Consumer Psychology

Personal

Every consumer has differing needs & wants 

• Personality
• Perceptions
• Experiences

Social

The role of society &  groups on consumption

Environmental

Influence of external agents on consumption

• Exposure to advertising
• Family or friends activating consumption 
• Transport availability etc 

• A contested concept
• East/West Divide
• Relatively recent construct 

Self Concept

• Beliefs & evaluations of personal qualities
• Some parts more central than others 

Self-Esteem

• + / - of evaluation of self-concept
• Associated with levels of confidence (not performance) 
• Recap: Real or ideal? 

Psychologist focus on: 

• Arousal of needs and wants
• State of tension this creates 
• Desired end-states (goals) 

Consciousness is a key ambiguity in theory 

Drive to reduce unpleasant states

• Hunger 
• Cold

Creates a push state to achieve desired one

• Satiation
• Warmth

Can you think of why we might prolong unpleasant states? 

• Behaviour Pulled by expectation

• Motives created by evaluation of postive outcomes

• Items with most postive consequences selected 

• Behaviour Pulled by expectation

• Motives created by evaluation of postive outcomes

• Items with most postive consequences selected 

• Approach - Approach 
• Approach - Avoid
• Avoid - Avoid

Hedonic

Aestheitc - Chocolate, gourmet foods, personal services

Social Needs - Nice shoes, clothes etc. 

Survival needs - Food, water, basic clothing

Utilitarian

Do we consume anything for pleasure alone? 

Most products or services also offer utility 

• Gucci Jackets keep us warm
• Nike Mercurials protect our feet

However, the utility of products can detract from appeal

Knowing about motivation is tricky 

• Much of what we do is subconscious 
• Motives may be embarrasing 
• Unpacking why we act is, thus tricky 

"Lasting, General evaluation of people (including oneself), objects, advertisement or issues)" - Solomon et al, 2016). 

"A psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favour disfavour" (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). 

THE ABC MODEL: 

• Affect (emotion)
• Behaviour (purpose) 
• Cognition 

• Utilitarian function

• Value-expressive function

• Ego-defensive function

• Knowledge function

Beliefs - Standard learning hierarchy; attitude based on cognitive info processing - Behaviour

Behaviour - Low involvement hierarchy; Attitude based on behavioural learning processes - Beliefs

Affect - The experimental hierarchy; Attitude based on experience - Beliefs

Psychological perspectives have evolved to include social influences

• Gender
• Group Membership 
• Culture
• Lifecourse

Theory of Planned Behaviour!!!