solomon16im.docx

1、solomon16im16CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON CONSUMER BEHAVIORChapter SUMMARYA societys culture includes its values, ethics, and the material objects and services produced by its people. It is the accumulation of shared meanings and traditions among members of a society. A culture can be described in terms o

2、f ecology (the way people adapt to their habitat), its social structure, and its ideology (including peoples moral and aesthetic principles). This chapter describes the primary aspects of culture and focuses on how cultural meanings are created and transmitted across society by its members.Myths are

3、 stories containing symbolic elements that express the shared ideals of a culture. Many myths involve some binary opposition, where values are defined in terms of what they are and what they are not (e.g., nature versus technology). Modern myths are transmitted through advertising, movies, and other

4、 media.A ritual is a set of multiple, symbolic behaviors that occur in a fixed sequence and that tend to be repeated periodically. Rituals are related to many consumption activities that occur in popular culture. These include holiday observances, gift giving, and grooming.A rite of passage is a spe

5、cial kind of ritual that involves the transition from one role to another. These passages typically entail the need to acquire products and services, called ritual artifacts, to facilitate the transition. Modern rites of passage include graduations, fraternity initiations, weddings, debutante balls,

6、 and funerals.Consumer activities can be divided into sacred and profane consumption domains. Sacred phenomena are “set apart” from everyday activities or products. People, events, or objects can become sacralized. Objectification occurs when sacred qualities are ascribed to products or items owned

7、by sacred people. Sacralization occurs when ordinary objects, events, and even people take on sacred meaning to a culture or to specific groups within a culture. Desacralization occurs when objects that previously were considered sacred become commercialized and integrated into popular culture.Chapt

8、er Outline1. Understanding Culture a. Culturea concept crucial to the understanding of consumer behaviormay be thought of as a societys personality. Put another way, culture is the accumulation of shared meanings, rituals, norms, and traditions among the members of an organization or society. 1) Cul

9、ture is the “lens” through which people view products. 2) The importance of cultural expectations often is only discovered when they are violated. 3) Sensitivity to cultural issues can only come by understanding underlying issues.Discussion OpportunityExplain why culture is the “lens” through which

10、people view products. b. A consumers culture determines the overall priorities he or she attaches to different activities and products. 1) It also mandates the success or failure of specific products and services. 2) Products and services resonate with the priorities of a culture at any given time.

11、3) Products and services can also provide a window onto the dominate cultural ideals of that period.*Use Consumer Behavior Challenge #1 Here *Discussion OpportunityAsk students how each of the following has affected the American culture: automobiles, microwaves, snowboards, computers, pocket pagers,

12、 the pill, leisure time, personal data assistants, Napster, and the Internet? What do you think came firstthe attitude or the product? c. Culture is not static. It is continually evolving, synthesizing old ideas with new ones. A cultural system consists of three functional ideas: 1) Ecologythe way a

13、 system adapts to its habitat. 2) Social structurethe way in which orderly social life is maintained. 3) Ideologythe way in which people relate to their environment and social groups. a) This revolves around the belief that members of a society possess a common worldview (they share certain ideas ab

14、out principles of order and fairness). b) They also share an ethos (a set of moral and aesthetic principles).Discussion OpportunityState what you think the U.S. culture would have to say about the cultures role in a worldview. State five ethos (principles) that we share. d. Although every culture is

15、 different, four dimensions appear to account for much of this variability. 1) Power distancehow interpersonal relationships form when power differences exist (e.g., employee/boss, student/teacher). 2) Uncertainty avoidancethreat created by ambiguous situations. 3) Masculinity/femininitydegree to wh

16、ich sex roles are clearly delineated. 4) Individualismdo they emphasize individuality or common good of the group. a) Cultures differ in their emphasis on individualism versus collectivism. b) In collectivist cultures, people subordinate their personal goals to those of a stable in-group. c) In indi

17、vidualist cultures, there is more attachment and importance associated with personal goals, and people are more likely to change memberships when the demands of the group become too costly.Discussion OpportunityAsk: How does a man prove he is masculine in our culture? How does a female prove she is

18、feminine in our culture? How do alternative lifestyles such as homosexuality fit into our culture?Discussion OpportunityAsk: Do you think the United States puts greater emphasis on individuality or the common good? Bring in ads that demonstrate both positions, however, defend yours. e. Values are ve

19、ry general ideas about good and bad goals. 1) From these flow norms, or rules dictating what is right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable. Norms can be: a) Enacted normsexplicitly decided on (e.g., go on the green light). b) Crescive normsembedded in culture and only discovered through interaction

20、with other members of that culture. These include: 1. A custom is a norm handed down from the past that controls basic behaviors. 2. A more is a custom with a strong moral overtone. 3. Conventions are norms regarding the conduct of everyday life. c) Many norms are learned vicariously as we watch oth

21、ers perform lifes little rituals.*Use Consumer Behavior Challenge #2 Here *Discussion OpportunityGive an example of an enacted norm, a crescive norm, a custom, a more, and a convention. Can you find any advertisements that illustrate these?Discussion OpportunityAsk students to give an illustration o

22、f how we learn culture vicariously. Think of how you have learned something in this way in the past. 2. Myths and Rituals a. Stories and practice help us make sense of the world. b. Every society has its “good” and “evil” and its “good luck” and “bad luck.” Myths c. Every society possesses a set of

23、myths that define that culture. A myth is a story containing symbolic elements that expresses the shared emotions and ideals of a culture. 1) It often features a conflict between two opposing forces. 2) It often sets good against evil. 3) It reduces anxiety because it provides consumers with guideli

24、nes about their world. 4) Strategies can be patterned after these myths.Discussion OpportunityAsk students to share their favorite myth. Have them explain how it is used. d. Myths serve four interrelated functions in culture: 1) Metaphysicalthey help explain the origins of existence. 2) Cosmological

25、all components are part of a single picture. 3) Sociologicalestablish a social code to maintain order. 4) Psychologicalestablish models for personal conduct.Discussion OpportunityThink of myths that seem to fall into the categories (functions) mentioned in the chapter (i.e., metaphysical, cosmologic

26、al, sociological, and psychological). How can these be tied (if they can) to purchasing? e. Myths can be analyzed by examining their underlying structures. It has been noted that many stories involve binary opposition, where two opposing ends of some dimension are represented. Characters or products

27、 are often characterized as to what they “are not” rather than what they “are.” 1) Conflict is often resolved by a mediating figure (animals are often given human characteristics). 2) A myth common to many cultures is a monomytha hero emerges from the everyday world and often has super powers (e.g.,

28、 comic book heroes). 3) Examples of mythic movies include: a) Gone With the Wind b) E.T.: The Extraterrestrial c) Star Trek Discussion OpportunityHave the class explain common myths from their cultures. How do these myths affect their purchase decisions or life?Discussion OpportunityBring in an adve

29、rtisement that you believe uses a myth to sell its products or services.Discussion OpportunityAsk: What movies do you think are mythical in nature and have changed our culture? What is the most recent mythical movie in your opinion? Why has it achieved this status? Rituals f. A ritual is a set of mu

30、ltiple, symbolic behaviors that occur in a fixed sequence and that tend to be repeated periodically. Rituals can occur at a variety of levels. 1) Many businesses owe their livelihoods to their ability to supply ritual artifacts, or items used in the performance of rituals, to consumers.*Use Table 16

31、-1 Here *Discussion OpportunityAsk: What is your morning ritual? What products do you need to support it? What are your primary rituals while a school? Isnt it interesting to think how all of these rituals will change in a few years when you enter the workplace full -time (and learn new rituals)?Dis

32、cussion OpportunityAsk: What ritual from college, your work place, or your family do you find to be the most fulfilling? Irritating? Explain and describe. 2) There are many grooming rituals that are dominant themes in commercials. 3) Two sets of binary oppositions expressed in personal rituals are: a) Private/public b) Work/leisure Discussion OpportunityAsk: What “beauty