3 Group Influences

Humans are inherently social animals, and individuals greatly influence each other.

A useful framework of analysis of group influence on the individual is the so called

reference group—the term comes about because an individual uses a relevant group

as a standard of reference against which oneself is compared. Reference groups

come in several different forms. The aspirational reference group refers to those

others against whom one would like to compare oneself. For example, many firms

use athletes as spokespeople, and these represent what many people would ideally

like to be. Associative reference groups include people who more realistically

represent the individuals’ current equals or near-equals—e.g., coworkers, neighbors,

or members of churches, clubs, and organizations. Finally, the dissociative reference

group includes people that the individual would not like to be like. For example, the

store literally named The Gap came about because many younger people wanted to

actively dissociate from parents and other older and "uncool" people. The Quality

Paperback Book specifically suggests in its advertising that its members are "a

breed apart" from conventional readers of popular books.

Personality and consumer behavior.

Traditional research in marketing has not been particularly successful in finding a link

between personality and consumer behavior. Part of the problem here is that much

of the theory has been developed by clinical psychologists who have tended to work
with maladjusted people. Not surprisingly, research that sought to predict, based on

standard personality inventories, which kinds of consumers would buy Chevrolets as

opposed to Fords was not successful.

Situational influences

Specific circumstances often influence consumer behavior. For example, consumers

in a rush are likely to take the most convenient product available. Consumers whose
attention is demanded elsewhere are likely to disregard commercial messages.
Consumers shopping for a special occasion (e.g., a wedding) may buy different
products.