The Psychological State of Consumer Attitude - Research Proposal Example

The Psychological State Of Consumer Attitude Student Name Course Tutor Institution Due Date Topic: Consumer Attitude Background The attitude of consumers has been used by commercial managers in their efforts to find the best way into the consumers’ hearts (Dann et al, 2007). This is because consumer attitude brings together issues related to communication, social status, identity, physical and mental health as well as decision making. Among the factors that can be monitored among the behaviour of consumers is the customers’ perception. Self perception with respect to social class and lifestyle has a key role in how the consumer will survey the market and how they turn their attention and react to the market. According to Henry (2005), the way consumers feel for the game has been the way financial practices are conducted every day1. A review of the articles demonstrates that the way consumers perceive themselves influences their consumer attitude. This includes their cultural values, influence of their children, their perception on lifestyle and brands as well as what they feel satisfies their needs (Van Osselaer and Alba, 2000)2. This paper shall provide a review of the influence of perceptions on consumer behaviour. The paper is based on various articles that investigate how self perception, cultural values, brand, lifestyle and children influence the behaviours of consumers. From the articles, the perception of consumers has been shown to influence their preferences in the consumer market. This perception is not only on themselves but also on the products. Their lifestyles influence how they perceive these products. A review of the articles indicates that perception of consumers is influenced by many other factors. As will be seen in the findings from the articles, consumers’ cultural values, lifestyle and how they value brands affects their perceptions on products (Davies & Fitchett, 2004)3. The decisions made by consumers are also influenced by children, especially adolescent children of the consumers. Further to this, consumers have their attitudes that are related to their ages, among other influences (Sorce, Perotti &Widrick, 2005)4. This too, affects their perception on products. The experiences that consumers get from products influence their perception on the brand. By and large, the review of these articles shows that consumer perception is influenced by many other factors revolving around the consumers’ lives (Kardes et al, 2004)5. Scope and Objectives of the Report The report covers research on consumer behaviour based on their perceptions of the product and the market. Consumers have different views on the products offered by the consumer market (Quester, Pettigrew and Hawkins, 2011)6. This report shows the effect of consumer perception on their behaviour. It also views the factors that influence their perceptions. These factors range from internal factors, which include what the consumer feels about the product out of their own feelings to external factors. The external factors include effects of other factors such as their cultural values, their children and even the society around them (Dolarslan and Torlak, 2013)7. The focus of the report is to show that consumer behaviour is greatly affected by the perception of consumers about the product. The report investigates various research articles that report on the factors that influence consumer behaviour. In addition to that, a correlation between the research articles and the perception of consumers is brought together in the report. To show the effect of perception on consumer behaviour, the report investigates various research articles on how consumer behaviour can influence their perception of consumers. The main objective of the report is to show that what consumers feel about a product determines whether they shall purchase the product (Cowart and Goldsmith, 2007)8. In addition, it also seeks to show that consumers can also have their perceptions on a product changed by their values, the society around them or even their children. Marketing and commercial managers can seek to understand the perception of consumers as another dimension to influencing their strategies on getting to the needs of consumers (Schiffman et al, 2008)9. The report also seeks to show that influencing the perception of consumers on products can be a move to getting their attention on the product. Methodology In the articles, various methods have been used differently. Belch and Wills (2002) used a self administered survey accompanied with convenience sampling. This method employed a field survey questionnaire that focused on adults so as to get the influence of family members on their decision making process. Cowart and Goldsmith (2007) used sampling technique of 357 college students from US to survey and demonstrate that consciousness of brand, fashion, quality and brand loyalty had a positive correlation with online shopping of apparels. Sorce and Wildrick (2005) used the same technique by carrying out a survey on more than 300 staff and students from a US university as they shared their experiences on online buying and shopping. The approach by Stern (2001) was different because he used previous research on consumer perception to determine how the motives, goals and desires of consumers influence their behaviours. Henry (2005) also used secondary sources to investigate the influence of consumer perception on their buying behaviours. The self perceptions were found to be personal values guiding certain preferred ways of acting and being the way consumers were. Major Findings Various articles provided various findings from the review. To begin with, Henry (2005) presented a new set of findings in the way humans behave10. He stated that the conditions of existence of humans are affected by a set of mental variables which are complex and intricate. In previous work by Henry, “habitus” was used to describe the set of variables. He stated that the conditions humans experience not only affect their lifestyle but also affects their consumer practices and choices. Through this argument, “habitus” is proclaimed to be a central conduit that exists between classes and practice patterns. By and large, conditions of existence get objectified through structures of class like age, gender and class. However, Henry (2005) argues that social conditioning results from a special mix of capitals that includes social, cultural and economic factors. In typical class structures, these factors represent positions (Cohen, 2003)11. Social class has a great effect in consumerism. Through social class, there is an experience of power within individuals (Stern, 2001)12. When they feel this sense of power, their self concept is shaped and the way in which they perceive themselves also changes. This has an impact on daily consumer practices because individuals display consumer behaviour based on how they perceive themselves in the social structure. Henry (2005) put forth the argument that through social class, individuals meet professionals in the financial domain and they set themselves up for more opportunities and for growth13. Through this, they take a wide perspective on investment and engage in a detailed budget planning (Beller et al, 2005)14. Individuals get a feeling of power based on their personal resources with respect to others. This argument is in tandem with the resource theory (Belch and Willis, 2002)15. Along with education, relative income and available time, social status also plays a part in the feeling of power. Therefore, Belch and Willis (2002) also agreed with Henry (2005) that social class creates a sense of power and this influences what and how individuals behave in the consumer market16. This influence was also seen in the family set up. Traditionally, a house where one couple was seen to the more superior of the other had more power and control and as a result, they had more influence in decision making. As Belch and Willis (2002) found out, this set up is changing. The change brought about is that the influence of family members varies as a function of two things: the decision making stage and the product category17. In fact, women are gaining more influence in products that had previously been dominated by men, like automobiles. Another concept brought forth is that the influence of family members in the process of decision making varies with the specific areas of decision and women have gained more input in all stages of decision making. This influence on decision making spreads down to children, who also play a key role on the consumer behaviours of their parents (Thakur, 2014)18. According to Shoham and Dalakas (2006), children and adolescents perceive products differently from their parents19. This implies that they have an influence on the decisions made by their parents with respect to product consumption. However, Dolarslan and Torlak (2013) noted that the influence that children and adolescents have on the decision making process depends on the stage20. When the decision making process is at a very advanced stage, the influence of children is not really massive and it is the parents who decide whether or not to give in to the demands of the children (Wang et al, 2007)21. Different gender also plays a role on the perception of people towards products (Sorce and Widrick, 2005)22. At some point, the difference in perception crops in on the consumer market. This can be seen in the aspect of colour or from face value, different tastes between the male and female. Aslam (2006) stated that the influence of colour can be used as a tool for marketing23. The right colour can be selected to fit the best market. Influence of colour can be used for occasion of the time or for the consumer at the time. While there are colours that the male might consider, the female might consider a different colour. In addition, the occasion of the time spells different colour requirements. Occasions such as Valentine’s Day require certain colours be used on products. This is not necessarily a requirement, but it bonds well if the perceived colour is used on the products. Cowart and Goldsmith (2007) further assert that college students perceive products differently and this influences their consumer behaviour24. In addition, students, children and adolescents are more likely to fall for the products that have been endorsed by celebrities, due to their perception of celebrities likes for the products (Biswas, 2006)25. Implications for consumer behaviour theories and practices From the various reviews, consumers’ perception on the consumer market is influenced by various factors that range from the society they are in, their feeling of power (social status), their family setting and their children (Thakur, 2014, Sorce et al 2005, Wang et al 2007, Shoham and Dalakas 2006)26. The gender of consumers as well as their age and attitude has a role to play in the way consumers perceive the consumer market (Sorce and Wildrick, 2005). In a family where individuals feel powerful, based on their income or education, they seem to have different consumer behaviour since they will want to get products that match up to their status. In addition, the behaviour of college students is different from the rest of the society since they are in a set up that exposes them to peer influence; hence they perceive products differently from other members of society. The practicing manager has the role of understanding the set up of the consumers before determining what products to present to them. Having a blend of products that matches all the requirements in the society can take up a great amount of resources. However, a differentiation strategy can be used based on the target market. This implies that the manager should use a strategy of producing specific products for the specific target market27. Limitations The reviewed articles have covered various aspects on consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour is very wide. The articles have not greatly displayed the influence of the various factors on consumer behaviour. For instance, the articles on influence of children on family decision making, Thakur (2014), Sorce et al (2005), Wang et al (2007), Shoham and Dalakas (2006), do not state the extent to which this influence goes. In reality, the influence of children is limited to a certain stage in the decision making (Dolarslan & Torlak, 2013)28. The influence of colour on consumer behaviour was stated clearly by Aslam (2006). However, the article does not show examples of colours and the influences they have on consumer behaviour.29 The article on changes in the structure of family households (Belch and Wills, 2002) only states the changes in the role of female in decision making but does not show the changed role of the male. In addition, the theories on cultural values do not state the extent of this influence on the decisions made (Davies and Fitchett, 2004, Beller et al, 2005)30. On the influence of celebrities on students Cowart and Goldsmith (2007), the article would have been more conclusive had it looked at the influence on a certain age group rather than just college students. This is because the influence is the same for certain age groups (Biswas, 2006)31. The article by Henry (2005) only gives a general perception on the influence of power on consumer behaviour. The article does not state how different levels of power, or feelings of power, portray their behaviours in the consumer market. Finally, the consumers’ perception on brand was discussed by Van Osselaer and Alba (2000)32. This article only mentions how a consumer’s take on a brand will influence their perception on the brand. However, the article does not mention how the consumer shifts, or how they change to a new brand, when the brand they are used to is outdated or out of market. Conclusion Consumer behaviour is influenced by many factors in life. These factors range from external factors, which include the society, and the people around us to internal factors that include individual feelings about products. It is the responsibility of the manager to understand how these factors influence the consumers’ behaviour and to provide products that blend with the consumers’ requirements. From the articles, it is clear that the manager should take an “outside-in” approach where they move outside to understand the behaviour of consumers before providing products to them. This ensures that the products developed suit the needs and the trends shown by the consumers. Bibliography Aslam, M. 2006, ‘Are you Selling the Right Colour? A Cross-Cultural Review of Colour as a Marketing Cue’, Journal of Marketing Communications, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 15-30. Belch, M. & Wills, L. 2002, ‘Family Decisions at the Turn of the Century: Has the Changing Structure of Households Impacted the Family Decision-Making Process?’ Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 111-25. Beller, K., Weiss, S. M., & Patler, L. 2005, The Consistent Consumer: Predicting Future Behavior Through Listing Values, Chicago, IL: Chicago Trade Pub. Biswas, D. 2006, ‘The Differential Effects of Celebrity and Expert Endorsements on Consumer Risk Perceptions’, Journal of Advertising, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 17-31. Cohen, L. 2003, A consumer’s republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Post-war America, New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Cowart, KO & Goldsmith, RE 2007, ‘The Influence of Consumer Decision-Making Styles on Online Apparel Consumption by College Students’, International Journal of Consumer Studies, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 639-47. Davies, A & Fitchett, J 2004, ‘Crossing Culture: A Multi Method Enquiry into Consumer Behaviour and the Experience of Cultural Transition’, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 315- 31. Dolarslan, E. & Torlak, O. 2013, ‘Relative Influence of Children and Adolescents on Family Purchasing Decisions: A Matched-Pair Analysis’, International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol. 4 No. 17, pp. 36-45. Henry, P. 2005, ‘Social Class, Market Situation And Consumers’ Metaphors of (dis) Empowerment’, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 766-79. Kardes, F., Cronley, M, Kellaris, J. & Posavac, S., 2004, ‘The Role of Selective Information Processing in Price-Quality Inference’, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 368-75. Quester, P., Pettigrew, S. and Hawkins, D.I., 2011, Consumer Behaviour, Australia: McGraw-Hill, 6th ed. Schiffman, L.G., Bednall, D., O’Cass, A., Paladino, A., Ward, S. & Kanuk, L. 2008, Consumer Behaviour (4th ed.), Sydney: Pearson/ Prentice-Hall. Shoham, A. & Dalakas, V. 2006, ‘How our Adolescent Children Influence us as Parents to Yield to Their Purchase Requests’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 23, No. 6, pp. 344-50. Stearns, P.N. 2001, Consumerism in World History: The Global Transformation of Desire. London: Routledge. Stern, B., 2001, ‘The Why of Consumption: Contemporary Perspectives on Consumer Motives, Goals and Desires’, Journal of Advertising Research, Vol. 41, No. 4, p. 83. Sorce, P, Perotti, V. & Widrick, S., 2005, ‘Attitude and Age Differences in Online Buying’, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 33, No. 2/3; p. 122. Solomon, Dann et al, 2007, Consumer Behaviour, Australia: Pearson. Thakur, P. 2014, ‘Influence of kids on purchasing decision in Family Study of Households in Jalandhar,’ Journal of Business and Management, Vol 16, Iss. 1, pp. 114-19. Van Osselaer, S. & Alba, J. 2000, ‘Consumer Learning and Brand Equity’, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 22, No, 1, pp. 1-16. Wang, S, Holloway, BB, Beatty, SE, & Hill, WW 2007, ‘Adolescent Influence in Family Purchase Decisions: An Update and Cross-National Extension’, Journal of Business Research, 60, 1117–1124. Appendix: Hypotheses and variables used in reviewed articles Authors DV: dependent variables IV : independent variables Relationship between DV and IV Hypotheses Belch and Willis (2006) DV: family purchasing behaviours IV: influence of women and children Family beliefs Positive Varies: family beliefs have varying effects on their purchasing behaviours H1: influence of family members varies depending on product category and decision making stage. H2: influence of family members on decision making process varies with the specific decision areas for every product category H3: the degree of family member’s influence has changed since 1970, demonstrating changes in roles and structures of the modern family. Cowart and Goldsmith (2007) DV: decision making style IV: quality consciousness Brand consciousness Fashion consciousness Positive Positive Positive H1: consumers are influenced by their perception on the quality of products H2: online purchasing provides easy ways of accessing information and making decisions on products Henry (2005) DV: self perception IV: social class, power, personal values, Positive, Positive Positive H1: power influences the perception of individuals H2: power shapes self concept and affects daily consumption practices H3: empowerment is a key phenomenon in the social class Stern (2001) DV: consumer perspective IV: goals, desires and motives positive H1: consumers are driven by certain goals and desires which influence their perception of a product H2: the motives that consumers have for a product affects their decision to purchase the product Sorce and Perotti (2005) DV: attitude and age IV: online buying negative H1: young people search for more products online as compared to old people H2: older people purchase more products as compared to their young counterparts Read More