Understanding External Influences on Consumer Behavior
1. Explain What External Influences on Consumer Behavior Are
External influences are factors outside an individual that shape their buying decisions. These include:
- Cultural Factors: Values, beliefs, and customs that define acceptable behavior.
- Social Class: Income, occupation, and education influencing preferences and purchasing power.
- Reference Groups: Friends, family, or celebrities who affect attitudes and product choices.
- Situational Factors: Physical environment, time, and occasion of purchase.
- Marketing Activities: Advertising, promotions, and brand image created by companies.
2. What Is Self-Concept?
Self-concept refers to how individuals perceive and evaluate themselves — their beliefs, attitudes, and feelings about who they are. It includes:
- Actual Self: How a person currently sees themselves.
- Ideal Self: How they would like to be.
- Social Self: How they think others perceive them.
In consumer behavior, self-concept influences product choices because people often buy products that reflect or enhance their self-image.
3. What Are Sensual Gratification and Abstinence in Consumer Behavior, and Why Study Them?
Sensual Gratification: The desire for pleasure, comfort, and enjoyment through consumption (e.g., luxury goods, food, entertainment).
Abstinence: Refers to restraint from indulgence, motivated by moral, cultural, or health values (e.g., minimalism, veganism, or religious restrictions). Studying these helps marketers understand emotional and cultural motivations behind consumption and tailor products or messages to different consumer values and lifestyles.
4. What Is the Difference Between Self-Oriented Values and Other-Oriented Values?
Self-Oriented Values: Reflect personal goals and desires, such as ambition, comfort, and success.
Other-Oriented Values: Reflect concern for others or society, such as generosity, honesty, and community well-being. In consumer behavior, self-oriented values drive purchases for personal satisfaction, while other-oriented values influence socially responsible consumption.
5. What Is Cohort Analysis?
Cohort analysis studies groups of consumers who share similar life experiences or were born in the same period (e.g., Millennials, Gen Z). It helps marketers understand how generational experiences influence preferences, attitudes, and buying behavior.
6. Explain What Subcultures Are and Why Study Them? Give Examples.
Subcultures are groups within a larger culture that share unique values, customs, or lifestyles.
Examples: Skateboarders, gamers, or vegans.
Studying subcultures helps marketers design targeted strategies that resonate with each group’s distinct identity and preferences.
7. What Is Full Nest and Delayed Full Nest in Consumer Behavior Theory?
- Full Nest: Families with young children. Expenses rise due to child-related needs (e.g., food, clothing, education).
- Delayed Full Nest: Families that have children later in life. These households often have higher incomes but similar child-related expenses, affecting spending patterns and brand choices.
8. What Are Consumer Skills?
Consumer skills are abilities that help individuals make effective purchasing decisions—such as comparing prices, evaluating product quality, budgeting, and understanding advertising or contracts.
9. What Is Instrumental Training in the Customer Socialization Process?
Instrumental training occurs when parents or peers teach children specific consumer behaviors directly—like how to use money, shop wisely, or choose brands. It’s a form of guided learning in consumer socialization.
10. Why Is Marketing to Children Fraught with Ethical Concerns?
Children are impressionable and lack the cognitive ability to understand persuasive intent in advertising. Marketing to them raises ethical issues such as promoting unhealthy food, materialism, or unrealistic expectations, leading to debates about exploitation and regulation.