| Consumer behavior is defined by Engel, Blackwood | | | | 1. Physiological needs - basic needs for food, shelter, |
| and Kellat as "those acts of individuals directly involved | | | | clothing. |
| in obtaining and using economic goods and services, | | | | 2. Safety needs - physical security insurance etc. |
| including the decision processes that precede and | | | | 2. Love needs - need for affection, feeling of belonging |
| determine these acts." | | | | to a group - family solid group, work group etc. |
| Consumer behavior is influenced by the behavioral | | | | It is important to note that much marketing activity |
| sciences namely psychology and sociology. | | | | seeks to cater for these need some approaches |
| Psychology impinges upon perception, learning, | | | | most criticized by anti-marketers. For example, |
| personality, motivation and attitude. | | | | advertising which suggests that failure to use a |
| Sociology influences the social background of each | | | | product (toothpaste, shampoo etc) will lead to |
| consumer. Hence consumer behavior is influenced by | | | | exclusion from a group you aspire to join. |
| culture, social class, reference groups, role and family | | | | 4. Esteem needs - this includes the need for |
| influence which in summary influences, the life style of | | | | recognition, status, prestige, reputation etc. |
| a people therefore explaining how and why people | | | | 5. Self Actualization - the highest level of need to "do |
| consume which illustrate how the psychological and | | | | one's own thing'. |
| sociological foundations have been built upon by | | | | 4. Personality: |
| marketers. | | | | Definition: "The configuration of individual characteristic |
| Psychology | | | | and ways of behaving which determine an individual's |
| 1. Perception: that is how people interpret a stimulus. | | | | unique adjustment to his environment. This definition |
| What we perceive at any given time, will depend not | | | | suggests that an overall consistency is an individual's |
| only on the nature of the actual stimulus, but also on | | | | pattern of behavior it is possible to categorize |
| the background or setting in which it exists - our own | | | | dominant traits and develop a classification of |
| previous sensory experiences, our feeling of the | | | | personality types which will be useful to marketers, as |
| moment and general prejudices, desires attitudes and | | | | it enables them to use personality as a factor in |
| goals. | | | | developing marketing strategies and marketing to suit |
| Given the fact that so many forces influence | | | | them. |
| perception it is not surprising that there should | | | | Cultural Valuea) Income |
| frequently occur a mismatch between the | | | | The salaries of consumers determine what they can |
| interpretation intended by the originator (in the case the | | | | afford in terms of pricing and the quality of goods. In |
| marketer) and the receiver (intended customer). It | | | | other words, income is a major determinant of |
| follows that those responsible for marketing stimuli | | | | demand which is very important in arriving at marketing |
| should pay very careful attention to psychological | | | | decisions.b) Social Class |
| findings concerning how people perceive things. | | | | Social class represents a stratification of society |
| In recent years marketers have made considerable | | | | usually three distinct social classes can be identified in |
| use of psychological explanations of perception in | | | | Jamaica. There are lower class, middle class and |
| developing their communications strategies and have | | | | upper class. |
| developed a number of specific applications of their | | | | Each social class is associated with certain life styles, |
| own. | | | | shopping behavior, language pattern, and so on. The |
| 2. Learning: In consumer behavior the basic theory of | | | | upper class will tend to spend more on luxury items |
| learning, that is, the stimulus - response) S - R) theory | | | | while the lower class will spend on basic necessities. |
| suggests that we learn to associate given responses | | | | In marketing therefore, goods and services are |
| to specific stimuli and these become habitual. | | | | produced according to certain specifications depending |
| The conjunctive theory of learning argues that what is | | | | on whether or not they are being made to suit the |
| learned is conjunctive that is more broadly based. In a | | | | upper, middle or lower class.c) Government |
| marketing content there seems to be support for both | | | | Regulations |
| theories in that some consumer behavior is more | | | | All manufacturers of goods and services are required |
| routine and habitual (S - R), while other purchasing | | | | to make their products in accordance with government |
| decisions are subject to extensive problem - solving | | | | regulations. This means that products must be |
| generalizing from part experience (marketing school). | | | | inspected and passed by statutory government bodies |
| It is important to note that two important areas of | | | | for example, the Bureau of Standards. |
| research in marketing draw heavily upon learning | | | | Government is a consumer of goods and services |
| theory in their conceptual framework namely the study | | | | because they are also buyers of goods and services |
| of advertising effectiveness and brand loyalty. | | | | for hospitals, schools, police to military, and so on.d) |
| 3. Motivation: | | | | Financial Climate |
| Abraham Maslow ('A Theory of Human Motivation') | | | | The financial climate of the economy grossly impacts |
| proposed a classification of human needs into five | | | | upon manufacturers' activities. |
| basic needs. | | | | If there is a lack of money in the society, then |
| These can be placed into a hierarchy such that as | | | | manufacturers will find it difficult to produce the goods |
| lower - order needs are satisfied we lose interest in | | | | and services required by the consumer. This is the |
| them and concentrate upon satisfying needs at the | | | | task of the government therefore to try and maintain |
| next higher level which have become more pressing. | | | | a stable economy in order to facilitate production. |
| Five steps in the Hierarchy in ascending order are: | | | | |