according to personal or subjective
criteria
There has been extensive research regarding rational versus emotional motives during
purchase. Their existence has been tied to how consumers view marketing variables,
including advertisements and pricing adjustments. Furthermore, it must be realized that
the definition of emotional vs. rational motivation differs significantly from one consumer
to another and in different situations.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 13
 Discussion Questions

• What products might be

purchased using rational
and emotional motives?
• What marketing strategies
are effective when there
are combined motives?

You should consider that rational motives are often

tied to products that are higher involvement and
emotional motives are often used on low-involvement
items.
The marketing strategies will also differ in the amount
of information and the advertising appeals.

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 14
 The Dynamics of Motivation

• Needs are never fully satisfied

• New needs emerge as old needs are satisfied
• People who achieve their goals set new and
higher goals for themselves

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 15
 comment

Motivation is highly dynamic and constantly changes in response to life

experiences. Motivations change as we age, interact with others, change
careers, acquire wealth, become ill, marry or divorce, or pursue education.
Humans constantly have needs. This is due in part to the fact that our needs are
never fully satisfied, or once satisfied, reappear. Hunger is a good example of a
need that is often not satisfied and reappears. As humans, we also develop new
needs as we satisfy existing needs. The hierarch of effects model shows how
we meet our lower-level needs first and then move up the hierarchy. Finally, our
needs are based on the goals that we set for ourselves. If one sets a goal to
enter politics, they may feel they need a law degree. However, if they are
unsuccessful in getting accepted at law school, their needs may change and they
may want to pursue a few years of work experience first and need to find a job.

04/05/21 Dr. Vimi Jham

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 Substitute Goals

• Are used when a consumer cannot attain a specific

goal he/she anticipates will satisfy a need
• The substitute goal will dispel tension
• Substitute goals may actually replace the primary
goal over time

It is very common that a consumer can not attain a goal. This may be due to a lack of money,
ability, desire, or accessibility. In this instance, the consumer often substitutes a different goal to
reduce the tension created from the existence of this need. In time, this substitute goal might
replace the initial goal. For instance, if a consumer wanted a certain cable television service, but it
was not available in their area, they might choose a satellite television provider. Over time, they
may be very satisfied with this choice and feel that they actually prefer the satellite service over the
cable television service.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 17
 Frustration

• Failure to achieve a goal may result in

frustration.
• Some adapt; others adopt defense
mechanisms to protect their ego.
Failure to achieve a goal and the frustration that follows has been experienced by
everyone at some time or another. Marketers must realize what consumers’ responses
might be and how they can address these responses. Online education exists for those
who are too far or do not have the structured time to attend college. The table on the
next slide represents several defense mechanisms that consumers might exhibit when
they are frustrated about not meeting a goal. The understanding of these defense
mechanisms will help provide many opportunities to craft advertising messages to reach
the emotional side of the consumers.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 18
 Defense Mechanisms- Table 4.2 (excerpt)
Construct Items
Aggression In response to frustration, individuals may resort to aggressive behavior
in attempting to protect their self-esteem. The tennis pro
who slams his tennis racket to the ground when disappointed with
his game or the baseball player who physically intimidates an umpire
for his call are examples of such conduct. So are consumer
boycotts of companies or stores.
Rationalization People sometimes resolve frustration by inventing plausible reasons
for being unable to attain their goals (e.g., not having enough
time to practice) or deciding that the goal is not really worth pursuing
(e.g., how important is it to achieve a high bowling score?).
Regression An individual may react to a frustrating situation with childish or
immature behavior. A shopper attending a bargain sale, for example,
may fight over merchandise and even rip a garment that another
shopper will not relinquish rather than allow the other
person to have it.
Withdrawal Frustration may be resolved by simply withdrawing from the situation.
For instance, a person who has difficulty achieving officer
status in an organization may decide he can use his time more
constructively in other activities and simply quit that organization.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 19
 Arousal of Motives
• Physiological arousal
• Emotional arousal
• Cognitive arousal
• Environmental arousal

A consumer has a variety of needs but only some of them are aroused at any given time
and given top-of-mind priority. Motives become aroused by the consumer’s
psychological condition (they get hungry), their emotional state (frustrated), cognitive
processes (they read an ad that made them think about their needs), or by events
occurring in their general surroundings (the weather becomes cold).

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 20
 How Does This Ad
Arouse One’s Needs?

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 21
 The Ad Is Designed to Arouse One’s Yearning
for an Adventurous Vacation by Appealing to
the Sense of Touch

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 22
 Philosophies Concerned with
Arousal of Motives
• Behaviorist School
– Behavior is response to stimulus
– Elements of conscious thoughts are to be ignored
– Consumer does not act, but reacts
• Cognitive School
– Behavior is directed at goal achievement
– Needs and past experiences are reasoned, categorized,
and transformed into attitudes and beliefs

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 23
 Types and Systems of Needs

• Henry Murray’s 28 psychogenic needs

• Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
• A trio of needs

Researchers are interested in developing a complete list of human needs. Although basic biological
needs are easily understood and agreed upon, it is the psychological and psychosocial needs that
differ from researcher to researcher. Murray and Maslow have both developed lists of needs and
Maslow orders them within a hierarchy from lower-level to higher-level needs. Somewhat related to
Maslow’s theory is the belief in a trio of basic needs including power, affiliation, and achievement.
Consider the needs outlined on the following slides to better understand which needs this product
would meet for a consumer in New York.

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 24
 Murray’s List of Psychogenic Needs

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 25
 Murray’s List of Psychogenic Needs
(continued)

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 26
 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Figure 4.10

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 27
 To Which of Maslow’s
Needs Does This Ad Appeal?

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 28
 Both Physiological and Social Needs

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 29
 To Which of Maslow’s
Needs Does This Ad Appeal?

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 30
 Egoistic Needs

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 31
 To Which of Maslow’s
Needs Does This Ad Appeal?

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 32
 Self-Actualization

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 33
 Discussion Questions

• What are three types of products related to

more then one level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs?
• For each type of product, consider two
brands. How do marketers attempt to
differentiate their product from the
competition?

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 34
 A Trio of Needs

• Power
– individual’s desire to control environment
• Affiliation
– need for friendship, acceptance, and belonging
• Achievement
– need for personal accomplishment
– closely related to egoistic and self-actualization
needs

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 35
 To Which of the Trio
of Needs Does This Ad Appeal?

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 36
 The Affiliation Needs Of Young,
Environmentally Concerned Adults

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 37
 Power And Achievement Needs

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 38
 Measurement of Motives

• Researchers rely on a
combination of
techniques
• Qualitative research is
widely used
• Projective techniques are
often very successful in
identifying motives.
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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 39
 Qualitative Measures of Motives
Table 4.7 (excerpt)

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 40
 Motivational Research

• Term coined in the 1950s by Dr. Ernest Dichter

• Based on premise that consumers are not
always aware of their motivations
• Identifies underlying feelings, attitudes, and
emotions

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Dr. Vimi Jham Chapter Four Slide 41