CHAPTER SIX

Behavioral
Dimensions of the
Consumer Market

For use only with

Perreault and McCarthy
texts.
© 2005 McGraw-Hill
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.

© 2005 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., McGraw-Hill/Irwin

The Behavioral Sciences Help You
Understand the Buying Process

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Exhibit 6-1
How We Will View Consumer Behavior

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Psychological Influences within an Individual

Needs
Needs

Wants
Wants

Drives
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
Selective
Exposure
Exposure

Selective
Selective Selective
Selective
Retention
Retention Perception
Perception

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Learning Determines What Response Is Likely

Drive
Drive

Cues
Cues

Reinforcement

Response
Response

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Cue

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Attitudes Relate to Buying

Belief:
Belief: An
An
Opinion
Opinion Need
Need ToTo
Attitude:
Attitude: AA Understand
Understand
Point
Point of
of View
View Attitudes
Attitudes &&
Beliefs
Beliefs
Key
Key
Concepts
Concepts
Meeting
Meeting Work
Work with
with
Expectations
Expectations Existing
Existing
Is
Is Important
Important Attitudes
Attitudes
Ethical
Ethical Issues
Issues
May
May Arise
Arise
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Personality and Lifestyle Analysis

Personality:
Personality: How
How
People
PeopleSee
SeeThings
Things

Activities
Activities

Interests
Interests

Opinions
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
Type of
of Location
Location of
of
Occupation
Occupation Education
Education Housing
Housing Housing
Housing

Income Is Not the Main Determinant!

© 2005 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Other Social Influences

Reference
Reference Groups
Groups

Opinion
Opinion Leaders
Leaders

Culture
Culture

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Individuals Are Affected by
the Purchase Situation

Purchase
Purchase Time
Time Physical
Physical
Reason
Reason Available
Available Surroundings
Surroundings

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Consumers Use Problem Solving Processes

Psychological
Psychological Social
Social Influences
Influences Purchase
Purchase
Variables
Variables Situation
Situation
Need-want
Need-want Awareness
Awareness

Information
Information Search
Search

Set
Set Criteria
Criteria

Decide
Decide on
on Solution
Solution

Purchase
Purchase Product
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
Routinized Limited
Limited Extensive
Extensive
Response
Response Problem
Problem Problem
Problem
Behavior
Behavior Solving
Solving 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
Awareness

Interest
Interest

Evaluation
Evaluation

Trial
Trial Dissonance
may set in
after the
Decision
Decision decision!

Confirmation
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

© 2005 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., McGraw-Hill/Irwin

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

© 2005 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., McGraw-Hill/Irwin