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Exam

Name___________________________________

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

1) The set of basic values, perceptions, wants and behaviours learned by a member of society by 1)
family and other important institutions is known as:
A) social class.
B) peer group.
C) sub-culture.
D) culture.
E) reference group.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

2) Marketers of low-involvement products often use ________ and ________ to stimulate trial of a 2)
brand.
A) competitions; direct response advertising
B) advertising; public relations
C) TV advertising; radio advertising
D) Internet advertising; buzz marketing
E) price; sales promotion
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

3) Scott Briggs, finance manager for Cabota Corporation, will determine how his company will 3)
finance its next major equipment purchase. In this purchasing situation, Scott has assumed the role
of:
A) facilitator. B) buyer. C) influencer. D) initiator. E) decider.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

1
4) When consumers make purchase decisions about products that are expensive, risky and/or 4)
important to them, consumers are said to be making which type of decision?
A) high engagement
B) high complexity
C) high attachment
D) high involvement
E) high participation
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

5) The stage of the buyer decision process that deals with how consumers process information to 5)
arrive at brand choices is known as:
A) evaluation of alternatives.
B) purchase decision.
C) post-purchase behaviour.
D) information search.
E) limited scale trial.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

6) The study of how people make decisions when the outcome is uncertain, and the departures from 6)
optimal or "rational" choice that sometimes result is known as:
A) probability theory.
B) mental accounting.
C) behavioural economics.
D) bounded rationality.
E) the uncertainty principle.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

2
7) A group that serves as a direct or indirect point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes or 7)
behaviour is known as a(n):
A) influential group.
B) opinion leader group.
C) membership group.
D) reference group.
E) aspirational group.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

8) An aspirational group is BEST defined as: 8)


A) any group that has a direct influence on a person's behaviour.
B) a group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and
situations.
C) a group to which an individual wishes to belong.
D) a group who, because of their special skills, knowledge, personality or other characteristics,
exert influence on others.
E) a group that serves as a direct or indirect point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes
or behaviour.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

9) A group that serves as a direct or indirect point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes or 9)
behaviour is known as a(n):
A) aspirational group.
B) reference group.
C) membership group.
D) opinion leader group.
E) influential group.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

3
10) A person's distinguishing psychological characteristics that lead to relatively consistent and lasting 10)
responses to one's own environment is termed their:
A) ego.
B) psychometry.
C) personality.
D) individuality.
E) self-construct.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

11) Aaron's hunting and fishing activities, his interest in military history and opinions about an 11)
all-volunteer army reflect his:
A) personality.
B) self-concept.
C) demographics.
D) social class.
E) lifestyle.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

12) Lou is constantly begging his mother to buy him a pair of in-line skates because all of the popular 12)
boys at his school have these. His mother contends that he'll just break something if she buys him
the skates. For Lou, the most popular boys in his school are an example of:
A) a reference group.
B) a social class.
C) a sub-culture.
D) a demographic group.
E) a culture.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

4
13) Opinion leaders are BEST defined as which of the following? 13)
A) a group that serves as a direct or indirect point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes
or behaviour
B) a group who, because of their special skills, knowledge, personality or other characteristics,
exert influence on others
C) a group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and
situations
D) a group to which an individual wishes to belong
E) any group that has a direct influence on a person's behaviour
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

14) The discomfort sometimes felt following a purchase is known as: 14)
A) cognitive discontinuity.
B) cognitive disconformity.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) preference incongruity.
E) choice anxiety.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

15) Some marketers encourage consumers to have regular payments for things such as magazine 15)
subscriptions or insurance payments charged via monthly payments to a credit card. This is
because consumers pay less attention to the monthly charge because it is just one of many charges
that appear on a credit card statement. This phenomenon is BEST explained by which of the
following concepts from behavioural economics?
A) Mental accounting
B) Integrating losses
C) Segregating losses
D) Segregating gains
E) Loss aversion
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

5
16) When consumers make purchase decisions for products that are frequently purchased, low-cost or 16)
low-risk items such as fast moving consumer goods, consumers are said to be making which type
of purchase decision?
A) low risk
B) low participation
C) low engagement
D) low involvement
E) low complexity
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

17) The influencer is BEST described by which of the following statements? 17)
A) the person who ultimately makes a buying decision or any part of it
B) the person who first suggests or thinks of the idea of buying a particular product or service
C) the person who consumes or uses a product or service
D) a person whose views or advice carry some weight in making the final buying decision
E) the person who makes an actual purchase
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

18) In terms of psychographics or value segments, the group which accounts for about 3 per cent of the 18)
population and is characterised by people who have reduced their needs in line with their reduced
income. This is a description of which values segment?
A) Something Better
B) Basic Needs
C) Traditional Family Life
D) Fairer Deal
E) Conventional Family Life
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

19) A need that is sufficiently pressing to direct a person to seek satisfaction is known as a: 19)
A) necessity. B) want. C) motive. D) limin. E) desire.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

6
20) Consumers frequently notice more makes and models of cars after their purchase than they did 20)
before their purchase. This phenomenon is most closely related to:
A) cognitive disconformity.
B) choice anxiety.
C) cognitive discontinuity.
D) preference incongruity.
E) cognitive dissonance.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

21) Advertising messages for low-involvement products typically use: 21)


A) short messages highlighting as many key benefits as possible.
B) messages designed to change beliefs and attitudes to the brand.
C) short messages with few key points and symbolic imagery.
D) persuasive arguments outlining reasons why consumers should switch brands.
E) all of the above
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

22) A sub-culture is defined as: 22)


A) a group whose members share a set of basic values, perceptions, wants and behaviours that
were learned from family and social institutions.
B) relatively homogenous, permanent and ordered divisions of society.
C) a group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and
situations.
D) a group that serves as a point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes or behaviour.
E) a group whose members have similar incomes.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

7
23) Some evidence suggests that consumers place a higher value on a separate gain such as a 23)
cash-back offer, rather than a single gain of the same value, such as a price discount. This
phenomenon is BEST explained by which of the following concepts from behavioural economics?
A) Segregated losses
B) Segregated gains
C) Mental accounting
D) Integrating losses
E) Integrating gains
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

24) The first step of the buyer decision process is which of the following? 24)
A) information search
B) post-purchase behaviour
C) comparison of brands
D) purchase decision
E) evaluation of alternatives
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

25) To assess and describe lifestyles, marketers use which of the following? 25)
A) econometrics
B) sociometrics
C) psychographics
D) ethnographics
E) psychometrics
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

8
26) A role is BEST defined by which of the following statements? 26)
A) The set of interactions and ways of behaving that a person exhibits within a social network.
B) The set of activities people are expected to perform according to those around them.
C) A person's pattern of living, as expressed in their activities and interests.
D) The general esteem given to a person who occupies a given occupation or social position.
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

27) A group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and situations is 27)
known as a(n):
A) sub-culture.
B) social class.
C) reference group.
D) aspirational group.
E) culture.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

28) Jane has been shopping in the city all day for a special outfit to wear to her cousin's wedding next 28)
week. Although she just can't seem to find the "perfect outfit" she feels she is running out of time
and purchases a dress that she feels will do. While standing at the register to pay for her outfit, Jane
vaguely notices the store has a "No exchange" sign posted on the wall behind the cashier but does
not give it much attention. As she heads homeward, Jane is dismayed to see a boutique displaying
the "ideal outfit" in the shop window. Jane is feeling frustrated by the hasty purchase earlier in the
day. Jane is experiencing:
A) cognitive dissonance.
B) decision anxiety.
C) cognitive disconformity.
D) preference incongruity.
E) cognitive discontinuity.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

9
29) Which of the following statements BEST reflects the concept of bounded rationality? 29)
A) Most consumers make irrational purchasing decisions.
B) The rise of online communications technologies means that almost anyone can acquire near
perfect information about brands and product categories.
C) Buyers are always looking for shortcuts to minimise the time and effort involved in making
purchase decisions.
D) Most people make decisions with limited information and have a limited ability to collect and
process information.
E) Buyers make the best possible decisions with the limited information they have.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

30) The tendency for people to screen out most of the information to which they are exposed is known 30)
as:
A) selective attention.
B) filtering.
C) selective perception.
D) selective retention.
E) selective distortion.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

31) According to Maslow, the needs that will be satisfied before people will be concerned with other 31)
types of needs are:
A) social.
B) physiological.
C) basic.
D) belonging.
E) safety.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

10
32) The tendency for people to adapt information to personal meanings and interpret it in a way that 32)
supports their pre-held beliefs is known as:
A) retention.
B) perception.
C) exposure.
D) distortion.
E) attention.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

33) Some budget airlines have unbundled traditional air-fares by separating the seat from other 33)
ancillary service components by charging separate fees for baggage, head-phones, in-flight meals,
issuing boarding passes etc. While this strategy allows the airline to advertise highly competitive
fares, in practice it has annoyed customers. Customer responses to these unpopular additional
charges are BEST explained by which of the following concepts from behavioural economics?
A) Mental accounting
B) Integrating losses
C) Segregated gains
D) Segregated losses
E) Risk-aversion
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

34) Complex buying behaviour is MOST likely to occur in which of the following situations? 34)
A) low involvement purchases where the consumer perceives significant differences between
brands
B) high involvement purchases where there is a significant perceived difference between brands
in the category
C) low involvement purchases where the consumer has little prior knowledge of the category or
the brand
D) institutional purchasing where a committee or group of persons is responsible for purchasing
E) expensive, high risk, high involvement purchases where consumers perceive only minor
differences between brands in the category
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

11
35) In terms of psychographics or value segments, the group which accounts for about 17 per cent of 35)
the population and is characterised by people who feel they have made it and can reflect this
achievement in their homes, cars and choice of holiday location. This is a description of which
values segment?
A) Visible Achievement
B) Something Better
C) Real Conservatives
D) Socially Aware
E) Look At Me
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

36) Bill thought he had received the best deal on his new car. Shortly after the purchase, Bill started to 36)
notice certain disadvantages of his new car as he learned more about other cars available. Bill is
experiencing:
A) post-purchase culture.
B) cognitive dissonance.
C) purchase decision.
D) selective perception.
E) information overload.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

37) According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the LEAST pressing need is: 37)
A) safety.
B) social.
C) self-actualisation.
D) esteem.
E) belonging.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

12
38) The stages a family passes through over time are described by the: 38)
A) social cycle.
B) family history index.
C) family stage index.
D) family life cycle.
E) family life index.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

39) Brand personality analysts have labeled the popular music channel, MTV, as daring, spirited, and 39)
highly imaginative. Which of the following brand personality traits BEST suits MTV?
A) competence
B) excitement
C) ruggedness
D) sophistication
E) sincerity
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

40) Culture is BEST defined as: 40)


A) a group that serves as a point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes or behaviour.
B) relatively homogenous, permanent and ordered divisions of society.
C) a group whose members share common income, occupation, lifestyle and wealth.
D) a group whose members share a set of basic values, perceptions, wants and behaviours that
were learned from family and social institutions.
E) a group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and
situations.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

13
41) According to the traditional buyer process, outlined in your text, problem recognition is followed 41)
by which step of the consumer's decision process?
A) purchase decision
B) information search
C) post-purchase behaviour
D) comparison of brands
E) evaluation of alternatives
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

42) Andrew and Mitch are reading a list of sayings with which they both agree. Among the sayings are 42)
"if at first you don't succeed, try, try again," "hard work is its own reward" and "time is money." The
sayings Andrew and Mitch are reading reflect their ________ characteristics.
A) social class
B) psychological
C) demographic
D) cultural
E) psychographic
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

43) When Nike introduces a new style of athletic shoe to the market, it often provides physical 43)
instructors and aerobics trainers with a free pair, anticipating that the trainers will pass on
favourable word of mouth messages about the benefits of the style. In this case, Nike is cultivating:
A) a virtual community.
B) a social network.
C) public relations.
D) buzz marketing.
E) a brand community.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

14
44) Some marketers offer consumers making a relatively expensive purchase, the option of buying a 44)
second, related item for a marginal additional fee. For example, a fashion boutique is offering
cashmere coats for sale at $500 each. However, for an additional $25 buyers can also obtain a
matching scarf. The uptake rates on such offers is generally good because it is believed that
consumers prefer to absorb the cost of the second item into a single purchase, rather than process
the cost of the second item separately. This phenomenon is BEST explained by which of the
following concepts from behavioural economics?
A) Segregated losses
B) Integrated losses
C) Segregated gains
D) Integrated gains
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

45) When directed towards a particular stimulus object such as a product, a drive becomes a(n): 45)
A) want. B) action. C) need. D) desire. E) motive.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

46) Anastasia looked at the February issue of Women's Health magazine but saw little of interest. 46)
However, after her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, she found the issue extremely
interesting and informative because it offered advice on how to help people who are suffering from
this problem. The September issue of the magazine became quite interesting to Anastasia due to:
A) unconscious motivations.
B) selective attention.
C) social factors.
D) subliminal messaging.
E) cognitive dissonance.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

15
47) Matt's car is constantly breaking down but he is reluctant to spend the money on a new vehicle. 47)
Matt's wife is fed up with having to rescue Matt whenever he experiences car trouble and says,
"Honey, I think it's time for you to buy a new car." Matt's wife is which of the following?
A) an opinion leader
B) an influencer
C) an initiator
D) a reference person
E) none of the above
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

48) Which of the following statements about subliminal messages is true? 48)
A) Subliminal messages can coerce consumers into purchasing products they don't want or need.
B) When consumers think of a product category, brands that they have learned about from
subliminal messages come to mind.
C) Consumer researchers have found no link between subliminal messages and consumer
behaviour.
D) The use of subliminal messages is a form of neuromarketing.
E) Research shows that subliminal messages work in very subtle ways.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

49) Matt believes that the best way to truly escape from his humdrum life is on the back of a 49)
motorcycle. He has almost saved enough money to buy himself one. After studying all the
literature he can find on motorcycles, he realises that there are significant differences among the
Yamaha, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki brands. He makes a list of the features of
each, and then compares this list to his ideal list of features. After careful thought, Matt buys a
Harley-Davidson. Matt has engaged in ________ behaviour.
A) dissonance-reducing buyer
B) complex buying
C) variety seeking buyer
D) habitual buyer
E) luxury-seeking
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

16
50) Reflecting the general esteem afforded by society, a role carries: 50)
A) status.
B) prestige.
C) stigma.
D) image.
E) expectation.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

51) Which of the following presents needs in the sequence, from lowest to highest, as set out in 51)
Maslow's hierarchy?
A) safety, physiological, social, esteem, self-actualisation
B) physiological, social, safety, esteem, self-actualisation
C) safety, physiological, esteem, social, self-actualisation
D) physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualisation
E) physiological, safety, esteem, social, self-actualisation
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

52) A lifestyle is BEST defined by which of the following statements? 52)


A) The general esteem given to a person who occupies a given occupation or social position.
B) A person's pattern of living, as expressed in their activities and interests.
C) The set of interactions and ways of behaving that a person exhibits within a social network.
D) The set of activities people are expected to perform according to those around them.
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

53) In low-involvement purchases, consumers often skip or reverse some of the stages of the: 53)
A) evaluation of alternatives.
B) buyer decision process.
C) information search.
D) pre-purchase trial.
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

17
54) The belief that "we are what we have" and how people develop a complex picture of themselves are 54)
known as:
A) ego.
B) individuality.
C) lifestyle.
D) personality.
E) self-image.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

55) Minor stimuli that determine when, where and how the person responds are known as: 55)
A) prompts. B) attitudes. C) motives. D) drives. E) cues.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

56) Mary Steele has just purchased a packet of razor blades as requested by her husband. In this 56)
purchasing situation, Mary has assumed the role of:
A) influencer. B) initiator. C) decider. D) buyer. E) user.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

57) Social class is defined as: 57)


A) relatively homogenous, permanent and ordered divisions of society.
B) a group whose members share a set of basic values, perceptions, wants and behaviours that
were learned from family and social institutions.
C) a group whose members have similar incomes.
D) a group that serves as a point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes or behaviour.
E) a group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and
situations.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

18
58) When shopping for cake-mixes, Milly knows that her family will be just as satisfied whether she 58)
buys Betty Crocker brand, Cadbury, or General Foods. Milly is probably engaging in ________
behaviour.
A) dissonance-reducing buyer
B) complex buying
C) variety seeking buyer
D) habitual buyer
E) need satisficing
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

59) Ben is a tech-head. He studied computer science at university and is into the latest trends in 59)
consumer electronics and communications technologies, reading all the latest magazines and
following the most informative websites. Ben is very knowledgeable about electronic products and
his friends often seek out his advice when approaching a purchase decision in this category. Which
of the following descriptions BEST describes Ben's role among his friends?
A) social networker
B) facilitator
C) referent actor
D) initiator
E) opinion leader
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

60) Consumers, engaged in low-involvement purchase decisions where they perceive significant 60)
differences between brands in the category, are highly likely to engage in brand switching. This
purchase situation is known as:
A) high engagement buying behaviour.
B) variety seeking buying behaviour.
C) dissonance reducing buying behaviour.
D) habitual buying behaviour.
E) complex buying behaviour.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

19
61) Pat and Mike are mates despite their different political orientations. Pat is a Liberal voter while 61)
Mike votes Labour. The pair has just listened to a televised debate in which the leaders of the two
major political leaders showcased their policies. Pat thinks the Liberal leader's performance was far
superior, but Mike disagrees. The most likely explanation for the difference in interpretation is
selective:
A) perception.
B) attention.
C) retention.
D) distortion.
E) interpretation.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

62) Perth Research Associates is seeking to measure the lifestyles of its current and potential markets. 62)
The company will most likely use which of the following?
A) sociometrics
B) ethnographics
C) psychographics
D) econometrics
E) pychometrics
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

63) Ben's girlfriend comments that his facial skin is a bit dry, prompting Ben to consider using a 63)
moisturiser. However, Ben knows very little about skincare products, so he asks his mother to
purchase a good quality brand for him to use. Ben's mother is acting as which of the following?
A) an influencer
B) a buyer
C) an initiator
D) a decider
E) an opinion leader
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

20
64) Society's relatively permanent and ordered divisions whose members share similar values, interests 64)
and behaviours are known as a(n):
A) reference group.
B) social class.
C) culture.
D) aspirational group.
E) sub-culture.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

65) The tendency for people to remember good points made about a brand they like and forget good 65)
points made about competing brands is known as:
A) selective retention.
B) selective distortion.
C) selective perception.
D) forgetting.
E) selective attention.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

66) Research designed to probe consumers' hidden, subconscious desires and/or drives is BEST 66)
described by which of the following?
A) quantitative research
B) ethnographics
C) neuromarketing
D) motivation research
E) qualitative research
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

21
67) The process by which people select, organise and interpret information to form a meaningful 67)
picture of the world is known as:
A) interpretation.
B) exposure.
C) perception.
D) inference.
E) intelligence.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

68) Social class is determined by a combination of factors. Which of the following is NOT one of the 68)
variables used to measure social class?
A) income
B) education
C) occupation
D) residence
E) wealth
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

69) Which of the following is NOT one of the steps in the traditional buyer decision process, as 69)
outlined in your text?
A) limited scale trial
B) purchase decision
C) information search
D) evaluation of alternatives
E) post-purchase behaviour
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

22
70) Consumers are less likely to engage in extensive search for information and make weighty 70)
decisions about products or brands when they are in which type of purchase situation?
A) complex buying behaviour
B) habitual buying behaviour
C) high engagement buying behaviour
D) dissonance reducing buying behaviour
E) variety seeking buying behaviour
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

71) People who, because of their special skills, knowledge, personality or other characteristics, exert 71)
influence on others are known as:
A) opinion leaders.
B) social classes.
C) aspirational groups.
D) reference groups.
E) membership groups.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

72) A system of classifying purchase decisions according to the degree of importance to the consumer 72)
is known as:
A) involvement.
B) attachment.
C) complexity.
D) participation.
E) engagement.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

23
73) Jacob's girlfriend has been throwing out hints that she wants a cat as a birthday present. She did not 73)
specify a breed. Jacob has never bought a cat before and can't tell the difference among a Manx, a
Himalayan, or a Persian. To Jacob, a cat is a cat even if it does cost $200, as do the pedigree cats he
finds at the pet store. Jacob buys the first cat he sees that isn't making a lot of racket. Jacob engages
in ________ behaviour.
A) dissonance-reducing buyer
B) complex buying
C) variety seeking buyer
D) habitual buyer
E) luxury-seeking
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

74) While watching Entertainment Tonight, Cordelia noticed the show had a feature on Chondroitin, a 74)
drug that helps promote cartilage regeneration and healthy joints. She has taken the medicine for
the last three years and is convinced the medicine is the only reason she is able to work in her yard
without her joints aching like they used to. The feature began with a description of how the product
works and concluded with a discussion of its potential life-threatening side effects. Cordelia called
her sister to tell her how the feature supported her belief in how good the drug was for joint pain.
Due to ________, Cordelia did not remember the negative comments about Chondroitin.
A) selective retention
B) selective attention
C) perceptual aggregation
D) selective distortion
E) information overload
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

75) Select the words that BEST complete the following sentence. 75)
For low involvement consumers, ad repetition creates brand ________ rather than brand ________.
A) attitude; personality
B) awareness; recall
C) familiarity; conviction
D) recognition; conviction
E) recognition; recall
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

24
76) A reference group is BEST described as: 76)
A) a group who, because of their special skills, knowledge, personality or other characteristics,
exert influence on others.
B) a group of people with shared value systems based on common life experiences and
situations.
C) any group that has a direct influence on a person's behaviour.
D) a group to which an individual wishes to belong.
E) a group that serves as a direct or indirect point of comparison in forming a person's attitudes
or behaviour.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

77) When buying snacks for her friends to eat while watching football, Tania may buy Smiths chips, 77)
Copper Pot dips, Arnott's cookies, and sometimes Home Brand cakes. Tania is MOST LIKELY to be
engaged in ________ behaviour.
A) dissonance-reducing buyer
B) complex buying
C) variety seeking buyer
D) habitual buyer
E) luxury-seeking
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

78) Jill Peters was very satisfied with the first Amway cosmetic product she purchased. She now seeks 78)
the Amway brand whenever she purchases any similar item. Jill's behaviour is explained by the
concept of:
A) reinforcement.
B) generalisation.
C) conceptualisation.
D) discrimination.
E) differentiation.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

25
79) In terms of psychographics or value segments, the group which accounts for about 12 per cent of 79)
the population and is characterised by people who are directed by their peer group, watch a lot of
TV and are always on the move. This is a description of which values segment?
A) Visible Achievement
B) Fairer Deal
C) Look At Me
D) Socially Aware
E) Young Optimism
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

80) Sam and Lizzie regularly read restaurant reviews in their daily newspaper. Whenever they see a 80)
favourable review of a restaurant, they will try it out. For Sam and Lizzie, the restaurant reviewer is
an example of a(n):
A) membership group.
B) aspirational person.
C) reference person.
D) social leader.
E) opinion leader.
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

81) According to a study reported in your text, a brand's personality consists of a number of specific 81)
traits. Which of the following is NOT one of the traits reported in this study?
A) competence
B) image
C) sincerity
D) sophistication
E) excitement
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

82) A strong internal stimulus that calls for action is called a: 82)
A) need. B) desire. C) drive. D) motive. E) want.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

26
83) Product Review Australia is a consumer generated website where consumers can write reviews 83)
about recent purchases, ask questions and generally exchange information about products and
services. This site is BEST described as an example of:
A) an online social network.
B) buzz marketing.
C) a blog.
D) a virtual brand community.
E) none of the above
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

84) Julie read an article stating that accounting graduates are receiving the highest starting salary offers 84)
among all business students. The article also stated that marketing students start with lower
salaries but surpass all other students' salaries within ten years. Julie doesn't remember reading this
last part of the article, just the first part. Julie's experience is an example of:
A) selective perception.
B) selective retention.
C) selective exposure.
D) reinforcement.
E) selective attention.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

85) The person who first suggests or thinks of the idea of buying a product or service is known as the: 85)
A) decider. B) influencer. C) initiator. D) buyer. E) user.
Answer: C
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

27
86) When consumers are highly involved with an expensive, infrequent or risky purchase, but see little 86)
difference between brands, they are said to be undertaking which type of purchase situation?
A) high engagement buying behaviour
B) habitual buying behaviour
C) complex buying behaviour
D) variety seeking buying behaviour
E) dissonance reducing buying behaviour
Answer: E
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

87) The most basic influence on consumer behaviour is: 87)


A) demographic.
B) cultural.
C) psychological.
D) social class.
E) pyschographic.
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

88) Mambo is a market leader in its field. The company is constantly seeking to maintain the 88)
uniqueness of its packaging, and point out the differences between its product and those of its
competitors. Mambo is attempting to encourage customers to:
A) generalise.
B) discriminate.
C) distort.
D) differentiate.
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

28
89) After watching television for three hours per day as part of a research study, a respondent was 89)
asked to list the ads that he had seen. He could only list two ads, both of which were promoting
sporty cars. This response is best explained as an example of selective:
A) forgetting.
B) distortion.
C) exposure.
D) retention.
E) perception.
Answer: D
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

90) The principle that people have a limited ability to collect and process information, to choose 90)
between their competing wants, and to work out the consequences of their actions is known as:
A) bounded rationality.
B) finite rationality.
C) boundary spanning.
D) behavioural economics.
E) mental accounting.
Answer: A
Explanation: A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

TRUE/FALSE. Write 'T' if the statement is true and 'F' if the statement is false.

91) Motivation research refers to qualitative research designed to probe consumers' hidden, 91)
subconscious motivations.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

92) Needs can be triggered by internal stimuli, but they are seldom triggered by external stimuli. 92)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

93) Early adopters should receive significant marketing attention as a result of their status as 93)
community opinion leaders.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

94) Personal factors that influence behaviour include occupation, economic circumstances, family, and 94)
culture.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

29
95) Perception could be described as the process by which people select, organise and interpret 95)
information.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

96) Generally, people will remember information that supports their attitudes and beliefs more easily 96)
and for more time than information that conflicts with those predispositions.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

97) Buyers pass through the same stages of the buyer decision process regardless of whether the 97)
purchase reflects high or low involvement.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

98) The leading brand among a category of products is likely to encourage discrimination in order to 98)
maintain its position.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

99) Generally, it is easier to attempt to modify a market offering to make it acceptable to consumer 99)
predispositions than to attempt to change consumer attitudes.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

100) The consumer will pass through all of the stages of the buyer decision process for even the most 100)
routine purchases.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

101) The buyer of a product is always the initiator and influencer. 101)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

102) Motivation research refers to qualitative research designed to probe consumers' hidden, 102)
subconscious motivations.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

103) Lifestyle profiles a person's total pattern of living as expressed by that person's activities, interests 103)
and opinions.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

104) A reference group is a relatively homogeneous and enduring division of society. 104)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

30
105) Unlike beliefs, attitudes are highly volatile entities which are easy to change. 105)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

106) When introducing a new product, an innovating firm typically directs its marketing efforts toward 106)
innovators and the early adopters.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

107) A brand personality is the specific mix of human traits that can be attributed to a particular brand. 107)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

108) People are less upset by one larger loss than several smaller losses, even though there may be no 108)
difference in the dollar value of the two situations.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

109) Nationality groups such as Italians, Greek, Vietnamese and Maori are examples of social class. 109)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

110) According to your text, some degree of cognitive dissonance may be expected to accompany every 110)
major purchase transaction.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

111) Product and brand images are generally composed of the consumer's beliefs about the product. 111)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

112) A first-year business student is preparing to purchase her first computer. Since she knows little 112)
about either the product category or the various brands in that category, she is likely to be highly
involved and engage in habitual response behaviour.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

113) Cognitive dissonance is experienced in the information search phase of the buyer decision process 113)
when the prospective purchase receives conflicting information about the benefits of different
brands.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

114) According to the concept of consumer buying roles, the initiator is typically the person who 114)
ultimately makes part, or all, of the purchase decision.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

31
115) By definition, a motive directs a person toward the satisfaction of some need. 115)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

116) The consumer's evaluation of alternatives begins with a need, progresses through analysis of the 116)
bundle of attributes, and results in a determination of the benefits the consumer needs to meet
his/her needs.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

117) The principle that people have limited ability to collect and process information, to choose between 117)
their competing wants, and to work out the consequences of their actions is known as bounded
rationality.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

118) The principle that people have limited ability to collect and process information, to choose between 118)
their competing wants, and to work out the consequences of their actions is known as bounded
rationality.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

119) A brand personality is the specific mix of human traits that can be attributed to a particular brand. 119)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

120) A belief is essentially a descriptive thought that a person holds about a stimulus object. 120)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

121) According to Freud, an individual is unlikely to ever understand his or her own motivations 121)
completely.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

122) Learning describes changes in an individual's behaviour arising from experience. 122)
Answer: True False
Explanation:

123) If in order to buy a new recliner for his family room, Josh visited several furniture show rooms and 123)
test sat in a variety of chairs. This would be described as a public source of information.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

124) The fact that information will be lost on people who are not in the market for a product for which 124)
they may receive information means that marketers must work hard to overcome selective
exposure.
Answer: True False
Explanation:

32
ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper.

125) Why is an understanding of perception essential to marketing success? Discuss the implications of selective
exposure, selective distortion, and selective retention for the advertiser.
Answer: Consumers do not respond to reality, but to their perception, or understanding, of it. Marketers often say
that the perception is the reality. Perception is a very individual phenomenon no two people will
necessarily perceive the same object the same way. Marketers cannot assume that their target customers
will perceive an offering the same way they do. Consumers select stimuli in accordance with their
interests and predispositions. They will distort messages to make them fit those predispositions. And,
they remember what they perceive to be important to them, in the way that they want to remember it.
The marketer must attempt to understand the perceptions of his or her target market in order to design
offerings that the consumer will notice, interpret "currently," and remember long enough to act upon.

126) Identify and briefly explain the four types of consumer buying behaviour and the degree of differences between
brands. Give examples of each buying behaviour to illustrate your understanding.
Answer: Complex buying behaviour: Consumers undertake complex buying behaviour when they are highly
involved in a purchase and perceive significant differences between brands. Consumers may be highly
involved when the product is expensive, risky, purchased infrequently and highly self-expressive.
Typically, the consumer has to learn about the product category. This buyer will pass through a learning
process, first developing beliefs about the product, then forming an overall attitude, and then making a
thoughtful purchase choice. Marketers of high-involvement products must understand the
information-gathering and evaluation behaviour of high-involvement consumers, and also take account
of the fact that they process persuasive information differently.

Dissonance-reducing buying behaviour: Dissonance-reducing buying behaviour occurs when


consumers are highly involved with an expensive, infrequent or risky purchase, but see little difference
between brands. For example, consumers buying carpeting may face a high-involvement decision
because carpeting is expensive and self-expressive. Yet these buyers might consider most carpet brands
in a given price range to be the same. In this case, where perceived brand differences are not large, buyers
might shop around to learn what is available, but buy relatively quickly. They might respond primarily
to a good price or to purchase convenience. After the purchase, consumers might experience
post-purchase dissonance (after-sale discomfort) when they notice certain disadvantages of the
purchased carpet brand or hear favourable things about brands not purchased. To counter such
dissonance, the marketer's after-sale communications should provide evidence and support to help
consumers feel good about their brand choices.

Habitual buying behaviour: Habitual buying behaviour occurs under conditions of low consumer
involvement and little significant brand difference. Taking salt as our example, we would find that
consumers have little involvement in this product category they simply go to the store and reach for a
brand. If they keep reaching for the same brand, it is out of habit rather than strong brand loyalty.
Consumers appear to have low involvement with most low-cost, frequently purchased products. In such
cases, consumer behaviour does not pass through the usual belief-attitude-behaviour sequence.
Repetition in advertising creates brand familiarity rather than brand conviction. Consumers do not form
strong attitudes toward a brand; they select the brand because it is familiar. Because they are not highly
involved with the product, consumers may not evaluate the choice even after purchase. Thus, the buying
process involves brand beliefs formed by passive learning, followed by purchase behaviour, which may
or may not be followed by evaluation.

Variety-seeking buyer: Consumers undertake variety-seeking buying behaviour in situations


characterised by low consumer involvement but significantly perceived brand differences. In such cases,
consumers often do a lot of brand switching. For example, when buying biscuits a consumer might hold
some beliefs, choose a biscuit brand without evaluation, than evaluate that brand during consumption.
But the next time the consumer might pick another brand out of boredom or simply to try something

33
Answer: different. Brand switching occurs for the sake of variety rather than because of dissatisfaction. In such
product categories, the marketing strategy of the market leader will often be different from that of the
minor brands. The market leader will try to encourage habitual buying behaviour by dominating shelf
space, keeping shelves fully stocked and running frequent reminder advertising. Challenger firms will
encourage variety seeking by offering lower prices, special deals, coupons, free samples and advertising
that presents reasons for trying something new.

127) Briefly describe the various roles a person may play in the buying decision process. Which role(s) would be of
greatest significance to the marketer? What practical problems would the marketer face in attempting to use this
model?
Answer: The initiator is the person who first suggests or thinks of the idea of buying a particular product or
service. An influencer provides advice or suggestions which carry some weight in making a final
decision. The decider ultimately determines whether, what, when, where and/or how to buy. The buyer
makes the actual purchase. The user actually consumes or uses the product or service. The marketer
would definitely desire to reach the decider and influencers. Unfortunately, different people play
different roles for different products and different people may play these roles for the same product in
different buying units. While it is relatively easy to observe who buys, and perhaps uses, the product,
more sophisticated research is required to deal with the other roles.

128) While marketers know a great deal about the general characteristics of opinion leaders, the identification of
appropriate opinion leaders for specific products is difficult. How might the marketer deal with this problem?
Answer: Opinion leaders tend to be product specific that is, they concentrate upon a particular type of product or
small group of products. It is for those items that they serve as opinion leaders. Since the opinion leader
has a strong interest in specific products and actively seeks information regarding them, the marketer
may reach those people by placing informational messages in specialised media. For example, marketers
of a new camera could reach opinion leaders for photographic products by cultivating relationships with
journalists who write about photographic equipment with a view to having them provide favourable
commentary. In addition, photography magazines are likely to be consulted by heavy users of
photographic equipment, many of whom will be opinion leaders. Simply placing advertising and
promotional messages in specialised magazines will put the product before a more receptive audience.
The messages placed in those media should be information-oriented and much more technical than
messages placed in the mass media. The use of specialised media allows opinion leaders to "self select."
The marketer can reach them without having to identify them individually.

129) Personal characteristics that influence consumer decision making and buying behaviour include psychological,
personal, cultural and social factors. Describe each of these factors and the ways in which marketers deal with
them in practice. Give examples of the practices that you would expect to find within (an) organisation(s) to
illustrate your understanding of each of the factors.
Answer: Psychological factors: influences of motivation, learning, beliefs, attitudes of personality or self-concept
on the choices that people make
Personal factors: influences of age, life-cycle, occupation, education and economic situation on the
choices that people make
Culture: influences of culture, sub-culture and social class on choices that people make
Social factors: effects of household type or other relevant factors on choices that people make
Students should expand their answers to include relevant examples

34
130) What special problems are likely to be associated with the marketer's attempts to use psychographics? Why is
psychographic information usually used with demographic data?
Answer: Psychographic information is much more subjective than traditional demographics. The values, attitudes
and opinions which compose this type of information are much less obvious, much harder to obtain, and
their meanings and impacts much less clear. Consumers may be unaware of the content or meanings of
some of this information or unwilling to reveal it. The researcher may face attempts at concealment
and/or rationalisation in their attempts to uncover the impacts of such factors upon behaviour. Typically,
the researcher is forced to interpret his or her findings a process that is likely to result in the
"contamination" of the consumer's viewpoints by those of the interpreter. Demographics are used to
provide an objective, traditional means of classifying psychographic data and giving them an identifiable
focus for marketing programmes. Age groups can be more easily identified and targeted, for example,
than can people having a certain psychological trait. If the marketer knows that 18 25 year-olds are
likely to be venturesome, he or she can appeal to that trait when addressing that group.

131) A mature couple, approaching retirement, is thinking about taking a luxury cruise around North America or
Europe. Apply the buyer decision process to this couple's travel decision.
Answer: Problem Recognition: The couple's impending retirement is most likely the trigger for the problem
recognition stage. Many people travel around the time of retirement. Perhaps travel is a long-held dream
which can now be fulfiled due to increased leisure time and the financial means to make it happen?
Perhaps the couple simply wants to use a long break as a transition from full-time work to retirement?
Perhaps they view a long holiday as a reward for many years of hard work? Perhaps a friend or relative
suggested the idea? Whatever, the reason, taking time out for a long holiday is relatively common among
recently retired people.

Information Search: Consumers can obtain information from any of several sources. These include
personal sources (family, friends, neighbours, acquaintances), commercial sources (advertising, salespeople,
dealers, packaging, displays), public sources (mass media, online comparison websites) and experiential
sources (handling, examining, using the product). The relative influence of these information sources
varies with the product and the buyer. For services, personal sources of information are particularly
important so the couple are likely to talk to friends and relatives who have travelled. The travel agent is
also a very important personal source of information. For travel products, other important sources of
information include: travel websites, consumer generated travel reviews, brochures, travel guides such as
Lonely Planet Guides and travel sections in major newspapers.

The couple are likely to use a combination of these sources to generate a list of possible destinations,
dates of travel, cruise ships, amenities and reputations, services provided and expected cost of fares. The
set of brands that emerges from this stage is known as the "consideration set" the set of brands that the
couple will consider purchasing. It is this set of brands that will be evaluated in more detail during the
next stage of the decision process.

Evaluation of alternatives: This stage refers to the way that the couple process the information to arrive
at brand choices. As the text suggests, this stage depends very much on the individual consumer and the
specific buying situation. However, since luxury cruising is a high ticket item, and for many people
represents a once in a life-time opportunity, it is probable that the couple will develop a carefully
considered set of evaluative criteria. While the set of evaluation criteria are likely to be highly
idiosyncratic, it will probably include such things as price, service level, food quality, cabin quality,
reputation of company reputation including its safety record, destinations visited, number of quality of
amenities e.g. pool, gym, recreational activities. The weightings attached to each criterion are expected to
vary across different consumers.

In terms of price, it should be noted that mature consumers, especially those seeking out luxury services,
tend to be less price sensitive. Instead of focussing on absolute price, they are more likely to focus on
"value for money." Any comparison of cruise fares is complex, because cruises are of different durations
35
Answer: and cover different distances so that prices are not directly comparable. Some consumers may use a very
logical approach by calculating the per diem price of different options in order to obtain highly objective
comparisons of competing offers. For the remaining evaluation criteria, the couple will need to make
more subjective comparisons and assessments.

Purchase decision: The couple has several options: direct purchase via cruise company or purchase via
an intermediary such as a travel agent or online travel service such as Expedia.

Students may care to note that Roy Morgan Research, mentioned in the chapter, provides high quality
research on Australian travellers' purchasing habits. Students are encouraged to consult some of the more
relevant media releases such as "Travel Agents Important when choosing an overseas holiday"
(http://www.roymorgan.com/news/press-releases/2012/1670) which shows that travel agents remain the
single most important source of information for travel information, followed closely by the Internet.
Alternatively, students can search Roy Morgan's archive of press releases and papers for insights about
prospective travellers.

Post-purchase: After purchasing the product the consumers engage in post-purchase behaviour. During
this stage, they assess the overall service performance and form general impressions about their level of
satisfaction. For a luxury cruise, passengers are likely to keep many souvenirs of their holiday
photographs, travel diaries, trinkets purchased at various destinations. These souvenirs provide the
couple with opportunities to share their experiences with friends and relatives. Cruise liners understand
this and typically provide passengers with many opportunities to collect memorabilia, such as souvenir
menus, opportunities to have photos taken with the ship's captain etc. Such memorabilia not only helps
consumers to cement their satisfaction ratings, but also provides them with opportunities to provide
word-of-mouth referrals for the company.

132) Briefly outline each of the stages of the buyer decision process. Be sure to give a brief description of each stage.
Answer: a) Problem recognition: The first stage of the buyer decision process, in which the consumer recognises a
problem or need. The buyer senses a difference between his or her actual state and some desired state.
The need can be triggered by internal or external stimuli.
b) Information search: The stage of the buyer decision process in which the consumer is aroused to
search for more information; the consumer may simply have heightened attention or may go into active
information search.
c) Evaluation of alternatives: The stage of the buyer decision process in which the consumer uses
information to evaluate alternative brands in the choice set. The consumer can use product attributes,
degrees of importance, brand beliefs, total product satisfaction, or an evaluation procedure to perform
alternative evaluation.
d) Purchase decision: The stage in the buyer decision process in which the consumer actually buys the
product. Factors that can influence this action phase are: the purchase intention, the attitudes of others,
and unexpected situational factors.
e) Post-purchase behaviour: The stage of the buyer decision process in which consumers take further
action after purchase based upon their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The considerations are the
consumers' expectations and the products' perceived performance. Cognitive dissonance can set in, and
must be dealt with before complete satisfaction can be achieved.

36
133) Dairy Australia is a marketing authority responsible for marketing dairy foods. One of its core objectives is to
create primary demand for dairy foods in general rather than to promote any specific brand. A recent
advertising campaign for the Australian Dairy Board encouraged young women aged 15-45 to eat more dairy
products including milk, cheese and yoghurt. The main thrust of the campaign was that women should include
three servings of dairy in their daily diet in order to prevent osteoporosis from developing in later years. The
campaign met with very limited success and was eventually withdrawn. Using the concept of motives or drives,
explain why the campaign was not as successful as the Dairy Board had hoped.
Answer: A motive or drive is a need that is sufficiently pressing to direct the person to seek satisfaction. People
need to consume calcium and vitamins present in dairy, but they can obtain those dietary requirements
from foods other than dairy. Most Australians consume some dairy products in a typical day, but many
women do not consume three standard servings of dairy per day. Younger women, in particular, worry
that dairy foods are "fattening" and tend to be very light consumers of dairy. Although it is conventional
wisdom that dairy foods provide calcium needed for bone strength, this is simply not a sufficient
motivation to drive behaviour in younger women. Teenage girls are unlikely to think about what might
happen to them in forty, fifty or sixty years time. Younger people are also very short term thinkers. For
the typical teenager, the short-term is today, the medium term is the weekend and the long term is the
term break. For most young women who are healthy and active, thinking about health in their advanced
years is simply not a pressing issue. In short, the fear of developing osteoporosis lacks sufficient strength
to drive purchasing behaviour.

Dairy Australia is likely to have greater success with its advertising if it can find consumer benefits that
provide more pressing motives. For example, some recent scientific research has suggested that the
unique combination of vitamins and minerals in dairy foods improve the texture and appearance of skin,
hair and nails. Appealing to vanity is likely to provide a more immediate motive for Dairy Australia.

134) The information search in the buying decision process involves gathering information from a number of
sources. Name the four different sources that an individual would use when buying a microwave oven and give
examples of each.
Answer: Personal sources would include family, friends, neighbours and acquaintances. Commercial sources
would include advertising, paid salespeople, the packaging materials that a microwave comes in and
store displays. As regards commercial sources, paid product placement in TV cooking programmes, such
as Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules has become an increasingly important source of information for
cooking appliances and food ingredients. Public sources include publicity pieces in print and broadcast
media and reports by consumer-rating organisations. Experiential sources might be using one at work or
eating something prepared in a microwave, or watching friends and relatives use a microwave oven.

135) Technically, generational segments are not demographic segments. Implicit in the understanding of
generational segments is the notion that members of each segment share value systems based on common
life-experiences and situations. As such, one way of thinking about generational segments is that they are
subcultures. For each of the following generational segments, briefly discuss the major life experiences that
might have shaped their value systems:

(i) Seniors (born before 1945)


(ii) Baby boomers (born between 1945 and 1960)
(iii) Generation X (born between 1960 and 1975)
(iv) Generation Y (born after 1975)
Answer: This is a reflective question that calls on an understanding of the concepts and some general knowledge.
Of course, some of the following comments are generalizations and should not be taken to imply that
every member of the generational segment exhibits identical attitudes. As the chapter points out, there
are individual differences. Nevertheless, thinking about life events can help to enrich our understanding
of the moments and experiences that shaped a generation. Students will have varied answers to this
question.

37
Answer: Seniors:
Seniors experienced at least one world war and many also experienced the great depression of the 1930s.

Defining life events


• Two world wars and the privations associated with that, e.g., food rationing
• Great depression
Attitudes
• Learned to be self sufficient and make ends meet
• Place a high value on hard work and austerity
• Tend to be conservative
• These attitudes often translate into careful, considered purchasing and a reluctance to adopt new
technologies

Baby Boomers
This generation grew up in the period following the second world war.

Defining Life events


• Grew up amid the prosperity of the post war economic boom
• Experienced the cold war and the threat of global nuclear attack
• Were surrounded by the "isms" of the 1960s and 1970s consumerism, environmentalism, feminism,
civil rights, anti-Vietnam moratoriums, etc. and were the social pioneers of these movements
• Witnessed the Apollo spacecraft land on the moon
• Increasing opportunities for education and upward mobility
• Many scientific discoveries unraveling DNA, advent of contraceptive pill
Attitudes
• Independent thinkers, want to be in control of their own destinies
• Materialist but want to simplify lifestyles
• Obsessed with safety and regulations
• Tend to be "workaholics"
• Starving for self-realisation
Baby boomers often see themselves as rebels and social pioneers. They need to feel that they are setting
the agenda in politics, popular culture and business. As they age, baby boomers are trying to change
perceptions of ageing through technologies, surgical intervention and drugs. Many baby boomers say
that "60 is the new 40" as a means of shaping the way that ageing is perceived.

Generation X
It may be worth noting that the term, Generation X was coined by Canadian novelist, Douglas Coupland
who first used in a book with the title, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, 1991. Use of the
letter "x" was designed to add an air of mystery.

Defining Life Events


• Born into a generation that has experienced radical social, economic and technological change
• Grew up with uncertain economic times (did not enjoy the same prosperity as Gen X)—Asian economic
crisis, dot.com collapse, several recessions
• Grew up with major structural change in labour force—casualisation, job sharing, multi-tasking,
decline of middle management, service based economies, high staff turnover rates
• Social changes—many grew up in broken homes as divorce became more common; no enduring work
relationships
• Segment witnessed many global events but lack momentous events that galvanise the cohort. Some of
the events that are relevant to this cohort are:
o OPEC Oil Crisis
o Entebbe Hijacking
o Reunification of Germany
o First reports of HIV/ AIDS
38
Answer: o Hole in Ozone Layer Reported
o Pocket Calculators Introduced
o Walkman cassette player introduced
o World Wide Web released by CERN
Attitudes
Sense of social disruption not especially loyal to groups, employers or brands
Lack icons and symbols that are unique to the generation
Cynical and reluctant to commit to relationships
Less interested in material possessions and more interested in quality time

Generation Y
Gen Y is the first generation that had access to computers throughout their formative educational years.
This generation is tech savvy and passionate about technology and has sought to redefine "chic" to
include technology enthusiasts. For many members of the previous generations, science and technology
was often seen as uncool. But, for Generation Y "geek is chic." For this segment, the traditional media is
seen as "uncool." Many Generation Ys would prefer to read books and newspapers on a computer screen
than in print.

Defining Life Events


• Grew up with the Internet and other new media
• Technology permeates most aspects of life—entertainment, music, reading, communications etc. for
example musical preferences tend towards techno music—sampling, synthesisers etc.
Attitudes
• Passionate about high technology
• Empowered by technology
• Tend to be optimistic about the future
• Special status as masters of technology
• Connected via "virtual communities"
• Technology gives personal power
• Kings of "Cool"

A salient feature of generational segments is that their composition does not change over time. Whereas,
age groups (18-24, 25-29, 30-35, etc.) change their composition with each passing year, generational
segments remain fairly constant over time.

39
Answer Key
Testname: C7

1) D
2) B
3) E
4) D
5) A
6) C
7) D
8) C
9) A
10) C
11) E
12) A
13) B
14) C
15) B
16) D
17) D
18) B
19) C
20) E
21) C
22) C
23) B
24) A
25) C
26) B
27) A
28) E
29) D
30) A
31) B
32) D
33) D
34) B
35) A
36) B
37) C
38) D
39) B
40) D
41) B
42) B
43) D
44) B
45) E
46) B
47) C
48) C
49) B
50) A
40
Answer Key
Testname: C7

51) D
52) B
53) B
54) E
55) E
56) B
57) B
58) D
59) E
60) B
61) D
62) A
63) D
64) B
65) A
66) D
67) C
68) D
69) A
70) B
71) A
72) A
73) A
74) A
75) C
76) E
77) C
78) B
79) C
80) E
81) B
82) C
83) A
84) B
85) C
86) E
87) B
88) B
89) D
90) A
91) TRUE
92) FALSE
93) TRUE
94) FALSE
95) TRUE
96) TRUE
97) FALSE
98) TRUE
99) TRUE
100) FALSE
41
Answer Key
Testname: C7

101) FALSE
102) TRUE
103) TRUE
104) FALSE
105) FALSE
106) TRUE
107) TRUE
108) TRUE
109) FALSE
110) TRUE
111) TRUE
112) FALSE
113) FALSE
114) FALSE
115) TRUE
116) FALSE
117) TRUE
118) TRUE
119) TRUE
120) TRUE
121) TRUE
122) TRUE
123) FALSE
124) TRUE
125) Consumers do not respond to reality, but to their perception, or understanding, of it. Marketers often say that the
perception is the reality. Perception is a very individual phenomenon no two people will necessarily perceive the
same object the same way. Marketers cannot assume that their target customers will perceive an offering the same way
they do. Consumers select stimuli in accordance with their interests and predispositions. They will distort messages to
make them fit those predispositions. And, they remember what they perceive to be important to them, in the way that
they want to remember it. The marketer must attempt to understand the perceptions of his or her target market in
order to design offerings that the consumer will notice, interpret "currently," and remember long enough to act upon.

42
Answer Key
Testname: C7

126) Complex buying behaviour: Consumers undertake complex buying behaviour when they are highly involved in a
purchase and perceive significant differences between brands. Consumers may be highly involved when the product is
expensive, risky, purchased infrequently and highly self-expressive. Typically, the consumer has to learn about the
product category. This buyer will pass through a learning process, first developing beliefs about the product, then
forming an overall attitude, and then making a thoughtful purchase choice. Marketers of high-involvement products
must understand the information-gathering and evaluation behaviour of high-involvement consumers, and also take
account of the fact that they process persuasive information differently.

Dissonance-reducing buying behaviour: Dissonance-reducing buying behaviour occurs when consumers are highly
involved with an expensive, infrequent or risky purchase, but see little difference between brands. For example,
consumers buying carpeting may face a high-involvement decision because carpeting is expensive and
self-expressive. Yet these buyers might consider most carpet brands in a given price range to be the same. In this case,
where perceived brand differences are not large, buyers might shop around to learn what is available, but buy
relatively quickly. They might respond primarily to a good price or to purchase convenience. After the purchase,
consumers might experience post-purchase dissonance (after-sale discomfort) when they notice certain disadvantages
of the purchased carpet brand or hear favourable things about brands not purchased. To counter such dissonance, the
marketer's after-sale communications should provide evidence and support to help consumers feel good about their
brand choices.

Habitual buying behaviour: Habitual buying behaviour occurs under conditions of low consumer involvement and
little significant brand difference. Taking salt as our example, we would find that consumers have little involvement in
this product category they simply go to the store and reach for a brand. If they keep reaching for the same brand, it is
out of habit rather than strong brand loyalty. Consumers appear to have low involvement with most low-cost,
frequently purchased products. In such cases, consumer behaviour does not pass through the usual
belief-attitude-behaviour sequence. Repetition in advertising creates brand familiarity rather than brand conviction.
Consumers do not form strong attitudes toward a brand; they select the brand because it is familiar. Because they are
not highly involved with the product, consumers may not evaluate the choice even after purchase. Thus, the buying
process involves brand beliefs formed by passive learning, followed by purchase behaviour, which may or may not be
followed by evaluation.

Variety-seeking buyer: Consumers undertake variety-seeking buying behaviour in situations characterised by low
consumer involvement but significantly perceived brand differences. In such cases, consumers often do a lot of brand
switching. For example, when buying biscuits a consumer might hold some beliefs, choose a biscuit brand without
evaluation, than evaluate that brand during consumption. But the next time the consumer might pick another brand
out of boredom or simply to try something different. Brand switching occurs for the sake of variety rather than because
of dissatisfaction. In such product categories, the marketing strategy of the market leader will often be different from
that of the minor brands. The market leader will try to encourage habitual buying behaviour by dominating shelf
space, keeping shelves fully stocked and running frequent reminder advertising. Challenger firms will encourage
variety seeking by offering lower prices, special deals, coupons, free samples and advertising that presents reasons for
trying something new.
127) The initiator is the person who first suggests or thinks of the idea of buying a particular product or service. An
influencer provides advice or suggestions which carry some weight in making a final decision. The decider ultimately
determines whether, what, when, where and/or how to buy. The buyer makes the actual purchase. The user actually
consumes or uses the product or service. The marketer would definitely desire to reach the decider and influencers.
Unfortunately, different people play different roles for different products and different people may play these roles for
the same product in different buying units. While it is relatively easy to observe who buys, and perhaps uses, the
product, more sophisticated research is required to deal with the other roles.

43
Answer Key
Testname: C7

128) Opinion leaders tend to be product specific that is, they concentrate upon a particular type of product or small group
of products. It is for those items that they serve as opinion leaders. Since the opinion leader has a strong interest in
specific products and actively seeks information regarding them, the marketer may reach those people by placing
informational messages in specialised media. For example, marketers of a new camera could reach opinion leaders for
photographic products by cultivating relationships with journalists who write about photographic equipment with a
view to having them provide favourable commentary. In addition, photography magazines are likely to be consulted
by heavy users of photographic equipment, many of whom will be opinion leaders. Simply placing advertising and
promotional messages in specialised magazines will put the product before a more receptive audience. The messages
placed in those media should be information-oriented and much more technical than messages placed in the mass
media. The use of specialised media allows opinion leaders to "self select." The marketer can reach them without
having to identify them individually.
129) Psychological factors: influences of motivation, learning, beliefs, attitudes of personality or self-concept on the choices
that people make
Personal factors: influences of age, life-cycle, occupation, education and economic situation on the choices that people
make
Culture: influences of culture, sub-culture and social class on choices that people make
Social factors: effects of household type or other relevant factors on choices that people make
Students should expand their answers to include relevant examples
130) Psychographic information is much more subjective than traditional demographics. The values, attitudes and opinions
which compose this type of information are much less obvious, much harder to obtain, and their meanings and
impacts much less clear. Consumers may be unaware of the content or meanings of some of this information or
unwilling to reveal it. The researcher may face attempts at concealment and/or rationalisation in their attempts to
uncover the impacts of such factors upon behaviour. Typically, the researcher is forced to interpret his or her findings
a process that is likely to result in the "contamination" of the consumer's viewpoints by those of the interpreter.
Demographics are used to provide an objective, traditional means of classifying psychographic data and giving them
an identifiable focus for marketing programmes. Age groups can be more easily identified and targeted, for example,
than can people having a certain psychological trait. If the marketer knows that 18 25 year-olds are likely to be
venturesome, he or she can appeal to that trait when addressing that group.
131) Problem Recognition: The couple's impending retirement is most likely the trigger for the problem recognition stage.
Many people travel around the time of retirement. Perhaps travel is a long-held dream which can now be fulfiled due
to increased leisure time and the financial means to make it happen? Perhaps the couple simply wants to use a long
break as a transition from full-time work to retirement? Perhaps they view a long holiday as a reward for many years
of hard work? Perhaps a friend or relative suggested the idea? Whatever, the reason, taking time out for a long holiday
is relatively common among recently retired people.

Information Search: Consumers can obtain information from any of several sources. These include personal sources
(family, friends, neighbours, acquaintances), commercial sources (advertising, salespeople, dealers, packaging, displays),
public sources (mass media, online comparison websites) and experiential sources (handling, examining, using the
product). The relative influence of these information sources varies with the product and the buyer. For services,
personal sources of information are particularly important so the couple are likely to talk to friends and relatives who
have travelled. The travel agent is also a very important personal source of information. For travel products, other
important sources of information include: travel websites, consumer generated travel reviews, brochures, travel guides
such as Lonely Planet Guides and travel sections in major newspapers.

The couple are likely to use a combination of these sources to generate a list of possible destinations, dates of travel,
cruise ships, amenities and reputations, services provided and expected cost of fares. The set of brands that emerges
from this stage is known as the "consideration set" the set of brands that the couple will consider purchasing. It is this
set of brands that will be evaluated in more detail during the next stage of the decision process.

Evaluation of alternatives: This stage refers to the way that the couple process the information to arrive at brand
44
Answer Key
Testname: C7

choices. As the text suggests, this stage depends very much on the individual consumer and the specific buying
situation. However, since luxury cruising is a high ticket item, and for many people represents a once in a life-time
opportunity, it is probable that the couple will develop a carefully considered set of evaluative criteria. While the set of
evaluation criteria are likely to be highly idiosyncratic, it will probably include such things as price, service level, food
quality, cabin quality, reputation of company reputation including its safety record, destinations visited, number of
quality of amenities e.g. pool, gym, recreational activities. The weightings attached to each criterion are expected to
vary across different consumers.

In terms of price, it should be noted that mature consumers, especially those seeking out luxury services, tend to be less
price sensitive. Instead of focussing on absolute price, they are more likely to focus on "value for money." Any
comparison of cruise fares is complex, because cruises are of different durations and cover different distances so that
prices are not directly comparable. Some consumers may use a very logical approach by calculating the per diem price
of different options in order to obtain highly objective comparisons of competing offers. For the remaining evaluation
criteria, the couple will need to make more subjective comparisons and assessments.

Purchase decision: The couple has several options: direct purchase via cruise company or purchase via an
intermediary such as a travel agent or online travel service such as Expedia.

Students may care to note that Roy Morgan Research, mentioned in the chapter, provides high quality research on
Australian travellers' purchasing habits. Students are encouraged to consult some of the more relevant media releases
such as "Travel Agents Important when choosing an overseas holiday"
(http://www.roymorgan.com/news/press-releases/2012/1670) which shows that travel agents remain the single most
important source of information for travel information, followed closely by the Internet. Alternatively, students can
search Roy Morgan's archive of press releases and papers for insights about prospective travellers.

Post-purchase: After purchasing the product the consumers engage in post-purchase behaviour. During this stage,
they assess the overall service performance and form general impressions about their level of satisfaction. For a luxury
cruise, passengers are likely to keep many souvenirs of their holiday photographs, travel diaries, trinkets purchased
at various destinations. These souvenirs provide the couple with opportunities to share their experiences with friends
and relatives. Cruise liners understand this and typically provide passengers with many opportunities to collect
memorabilia, such as souvenir menus, opportunities to have photos taken with the ship's captain etc. Such
memorabilia not only helps consumers to cement their satisfaction ratings, but also provides them with opportunities
to provide word-of-mouth referrals for the company.
132) a) Problem recognition: The first stage of the buyer decision process, in which the consumer recognises a problem or
need. The buyer senses a difference between his or her actual state and some desired state. The need can be triggered
by internal or external stimuli.
b) Information search: The stage of the buyer decision process in which the consumer is aroused to search for more
information; the consumer may simply have heightened attention or may go into active information search.
c) Evaluation of alternatives: The stage of the buyer decision process in which the consumer uses information to
evaluate alternative brands in the choice set. The consumer can use product attributes, degrees of importance, brand
beliefs, total product satisfaction, or an evaluation procedure to perform alternative evaluation.
d) Purchase decision: The stage in the buyer decision process in which the consumer actually buys the product. Factors
that can influence this action phase are: the purchase intention, the attitudes of others, and unexpected situational
factors.
e) Post-purchase behaviour: The stage of the buyer decision process in which consumers take further action after
purchase based upon their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The considerations are the consumers' expectations and the
products' perceived performance. Cognitive dissonance can set in, and must be dealt with before complete satisfaction
can be achieved.

45
Answer Key
Testname: C7

133) A motive or drive is a need that is sufficiently pressing to direct the person to seek satisfaction. People need to consume
calcium and vitamins present in dairy, but they can obtain those dietary requirements from foods other than dairy.
Most Australians consume some dairy products in a typical day, but many women do not consume three standard
servings of dairy per day. Younger women, in particular, worry that dairy foods are "fattening" and tend to be very
light consumers of dairy. Although it is conventional wisdom that dairy foods provide calcium needed for bone
strength, this is simply not a sufficient motivation to drive behaviour in younger women. Teenage girls are unlikely to
think about what might happen to them in forty, fifty or sixty years time. Younger people are also very short term
thinkers. For the typical teenager, the short-term is today, the medium term is the weekend and the long term is the
term break. For most young women who are healthy and active, thinking about health in their advanced years is
simply not a pressing issue. In short, the fear of developing osteoporosis lacks sufficient strength to drive purchasing
behaviour.

Dairy Australia is likely to have greater success with its advertising if it can find consumer benefits that provide more
pressing motives. For example, some recent scientific research has suggested that the unique combination of vitamins
and minerals in dairy foods improve the texture and appearance of skin, hair and nails. Appealing to vanity is likely to
provide a more immediate motive for Dairy Australia.
134) Personal sources would include family, friends, neighbours and acquaintances. Commercial sources would include
advertising, paid salespeople, the packaging materials that a microwave comes in and store displays. As regards
commercial sources, paid product placement in TV cooking programmes, such as Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules has
become an increasingly important source of information for cooking appliances and food ingredients. Public sources
include publicity pieces in print and broadcast media and reports by consumer-rating organisations. Experiential
sources might be using one at work or eating something prepared in a microwave, or watching friends and relatives
use a microwave oven.
135) This is a reflective question that calls on an understanding of the concepts and some general knowledge. Of course,
some of the following comments are generalizations and should not be taken to imply that every member of the
generational segment exhibits identical attitudes. As the chapter points out, there are individual differences.
Nevertheless, thinking about life events can help to enrich our understanding of the moments and experiences that
shaped a generation. Students will have varied answers to this question.

Seniors:
Seniors experienced at least one world war and many also experienced the great depression of the 1930s.

Defining life events


• Two world wars and the privations associated with that, e.g., food rationing
• Great depression
Attitudes
• Learned to be self sufficient and make ends meet
• Place a high value on hard work and austerity
• Tend to be conservative
• These attitudes often translate into careful, considered purchasing and a reluctance to adopt new technologies

Baby Boomers
This generation grew up in the period following the second world war.

Defining Life events


• Grew up amid the prosperity of the post war economic boom
• Experienced the cold war and the threat of global nuclear attack
• Were surrounded by the "isms" of the 1960s and 1970s consumerism, environmentalism, feminism, civil rights,
anti-Vietnam moratoriums, etc. and were the social pioneers of these movements
• Witnessed the Apollo spacecraft land on the moon
46
Answer Key
Testname: C7

• Increasing opportunities for education and upward mobility


• Many scientific discoveries unraveling DNA, advent of contraceptive pill
Attitudes
• Independent thinkers, want to be in control of their own destinies
• Materialist but want to simplify lifestyles
• Obsessed with safety and regulations
• Tend to be "workaholics"
• Starving for self-realisation
Baby boomers often see themselves as rebels and social pioneers. They need to feel that they are setting the agenda in
politics, popular culture and business. As they age, baby boomers are trying to change perceptions of ageing through
technologies, surgical intervention and drugs. Many baby boomers say that "60 is the new 40" as a means of shaping
the way that ageing is perceived.

Generation X
It may be worth noting that the term, Generation X was coined by Canadian novelist, Douglas Coupland who first
used in a book with the title, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, 1991. Use of the letter "x" was designed to
add an air of mystery.

Defining Life Events


• Born into a generation that has experienced radical social, economic and technological change
• Grew up with uncertain economic times (did not enjoy the same prosperity as Gen X)—Asian economic crisis,
dot.com collapse, several recessions
• Grew up with major structural change in labour force—casualisation, job sharing, multi-tasking, decline of middle
management, service based economies, high staff turnover rates
• Social changes—many grew up in broken homes as divorce became more common; no enduring work relationships
• Segment witnessed many global events but lack momentous events that galvanise the cohort. Some of the events that
are relevant to this cohort are:
o OPEC Oil Crisis
o Entebbe Hijacking
o Reunification of Germany
o First reports of HIV/ AIDS
o Hole in Ozone Layer Reported
o Pocket Calculators Introduced
o Walkman cassette player introduced
o World Wide Web released by CERN
Attitudes
Sense of social disruption not especially loyal to groups, employers or brands
Lack icons and symbols that are unique to the generation
Cynical and reluctant to commit to relationships
Less interested in material possessions and more interested in quality time

Generation Y
Gen Y is the first generation that had access to computers throughout their formative educational years. This
generation is tech savvy and passionate about technology and has sought to redefine "chic" to include technology
enthusiasts. For many members of the previous generations, science and technology was often seen as uncool. But, for
Generation Y "geek is chic." For this segment, the traditional media is seen as "uncool." Many Generation Ys would
prefer to read books and newspapers on a computer screen than in print.

Defining Life Events


• Grew up with the Internet and other new media
47
Answer Key
Testname: C7

• Technology permeates most aspects of life—entertainment, music, reading, communications etc. for example musical
preferences tend towards techno music—sampling, synthesisers etc.
Attitudes
• Passionate about high technology
• Empowered by technology
• Tend to be optimistic about the future
• Special status as masters of technology
• Connected via "virtual communities"
• Technology gives personal power
• Kings of "Cool"

A salient feature of generational segments is that their composition does not change over time. Whereas, age groups
(18-24, 25-29, 30-35, etc.) change their composition with each passing year, generational segments remain fairly
constant over time.

48
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
liberty. I tried to mount the onagra, and just as in the act of rearing up
violently to prevent me, I seized with my teeth one of the long ears of
the enraged creature, and bit it till it bled; instantly it stood almost
erect on its hind feet, motionless, and as stiff as a stake; it soon
lowered itself by degrees, while I still held its ear between my teeth.
Fritz seized the moment and sprung on its back; Jack, with the help
of his mother, did the same, holding by his brother, who, on his part,
clung to the girth. When both assured me they were firmly seated, I
let go the ear: the onagra made a few springs less violent than the
former, and checked by the cords on its feet, it gradually submitted,
began to trot up and down more quietly, and ultimately grew so
tractable that riding it became one of our chief pleasures. My lads
were soon expert horsemen; and their horse, though rather long-
eared, was very handsome and well broken in. Thus patience on our
parts conquered a serious difficulty, and gained for us a proud
advantage.
In the name of goodness, said my wife to me one evening, after
one of our first essays, where did you learn this strange notion of
biting the animal’s ear? I learned it, replied I, from a horse-breaker
whom I fell in with by chance: he had lived long in America and
carried on the skin-trade with the savages, to whom he took in
exchange various European goods. He employed in these journeys,
half-tamed horses of the southern provinces of that country, which
are caught in snares or with nooses. They are at first unruly and
resist burthens, but as soon as the hunter bites one of their ears they
become mild and submissive; and they become so docile, that any
thing may be done with them. The journey is continued through
forests and over heaths to the dwellings of the savages; skins are
given in barter for the goods brought them, with which the horses are
re-loaded. They set out again on their return, and are directed by the
compass and stars to the European settlements, where they
profitably dispose of their skins and horses.—Till now I thought this
singular mode of taming a wild beast fabulous, but the young onagra
convinces me of the truth of the accounts I heard. In a few weeks the
onagra was so effectually tamed, that we all could mount it without
fear: I still however kept his two fore legs confined together with the
cord, to moderate the extreme swiftness of its running. In the room of
a bit, I contrived a curb, and with this and a good bite applied, as
wanted, to the ear, it went to right or left at the will of the rider. Now
and then I mounted it myself, and not without an emotion of pride at
my success in subduing an animal that had been considered by
travellers and naturalists as absolutely beyond the power of man to
tame. But how superior was my gratification in seeing Fritz spring at
any time on the creature’s back and do what he pleased with it, drive
along our avenue like lightning, in depicting to my fond imagination
that even on a desert unknown island, I could qualify my dear
children to re-enter society and become in such respects its
ornament! in beholding their physical strength and native graces
unfold themselves, and these keeping pace with the improvement of
their intelligence and their judgement; and in anticipating that, buried
as they were in a distant retreat, far from the tumult of the world, and
all that excites the passions, their sentiments would be formed in
exact conformity to the paternal feelings of my heart! I had not lost
hope that we should one day return to Europe in some vessel
chance might throw on our coast, or even with the aid of our
pinnace; but I felt at the same time, and my wife still more, that we
should not leave the island without a lively regret, and I determined
to pursue my arrangements as if we were to close existence on a
spot where all around us prospered.
During the training of our horse, which we named Light-foot, a
triple brood of our hens had given us a crowd of little feathered
beings; forty of these, at least, were chirping and hopping about us,
to the great satisfaction of my wife, whose zealous care of them
sometimes made me smile. Most women’s hearts are so imbued
with maternal love as to excite in them a fondness for whatever
bears a similitude to infancy. Thus, my admirable partner, far from
complaining of the trouble such a number of young chickens gave
her, took delight in it, and was constantly admiring them; yet her care
and admiration did not prevent her appropriating a part of them to
the table, and sending the remainder in small colonies to feed and
breed in the desert, where we could find them as they were wanted
for our use.
Here, she said, are animals of real utility in a family, far beyond
your monkeys, jackals, and eagles, that do nothing but eat, and are
unfit to be eaten. The buffalo was not found fault with, because it
brought her the provisions, nor the onagra, on which she liked to see
her sons gallop. From the time we had trained it to this, the rough-
paced buffalo that shook us to pieces was no longer used for riding,
but kept entirely for drawing.
This increase of our poultry reminded us of the necessity of an
undertaking we had long thought of, and was not in prudence to be
deferred any longer; this was the building between the roots of our
great tree, covered sheds for all our bipeds and quadrupeds. The
rainy season, which is the winter of these countries, was drawing
near, and to avoid losing most of our stock it was requisite to shelter
it.
We began by forming a kind of roof above the arched roots of our
tree, and employed bamboo canes for the purpose; the longest and
strongest supported the roofing in the place of columns, the smaller
more closely united and composed the roof itself. I filled up the
interstices with moss and clay, and I spread over the whole a thick
coat of tar. By these means I formed a compact and solid covering,
capable of bearing pressure. I then made a railing round it, which
gave the appearance of a pretty balcony, under which, between the
roots, were various stalls sheltered from rain and sun, that could be
easily shut and separated from each other by means of planks nailed
upon the roots; part of them were calculated to serve as a stable and
yard, part as an eating-room, a store-room, &c., and as a hay-loft to
keep our hay and provisions dry in.
This work was soon completed; but afterwards it was necessary to
fill these places with stores of every kind for our supply throughout
the wet season. In this task we engaged diligently, and went daily
here and there with our cart to collect every thing useful, and that
might give us employment whilst the weather confined us to the
house.
One evening on our return from digging up potatoes, as our cart
loaded with bags, drawn by the buffalo, ass and cow, was gently
rolling along, seeing still a vacant place in the vehicle, I advised my
wife to go home with the two youngest boys whilst I went round by
the wood of oaks with Ernest and Fritz to gather as many sweet
acorns as we could find room for. We had still some empty sacks.
Ernest was accompanied by his monkey, who seldom left him; and
Fritz, horseman like, was on his dear onagra, which he had
appropriated to himself, inasmuch as he had helped to take and
tame it, and indeed because he knew how to manage it better than
his brothers. Ernest was too lazy, and preferred walking at ease with
the monkey on his shoulder, and the more so because it spared him
the trouble of gathering fruit. Jack was too giddy to be trusted alone
on the horse, though he often got up behind his brother, and Francis
still too little to attempt mounting it. Notwithstanding the onagra was
so well broken in for riding, it continued to be very mettlesome and
restive in the shafts, to which we could not inure it; but occasionally it
submitted to our putting a loaded sack or two on its back; but we
could seldom prevail even in this, without Fritz being seated in front;
he would then take them to the house, and thus was rendered of
some general use.
When we reached the oaks Lightfoot was tied to a bush, and we
set actively to work to gather the acorns that had dropped from the
trees. While all were busily employed, the monkey quitted its
master’s shoulder and skipped unperceived into an adjoining bush. It
had been there some time when we heard on that side the loud cries
of birds and flapping of wings, and this assured us a sharp conflict
was going on betwixt master Knips and the inhabitants of the
bushes. I dispatched Ernest to reconnoitre. He went stoutly towards
the place, and in an instant we heard him exclaim, Come quickly,
father! a fine heath-fowl’s nest full of eggs; Mr. Knips, as usual,
wished to make a meal of them; the hen and he are fighting for it:
come quick, Fritz, and take her; I am holding greedy-chops as well
as I can.
Fritz ran up directly, and in a few moments brought out alive the
male and female heath-fowl, both very beautiful; the cock finely
collar’d, similar to one he had killed on a former occasion, not
without much regret on my part. I was rejoiced at this discovery, and
helped my son to prevent their escape by tying their wings and feet,
and holding them while he returned to the bush for the eggs. And
now Ernest came forward driving the monkey before him, and
carrying his hat with the utmost care: he had stuck his girdle full of
narrow sharp-pointed leaves, in shape like a knife-blade, which
reminded me of the production named sword-grass; but I did not pay
much attention, as I was too busily engaged in our egg-hunt, and
considered his decoration as childishness. On coming up to me he
uncovered his hat, and gave it to me in a transport of joy, crying out,
Here, dear father, here are some heath-fowl’s eggs; I found them in
a nest so well concealed under these long leaves that I should not
have observed them had not the hen, in defending herself against
the monkey, scattered them about. I am going to take them home,
they will please my mother; and these leaves will so amuse Francis,
they are like swords, and will be the very thing he will like for a play-
thing. I applauded Ernest’s attention to both, and I encouraged him
and Fritz to be thus ever considerate for the absent, so as to prove
they could never be forgotten. The kindnesses conferred on those
who are separated from us have in themselves more merit, and are
more valued, than those which are personally received. It was now
time to think of moving homeward: my two sons filled the bags with
acorns and put them on Lightfoot; Fritz mounted, Ernest carried the
eggs, I took charge of the hen, and we proceeded to Falcon’s
Stream followed by our train-waggon. Our good cattle were in such
complete subjection that it was only necessary to speak to them. I
remarked Ernest often applying his ear to the hat which held the
eggs, as if he thought the little ones were near coming forth; I
listened also, and observed some shells already broken and the
young protruding: we were overjoyed at our good luck, and Fritz
could not refrain from trotting on briskly to bear the tidings to his dear
mother: but he went rather faster than he intended on setting out: he
had taken a handful of the pointed leaves with him, which he
whisked before the ears and eyes of the onagra, till the animal was
frightened, lost all restraint, and darted forward with him like a shot,
hurrying away bags and rider at such a rate that we soon lost sight of
them. Anxious for his safety, we followed as fast as possible, though
out of sight of him all the way; but on our arrival at Falcon’s Stream
we had the satisfaction of finding him there in perfect safety. His
mother, indeed, had been somewhat alarmed in seeing him dash in
like a thunderbolt, but firmly seated betwixt the bags on master
Lightfoot, who well deserved his name on this occasion, and who
stopped short with wonderful precision at his stable door. Our first
care was to examine the eggs: the female bird was too frightened
and wild to sit upon them: fortunately we had a hen that was
hatching; her eggs were immediately removed, and the new ones
put in their place: the female heath-fowl was put into the parrot’s
cage, and hung up in the room to accustom it to our society. In less
than three days all the chickens were hatched, they kept close to
their foster-mother, and ate greedily a mixture of sweet acorns
bruised in milk, such as we gave our tame poultry: as they grew up I
plucked out the large feathers of their wings, lest they should
naturally take flight; but they and their real parent gradually became
so domesticated, that they daily accompanied our feathered stock in
search of food, and regularly came back at night to the roost I had
prepared for them, and in which this little new colony of feathered
beings seemed to delight.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Flax, and the rainy season.

Francis for a short time was highly amused with his sword-
leaves, and then like all children, who are soon tired of their toys, he
grew weary of them, and they were thrown aside. Fritz picked up
some of them that were quite soft and withered; he held up one
which was pliable as a ribband in the hand: My little fellow, said he to
his brother, you can make whips of your sword-grass, take up the
leaves and keep them for this purpose, they will be of use in driving
your goats and sheep. It had been lately decided that it should be
the business of Francis to lead these to pasture.
Well then, help me to make them, said the child. They sat down
together. Francis divided the leaves into long narrow slips, and Fritz
ingeniously platted them into whip-cords. As they were working, I
saw with pleasure the flexibility and strength of the bands; I
examined them more closely, and found they were composed of long
fibres or filaments; and this discovery led me to surmise that this
supposed sword-grass might be a very different thing, and not
improbably the flax-plant of New Zealand, called by naturalists
Chlomidia, and by others Phormion19. This was a valuable discovery
in our situation: I knew how much my wife wished for the production,
and that it was the article she felt most the want of; I therefore
hastened to communicate the intelligence to her, upon hearing which
she expressed the liveliest joy: This, said she, is the most useful
thing you have found; I entreat you, lose not a moment in searching
for more of these leaves, and bring me the most you can of them; I
will make you stockings, shirts, clothes, thread, ropes.....
In short, give me flax, looms, and frames, and I shall be at no loss
in the employment of it. I could not help smiling at the scope she
gave to her imagination, on the bare mention of flax, though so much
was to be done between the gathering the leaves and having the
cloth she was already sewing in idea. Fritz whispered a word in
Jack’s ear; both went to the stable, and without asking my leave, one
mounted Lightfoot, the other the buffalo, and galloped off towards
the wood so fast that I had no time to call them back; they were
already out of sight: their eagerness to oblige their mother in this
instance pleaded their forgiveness, and I suffered them to go on
without following them, purposing to proceed and bring them back if
they did not soon return.
In waiting for them I conversed with my wife, who pointed out to
me with all the animation and spirit of useful enterprise so natural to
her character, the various machinery I must contrive for spinning and
weaving her flax for the manufactory of cloths, with which she said
she should be able to equip us from head to foot; in speaking of
which, her eyes sparkled with the love of doing good, the purest kind
of joy, and I promised her all she desired of me.
In a quarter of an hour our deserters came back on a full trot, and I
was pleased to see them again; like true hussars, they had foraged
the woods, and heavily loaded their cattle with the precious plant,
which they threw at their mother’s feet with joyful shouts. We could
not blame their abrupt departure. Jack made us laugh in recounting
with his accustomed vivacity and drollery at what a rate he had
trotted his buffalo to keep up with Lightfoot, and how his great
horned horse had thrown him by a side leap; yet that notwithstanding
these, he and his buffalo, as in duty and allegiance bound, were, as
ever, at the entire command of their acknowledged queen. Well, said
I, you shall then all assist her with consummate diligence in
preparations for the work she is about to engage in, and previously
in steeping the flax.
Fritz.—How is flax prepared, father, and what is meant by steeping
it?
Father.—Steeping flax, or hemp, is exposing it in the open air, by
spreading it on the ground to receive the rain, the wind, and the dew,
in order in a certain degree to liquefy the plant; by this means the
ligneous or cortical parts of the flax are separated with more ease
from the fibrous; a kind of vegetable glue that binds them is
dissolved, and it can then be perfectly cleaned with great facility, and
the parts selected which are fit for spinning.
Fritz.—But may not the natural texture of this part be destroyed by
exposing it so long to wet?
Father.—That certainly may happen when the process is managed
injudiciously, and the flax not duly turned; the risk, however, is not
great, the fibrous part has a peculiar tenacity, which enables it to
resist longer the action of humidity; flax may be even steeped
altogether in water without injury. Many think this the best and
quickest method, and I am of their opinion.
My wife coincided with me, especially in the sultry climate we
inhabited: she therefore proposed to soak the flax in Flamingo
Marsh, and to begin by making up the leaves in bundles, as they do
hemp in Europe. We agreed to her proposal, and joined in this
previous and necessary preparation of the flax during the rest of the
day.
Next morning the ass was put to the small light car, loaded with
bundles of leaves; Francis and the monkey sat on them, and the
remainder of the family gaily followed with shovels and pickaxes. We
stopped at the marsh, divided our large bundles into smaller, which
we placed in the water, pressing them down with stones and leaving
them in this state till our sovereign should direct us to remove and
set them in the sun to dry, and thus render the stems soft and easy
to peel. In the course of this work we noticed with admiration the
instinct of the flamingoes in building their cone-shaped nests above
the level of the marsh, each nest having a recess in the upper part,
in which the eggs are securely deposited, while the contrivance
enables the female to sit with her legs in the water: the nest is of clay
closely cemented, so as to resist all danger from the element till the
young can swim.
A fortnight after, my wife told us the flax was sufficiently steeped.
We then took it out of the water, and spread it on the grass in the
sun, where it dried so well and rapidly that we were able to load it on
our cart the same evening, and carry it to Falcon’s Stream, where it
was put by till we had time to attend further to it, and make beetles,
wheels, reels, carding-combs, &c., as required by our expert and
skilful flax-manufacturer. It was thought best to reserve this task for
the rainy season, and to get ready what would be then necessary
during our confinement within doors. Uninformed as we were as to
the duration of this season, it was highly important to lay in a
competent stock of provisions for ourselves and for all the animals.
Occasional slight showers, the harbingers of winter, had already
come on; the temperature, which hitherto had been warm and
serene, became gloomy and variable; the sky was often darkened
with clouds, the stormy winds were heard, and warned us to avail
ourselves of the favourable moment to collect every thing that would
be wanted.
Our first care was to dig up a full supply of potatoes and yams for
bread, with plenty of cocoa-nuts, and some bags of sweet acorns. It
occurred to us while digging, that the ground being thus opened and
manured with the leaves of plants, we might sow in it to advantage
the remainder of our European corn. Notwithstanding all the
delicacies this stranger land afforded us, the force of habit still
caused us to long for the bread we had been fed with from
childhood: we had not yet laid ourselves out for regular tillage, and I
was inclined to attempt the construction of a plough of some sort as
soon as we had a sufficient stock of corn for sowing. For this time,
therefore, we committed it to the earth with little preparation: the
season, however, was proper for sowing and planting, as the
ensuing rain would moisten and swell the embryo grain, which
otherwise would perish in an arid burning soil. We accordingly
expedited the planting of the various palm trees we had discovered
in our excursions, at Tent House, carefully selecting the smallest and
the youngest. In the environs was formed a large handsome
plantation of sugar canes, so as to have hereafter every thing useful
and agreeable around us, and thus be dispensed from the usual toil
and loss of time in procuring them.
These different occupations kept us several weeks in unremitted
activity of mind and body; our cart was incessantly in motion,
conveying home our winter stock; time was so precious that we
could not even make regular meals, and limited ourselves to bread,
cheese, and fruits, in order to shorten them, to return quickly to our
work, and dispatch it before the bad season should set in.
Unfortunately, the weather changed sooner than we had expected,
and than, with all our care, we could be prepared for; before we had
completed our winter establishment, the rain fell in such heavy
torrents that little Francis, trembling, asked me whether father
Noah’s deluge was coming on again; and I could not myself refrain
from painful apprehension in surmising how we should resist such a
body of water, that seemed to change the whole face of the country
into a perfect lake.
The first thing to be done, and which gave us all sensations of
deep concern, was to remove without delay our aërial abode, and to
fix our residence at the bottom of the tree, between the roots and
under the tarred roof I had erected; for it was no longer possible to
remain above, on account of the furious winds that threatened to
bear us away, and deluged our beds with rain through the large
opening in front, our only protection here being a piece of sail-cloth,
which was soon dripping wet and rent to pieces. In this condition we
were forced to take down our hammocks, mattresses, and every
article that could be injured by the rain; and most fortunate did we
deem ourselves in having made the winding stairs, which sheltered
us during the operation of the removal. The stairs served afterwards
for a kind of lumber-room; we kept all in it we could dispense with,
and most of our culinary vessels, which my wife fetched as she
happened to want them. Our little sheds between the roots,
constructed for the poultry and the cattle, could scarcely contain us
all; and the first days we passed in this manner were painfully
embarrassing, crowded all together, and hardly able to move in
these almost dark recesses, which the fœtid smell from the close-
adjoining animals rendered almost insupportable: in addition, we
were half stifled with smoke whenever we kindled a fire, and
drenched with rain when we opened the doors. For the first time,
since our disaster, we sighed for the comfortable houses of our dear
country:—but what was to be done! we were not there, and losing
our courage and our temper would only increase the evil. I strove to
raise the spirits of my companions, and obviate some of the
inconveniences. The now doubly-precious winding stair was, as I
have said, every way useful to us; the upper part of it was filled with
numerous articles that gave us room below; and as it was lighted
and sheltered by windows, my wife often worked there, seated on a
stair, with her little Francis at her feet. We confined our live-stock to a
smaller number, and gave them a freer current of air, dismissing from
the stalls those animals that from their properties, and being natives
of the country, would be at no loss in providing for themselves. That
we might not lose them altogether, we tied bells round their necks;
Fritz and I sought and drove them in every evening that they did not
spontaneously return. We generally got wet to the skin and chilled
with cold, during the employment, which induced my wife to contrive
for us a kind of clothing more suitable to the occasion; she took two
seamen’s shirts from the chest we had recovered from the wreck;
and then, with some pieces of old coats, she made us a kind of cloth
hoods joined together at the back, and well formed for covering the
head entirely: we melted some elastic gum, which we spread over
the shirts and hoods; and the articles thus prepared answered every
purpose of water-proof overalls, that were of essential use and
comfort to us. Our young rogues were ready with their derision the
first time they saw us in them; but afterwards they would have been
rejoiced to have had the same: this, however, the reduced state of
our gum did not allow, and we contented ourselves with wearing
them in turn, when compelled to work in the rain, from the bad
effects of which they effectually preserved us.
As to the smoke, our only remedy was to open the door when we
made a fire; and we did without as much as we could, living on milk
and cheese, and never making a fire but to bake our cakes: we then
availed ourselves of the opportunity to boil a quantity of potatoes and
salt meat enough to last us a number of days. Our dry wood was
also nearly expended, and we thanked Heaven the weather was not
very cold; for had this been the case our other trials would have
much increased. A more serious concern was our not having
provided sufficient hay and leaves for our European cattle, which we
necessarily kept housed to avoid losing them; the cow, the ass, the
sheep, and the goats, the two last of which were increased in
number, required a large quantity of provender, so that we were ere
long forced to give them our potatoes and sweet acorns, which by
the by they found very palatable, and we remarked that they
imparted a delicate flavour to their milk;—the cow, the goats, and
even the sheep, amply supplied us with that precious article: milking,
cleaning the animals and preparing their food, occupied us most of
the morning, after which we were usually employed in making flour
of the manioc root, with which we filled the large gourds, which were
previously placed in rows. The gloom of the atmosphere and our low
windowless habitation sensibly abridged our daylight; fortunately, we
had laid in a huge store of candles, and felt no want of that article:
when darkness obliged us to light up, we got round the table, when a
large taper fixed on a gourd gave us an excellent light, which
enabled my wife to pursue her occupation with the needle, while I,
on my part, was forming a journal and recording what the reader has
perused of the narrative of our shipwreck and residence in this
island, assisted from time to time by my sons and their admirable
mother, who did not cease to remind me of various incidents
belonging to the story. To Ernest, who wrote a fine hand, was
intrusted the care of writing off my pages in a clear legible character;
Fritz and Jack amused themselves by drawing from memory the
plants and animals which had most struck their observation; while
one and all contributed to teach little Francis to read and write: we
concluded the day with a devotional reading in the Holy Bible,
performed by each in turn, and we then retired to rest, happy in
ourselves, and in the innocent and peaceful course of our existence.
Our kind and faithful steward often surprised us agreeably on our
return from looking after the cattle, by lighting up a faggot of dried
bamboo, and quickly roasting by the clear and fervent heat it
produced, a chicken, pigeon, duck, or penguin from our poultry-yard,
or some of the thrushes we had preserved in butter, which were
excellent, and welcomed as a treat to reward extraordinary toil.
Every four or five days the kind creature made us new fresh butter in
the gourd-churn; and this with some deliciously fragrant honey
spread on our manioc cakes, formed a collation that would have
raised the envy of European epicures. These unexpected regales
represented to our grateful hearts so many little festivals, the
generous intention of which made us forget our bad
accommodations and confinement.
The fragments of our meals belonged in right to our domestic
animals, as part of the family. We had now four dogs, the young
jackal, the eagle, and the monkey, to feed; they relied with just
confidence on the kindness of their respective masters, who certainly
would have deprived themselves to supply the wants of their
helpless dependents. Francis had taken under his mighty protection
the two little bull-dogs; my wife Ponto, and I the brave Turk:—thus
each had his attendant, of which he took care, and no one was
dispensed from the offices of tenderness and vigilance. If the buffalo,
the onagra, and pig had not found sustenance abroad, they must
have been killed or starved, and that would have given us much
pain. In the course of these discomforts it was unanimously resolved
on, that we would not pass another rainy season exposed to the
same evils; even my beloved consort, who felt such a predilection for
the abode at Falcon’s Stream, was frequently a little ruffled and out
of temper with our inconvenient situation, and insisted more than any
of us on the propriety of building elsewhere a more spacious winter
residence: she wished, however, to return to our castle in the tree
every summer, and we all joined with her in that desire. The choice
of a fresh abode now engrossed our attention, and Fritz in the midst
of consultation came forward triumphantly with a book he had found
in the bottom of our clothes’ chest. Here, said he, is our best
counsellor and model, Robinson Crusoe; since Heaven has destined
us to a similar fate, whom better can we consult? as far as I
remember, he cut himself an habitation out of the solid rock: let us
see how he proceeded; we will do the same and with greater ease,
for he was alone; we are six in number, and four of us able to work.
Well spoken, son, said I: this activity and courage give me pleasure;
let us then strive to be as ingenious as Robinson Crusoe.
And why not? observed Jack—Have we not an island, rocks, and
tools from abroad as good as he had, and, as brother Fritz says,
more hands to use them?
We assembled, and read the famous history with an ardent
interest; it seemed though so familiar, quite new to us: we entered
earnestly into every detail and derived considerable information from
it, and never failed to feel lively gratitude towards God who had
rescued us all together, and not permitted one only of us to be cast a
solitary being on the island. The occurrence of this thought produced
an overwhelming sense of affection among us, and we could not
refrain from throwing ourselves into each others arms, embracing
repeatedly, and the pathetic scene ended in mutual congratulations.
Francis repeated his wish to have a Man Friday; Fritz thought it
better to be without such a companion, and to have no savages to
contend with. Jack was for the savages, warfare and encounters.
The final result of our deliberations was to go and survey the rocks
round Tent-House, and to examine whether any of them could be
excavated for our purpose.
Our last job for the winter, undertaken at my wife’s solicitation, was
a beetle for her flax and some carding-combs. I filed large nails till
they were even, round, and pointed; I fixed them at equal distances
in a sheet of tin, and raised the sides of it like a box; I then poured
melted lead between the nails and the sides, to give firmness to their
points, which came out four inches. I nailed this tin on a board, and
the machine was fit for work. My wife was impatient to use it; and the
drying, peeling, and spinning her flax, became from this time a
source of inexhaustible delight.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Spring;—spinning;—salt mine.

I can hardly describe our joy when, after many tedious and
gloomy weeks of rain, the sky began to brighten, the sun to dart its
benign rays on the humid earth, the winds to be lulled, and the state
of the air became mild and serene. We issued from our dreary
hovels with joyful shouts, and walked round our habitation breathing
the enlivening balmy ether, while our eyes were regaled with the
beauteous verdure beginning to shoot forth on every side. Reviving
nature opened her arms, every creature seemed reanimated, and we
felt the genial influence of that glorious luminary which had been so
long concealed from our sight, now returned like a friend who has
been absent, to bring us back blessings and delight. We rapidly
forgot in new sensations the embarrasments and weary hours of the
wet season, and with jocund, hopeful hearts, looked forward to the
toils of summer as enviable amusements.
The vegetation of our plantation of trees was rapidly advancing;
the seed we had thrown into the ground was sprouting in slender
blades that waved luxuriantly; a pleasing tender foliage adorned the
trees; the earth was enamelled with an infinite variety of flowers,
whose agreeable tints diversified the verdure of the meadows.
Odorous exhalations were diffused through the atmosphere; the
song of birds was heard around; they were seen between the leaves
joyfully fluttering from branch to branch; their various forms and
brilliant plumage heightened this delightful picture of the most
beautiful spring, and we were at once struck with wonder and
penetrated with gratitude towards the Creator of so many beauties.
Under these impressions we celebrated the ensuing Sunday in the
open air, and with stronger emotions of piety than we had hitherto
felt on the fertile shores upon which we had been so miraculously
saved and fostered. The blessings which surrounded us were ample
compensation for some uneasy moments which had occasionally
intervened, and our hearts, filled with fresh zeal, were resolved to be
resigned, if it should be the will of God, to pass the residue of our
days in this solitude with serenity of soul and every due exertion. The
force of paternal feelings, no doubt, made me sometimes form other
wishes for my children; but these I buried in my own breast, for fear
of disturbing their tranquillity: but if I secretly indulged a desire for
some event that might prolong and even increase their happiness, I
nevertheless wholly submitted all to the Divine will, the manifestation
of which I awaited in becoming thankfulness and patience.
Our summer occupations commenced by arranging and
thoroughly cleaning Falcon’s Nest, the order and neatness of which
the rain and dead leaves blown by the wind had disturbed: in other
respects, however, it was not injured, and in a few days we rendered
it completely fit for our reception; the stairs were cleared, the rooms
between the roots re-occupied, and we were left with leisure to
proceed to other employments. My wife lost not a moment in
resuming the process of her flax concern. Our sons hastened to lead
the cattle to the fresh pastures, already dried by the sun; whilst it
was my task to carry the bundles of flax into the open air, whereby
heaping stones together I contrived an oven sufficiently commodious
to dry it well. The same evening we all set to work to peel, and
afterwards to beat it and strip off the bark, and lastly to comb it with
my carding machine, which fully answered the purpose. I took this
somewhat laborious task on myself, and drew out such distaffs full of
long soft flax ready for spinning, that my enraptured wife ran to
embrace me, to express her heartfelt acknowledgement, requesting
me to make her a wheel without delay, that she might enter upon her
favourite work.
At an earlier period of my life I had practised turnery for my
amusement; now, however, I was unfortunately destitute of the
requisite utensils; but as I had not forgotten the arrangement and
component parts of a spinning-wheel and reel, I by repeated
endeavours found means to accomplish those two machines to her
satisfaction; and she fell so eagerly to spinning, as to allow herself
no leisure even for a walk, and scarcely time to dress our dinners:
nothing so much delighted her as to be left with her little boy, whom
she employed to reel as fast as she could spin, and sometimes the
other three were also engaged in turns at the wheel, to forward her
business whilst she was occupied in culinary offices; but not one of
them was found so tractable as the cool-tempered quiet Ernest, who
preferred this to more laborous exertions, though such was our want
of linen and clothes, that we ought all readily and even eagerly to
have joined in procuring them; but our excursions, and the
necessary liberty they involved, were more agreeable to us than this
female occupation. Our first visit was to Tent-House, as we were
anxious to ascertain the ravages of winter there, and we found them
much more considerable than at Falcon’s Stream, and even
dreadful: the tempest and rain had beaten down the tent, carried
away a part of the sail-cloth, and made such havoc amongst our
provisions, that by far the largest portion of them was spotted with
mildew, and the remainder could be only saved by drying them
instantly. Luckily, our handsome pinnace had been for the most part
spared; it was still at anchor, ready to serve us in case of need; but
our tub-boat was in too shattered a state to be of any further service.
In looking over the stores we were grieved to find the gunpowder
most damaged, of which I had left three barrels in the tent instead of
placing them in a more sheltered situation in the cavity of the rock.
The contents of two were rendered wholly useless. I thought myself
fortunate on finding the remaining one in tolerable condition, and
derived from this great and irreparable loss a cogent motive to fix
upon winter quarters where our stores and wealth would not be
exposed to such cruel dilapidations.
Notwithstanding the gigantic plan suggested by the enterprising
characters of Fritz and Jack, I had little hope of being able to effect
the excavation of a dwelling in the side of the rock. Robinson Crusoe
is supposed to have found a spacious cavern that merely required
arrangement; no such cavity was apparent in our rock, which bore
the aspect of primitive existence, and was of extreme hardness; so
that with our limited powers, three or four summers would scarcely
suffice to execute the design. Still, the earnest desire of a more
substantial habitation to defend us from the elements, perplexed me
incessantly, and I resolved to make at least the attempt of cutting out
a recess that should contain the gunpowder, the most valuable of all
our treasures; by which means it would be secured against injury
from the vicissitudes of the weather. With this resolution I set off one
day, accompanied by my two valiant workmen Fritz and Jack,
leaving their mother at her spinning with her assistants Ernest and
Francis. We took with us pickaxes, chisels, hammers, and iron
levers, to try what impression we could make on the rock. I chose a
part nearly perpendicular, and much better situated than our tent: the
view from it was enchanting; for it embraced the whole range of
Safety Bay, the banks of Jackal’s Stream and Family Bridge, and
many of the picturesque projections of the rocks. I marked out with
charcoal the circumference of the opening we wished to make, and
we began the heavy toil of piercing the quarry. We made so little
progress the first day, that in spite of all our courage we were
tempted to relinquish the undertaking; we persevered however, and
my hope was somewhat revived as I perceived the stone was of a
softer texture as we penetrated deeper: we concluded from this, that
the ardent rays of the sun striking upon the rock had hardened the
external layer, and that the stone within would increase in softness
as we advanced, and we admitted a ray of hope that the substance
would prove to be a species of calcareous stone. When I had cut
about a foot in depth, we could loosen it with the spade like dried
mud; this determined me to proceed with double ardour, and my
boys assisted me in the task with a zeal beyond their years.
After a few days of assiduous labour we measured the opening,
and found we had already advanced seven feet into the rock. Fritz
removed the fragments in a barrow, and discharged them in a line
before the place to form a sort of terrace; I applied my own labour to
the upper part to enlarge the aperture; Jack, the smallest of the
three, was able to get in and cut away below. He had with him a long
iron bar sharpened at the end, which he drove in with a hammer to
loosen a large piece; suddenly he bawled out: It is pierced through,
father! Fritz, I have pierced it through!
Hah, hah, master Jack at his jokes again!—But let us hear, what
have you pierced? Is it the mountain? Not peradventure your hand or
foot, Jack? cried I:
Jack.—No, no, it is the mountain; (the rocks resounding with his
usual shout of joy) huzza, huzza, I have pierced the mountain!
Fritz now ran to him. Come, let us see then; it is no doubt the
globe at least you have pierced, said he, in a bantering tone: you
should have pushed on your tool boldly, till you reached Europe,
which they say is under our feet; I should have been glad to peep
into that hole.
Jack.—Well, then, peep you may, I can assure you, but I hardly
know what you will see; now come and look how far the iron is gone
in, and tell me if it is all my boasting;—if there were not a hollow
space behind, how could it penetrate the rock so easily?
Come hither, father, said Fritz, this is really extraordinary; his iron
bar seems to have got to a hollow place; see, it can be moved in
every direction. I approached, thinking the incident worth attention: I
took hold of the bar, which was still in the rock, and pressing it
forcibly from one side to another, I made a sufficient aperture for one
of my sons to pass, and I observed that in reality the rubbish fell
within the cavity, the extent of which I could not ascertain, but I
judged from the falling of the stones that it was not much deeper
than the part we stood on. My two lads offered to go in together and
examine it: this, however, I firmly opposed: I even made them
remove from the opening, as I smelled the mephitic air that issued
abundantly from it, and began myself to feel giddiness in
consequence of having gone too near; so that I was compelled to
withdraw quickly, and inhale a purer air. Beware, my dear children,
said I in terror, of entering such a perilous cavern; life might be
suddenly extinguished there.
Jack.—What, lose our lives, father! do you think then it contains
lions or tigers? Only give me a gun, and let me speak a word to
them.
Fritz.—How can you think such animals could live there? Father
may indeed fear that it is inhabited by serpents or vipers.
Jack.—And what should hinder us, pray, from killing serpents and
vipers?

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