What are the Psychological Factors of Consumer Behavior? - Answers Buying/decision making;
Motivation;
Perception;
Attitude formations
What are Social/Cultural Factors of Consumer Behavior? - Answers Reference Groups and
Cultural Differences
The five steps in the Buying Decision Making Process are: - Answers Problem recognition;
Information search;
Alternative evaluation;
Purchase decision;
Post purchase behavior
Motivation (Psychological Factors) - Answers A need pressing enough to cause a person to
seek satisfaction.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Motivation - Answers 1. Self actualization (self fulfillment; 2. personal
needs (status, respect, marriage); 3. Social needs (friendship, belonging love); Safety needs
(freedom from harm, shelter, financial security); 4. Psychological needs (food, water, oxygen)
Positive Illusions - Answers favorable views of the self that are not necessarily rooted in reality.
Unrealistically positive self evaluations; illusions of control; pocket of incompetence; overly
optimistic thoughts about the future.
Interferences (Perception) - Answers The development of associations based on past
experience.
What are the various types of Interferences (Perception) in regard to Consumer Behavior? -
Answers Evaluation -Based Interference: whole part, part to whole;
Similarity-Based Interference:
beliefs about an object based on its similarity to other objects;
Correlation-Based Interference:
two attributes are so highly correlated that the presence of one leads to an interference about
the presence of the other.
, Attitude Formation - Answers The two theories on attitude formation are the Balance Theory
(Heider), and the Theory of Resonated Action (Fishbein and Ajzen)
Heider's Balance Theory - Answers Individuals alter their perceptions to maintain consistency
between beliefs and evaluations
Triads.
Evaluation Triads - Answers Evaluation Triads consist of a person,
an attitude object, and
another person or object. The relationships between each point of the triad. When a triad has an
odd number of minus signs, it is unbalanced and inconsistent. Inconsistent and unbalanced
triads are uncomfortable.
Consumers may try to reconcile the inconsistencies by changing one of the plus or minus
Signs.
Example of Evaluation Triads - Answers Suppose that some consumers do not want to be
associated w/ the Macy's store. This is denoted by a minus sign between the two points
connecting them when Macy's hires a popular celebrity endorser. The consumers and the
celebrity remain a plus and the sign between consumers and the sign between the consumers
and Macy's change from minus to plus. deciding in favor of associating w/ Macy's results in
three plus signs, which means the triad has consistency and balance. Inconsistent and
unbalanced triads are uncomfortable.
Consumers may try to reconcile the inconsistencies by changing one of the plus or minus
Signs.
Reasoned Action Model - Answers A theory that combines situational and individual factors to
predict behavioral intention and behavior.
To create or change attitudes - Answers Alter variable in the model, and find relative advantages
against competitors: beliefs about attributes; evaluation of attributes; normative beliefs;
motivations to comply w/ norms; behavioral intentions.
Reference Groups - Answers Are membership or aspirational. They may influence behavior
(lifestyle), attitude (self concept), and product (brand choice).
Cultural Differences - Answers beliefs, values, habits, diet and health practices that relate to a
person's culture or religion.
Organizational Buying - Answers the decision-making process by which formal organizations
establish the need for purchased products and services and identify, evaluate, and choose