Chapter 6:

Behavioral
Dimensions of the
Consumer Market

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 Chapter 6 Objectives
When you finish this chapter, you should
1. Understand the economic- 5. Know how consumers use
buyer model of buyer problem-solving processes.
behavior. 6. Have some feel for how a
2. Understand how consumer handles all the
psychological variables affect behavioral variables and
an individual’s buying incoming stimuli.
behavior.
7. Understand the important new
3. Understand how social terms.
influences affect an
individual’s and household’s
buying behavior.
4. See why the purchase
situation has an effect on
consumer behavior.

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

6-2 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 A Model of Buyer Behavior
Marketing Mixes All Other Stimuli

Psychological Social Purchase

Variables Influence Situation
Motivation Family Purchase Reason
Perception Social Class Time
Learning Reference Groups Surroundings
Attitude Culture
Personality/Lifestyle

Person
Making
Decision
Problem-Solving Process

Exhibit 6-1
6-3 Person Does or Does Not Purchase (Response) For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.
© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 The PSSP Hierarchy of Needs

Personal
Needs

Social Needs

Safety Needs

Physiological Needs

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

6-4 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 The Learning Process

Drive

Cues

Reinforcement

Response

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

6-5 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
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 Lifestyle Dimensions

??????? Activities
Activities

???????
??????? Interests
Interests

???????
??????? Opinions
Opinions

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

6-6 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
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 Social Class Dimensions

1.5% Upper-class

12.5% Upper-middle class

32% Lower-middle class

38% Upper-lower
(“working”) class

16% Lower-lower class

Exhibit 6-6
For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.
6-7 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 Purchase Situation Influences

??????? Purchase
Purchase Reason
Reason

???????
??????? Time
Time

???????
??????? Surroundings
Surroundings

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

6-8 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 The Consumer Problem Solving Process
Marketing mixes All other stimuli

Psychological Purchase
Social Influences Situation
Variables
Person making
decision
Need-want Awareness

Routinized Response
Information Search
Feedback of
information
Set Criteria as attitudes

Decide on Solution

Postpone Purchase Product

Decision Postpurchase
Exhibit 6-7 Evaluation
6-9 Response For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.
© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 Levels of Problem Solving
Low involvement High involvement
Frequently purchased Infrequently purchased
Inexpensive Expensive
Little risk High risk
Little information needed Much information desired

Routinized Limited Extensive

Response Problem Problem
Behavior Solving Solving

Low Involvement High Involvement

Involvement Continuum

Exhibit 6-9
For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.
6-10 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
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 The Adoption Process
Awareness

Interest

Evaluation

Trial

Decision

Confirmation
For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.
6-11 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
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 Relating the Processes
Problem-solving steps Adoption process steps Learning steps
1. Becoming aware of Awareness and interest
or interested in the
problem Drive

2. Gathering Interest and evaluation

information about
possible solutions
Cues
3. Evaluating alterative Evaluation, maybe trial
solutions
Reinforcement
4. Deciding on the Decision
appropriate solution
5. Evaluating the Confirmation Response
decision

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

6-12 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
 Key Terms

Economic Buyers Learning Extensive Problem

Economic Needs Cues Solving
Needs Response Limited Problem
Wants Reinforcement Solving
Drive Attitude Routinized Response
Physiological Needs Belief Behavior
Safety Needs Expectation Low-involvement
Social Needs Psychographics Purchases
Personal Needs Lifestyle Analysis Adoption Process
Perception Social Class Dissonance
Selective Exposure Reference Group
Selective Perception Opinion Leader
Selective Retention Culture

For use only with Perreault and McCarthy texts.

6-13 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999
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