Influence of Culture on Consumer Behaviour
Influence of Culture on Consumer Behavior
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter students should be able to understand:
1. What culture is and how it impacts consumer behaviors.
2. How culture acts as an “invisible hand” that guides consumption-related attitudes, values and behavior.
3. How culture sets standards for what satisfies consumers’ needs.
4. How culture is learned and expressed in language, symbols, and rituals.
5. How consumers are always adapting to culture-related experiences.
6. How the impact of culture on consumer behavior is measured.
7. How core cultural values impact American consumers.
8. How the American culture became a “shopping culture.”
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The study of culture is the study of all aspects of a society. It is the language, knowledge, laws, and customs that give society its distinctive character and personality. In the context of consumer behavior, culture is defined as the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to regulate the consumer behavior of members of a particular society. Beliefs and values are guides for consumer behavior; customs are unusual and accepted ways of behaving.
The impact of culture is so natural and ingrained that its influence on behavior is rarely noted. Yet, culture offers order, direction, and guidance to members of society in all phases of human problem solving. Culture is dynamic, and gradually and continually evolves to meet the needs of society.
Culture is learned as part of social experience. Children acquire from their environment a set of beliefs, values, and customs that constitute culture (i.e., they are encultured). These are acquired through formal learning, informal learning, and technical learning. Advertising enhances formal learning by reinforcing desired modes of behavior and expectations; it enhances informal learning by providing models for behavior.
Culture is communicated to members of the society through a common language and through
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter students should be able to understand:
1. What culture is and how it impacts consumer behaviors.
2. How culture acts as an “invisible hand” that guides consumption-related attitudes, values and behavior.
3. How culture sets standards for what satisfies consumers’ needs.
4. How culture is learned and expressed in language, symbols, and rituals.
5. How consumers are always adapting to culture-related experiences.
6. How the impact of culture on consumer behavior is measured.
7. How core cultural values impact American consumers.
8. How the American culture became a “shopping culture.”
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The study of culture is the study of all aspects of a society. It is the language, knowledge, laws, and customs that give society its distinctive character and personality. In the context of consumer behavior, culture is defined as the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to regulate the consumer behavior of members of a particular society. Beliefs and values are guides for consumer behavior; customs are unusual and accepted ways of behaving.
The impact of culture is so natural and ingrained that its influence on behavior is rarely noted. Yet, culture offers order, direction, and guidance to members of society in all phases of human problem solving. Culture is dynamic, and gradually and continually evolves to meet the needs of society.
Culture is learned as part of social experience. Children acquire from their environment a set of beliefs, values, and customs that constitute culture (i.e., they are encultured). These are acquired through formal learning, informal learning, and technical learning. Advertising enhances formal learning by reinforcing desired modes of behavior and expectations; it enhances informal learning by providing models for behavior.
Culture is communicated to members of the society through a common language and through