A Perspective on Consumer Behavior

Consumer behavior is the dynamic interaction of affect and cognition, behavior, and the
environment in which human beings conduct the exchange aspects(product and service
purchases) of their lives.
Social psychology is a process used to understand social phenomena and their influences on
social behavior.
The consumer decision-making process is the steps that consumers take to identify and evaluate
choice options.
Self-identity is an individual’s understanding that he or she is unique. It has been shown to
predict intentions, which we have previously shown extend to purchase behavior.
Personality involves a “sense of consistency, internal causality, and personal distinctiveness.”
Lifestyle is a way of life that individuals express by choosing how to spend their time and
personal resources.
The consumer decision-making process for luxury items focuses on an item’s meaning to the
consumer and not necessarily on the physical presence of the item.
Perception is a cognitive impression of incoming stimuli that influences the individual’s actions
and behavior. Subliminal perception is the processing of stimuli by recipient who is not aware of
the stimuli being received.
Motivation is the set of conditions that creates a drive toward particular action to fulfill a need or
want.
Attitude is a state of readiness, based in experience, that influences a response to something. A
belief is a sense of truth about something.
Learning is knowledge that is acquired through experiences. The learning process includes drive,
cue, response, and reinforcement.
Consumer behavior is influenced by a variety of social characteristics. These characteristics
include culture, subculture, global, groups, social class, gender roles, and family.
Culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, and preferences of a particular society.
Subculture are groups of people within a broader society who share similar behaviors and values.
A reference group consists of people who directly or indirectly influence how an individual feels
about particular topic. Opinion leaders are individuals who have the greatest influence on the
attitudes and behaviors of particular group.
Social classes are characteristics that distinguish certain members of a society from others, based
on a variety of factors, including wealth, vocation, education, power, place of residence, and
ancestry.
Consumer problem solving is how someone comes to a conclusion about a situation. This is
determined by what kind of decision a consumer is facing.
Consumer problem solving is related to the consumer decision-making process, but specifically
relates to how consumers come to buying conclusions.