Consumer Behavior,Ninth Edition

Schiffman & Kanuk

Copyright 2007 by Prentice Hall

Chapter 10: The Family and Its Social Class StandingMKT 344 Faculty: NNA

What Is a Group? Categories of Reference Groups Selected Consumer-Related Reference Groups Reference Group Appeals The Changing U.S. Family Consumer Socialization Family Decision Making The Family Life Cycle

Two or more people who interact to accomplish either individual or mutual goals

Reference

Group

A person or group

that serves as a point

of comparison (or

reference) for an

individual in the

formation of either

general or specific

values, attitudes, or

behavior.

Normative Reference Groups Reference

groups influencing broadly defined value. i.e. Family

Comparative Reference Groups Reference group serving as benchmarks for

specific or narrowly defined attitude or behavior. i.e. upper level executive

Membership group: A group where a person belongs to or would

qualify for membership. i.e. NSUSS

aspirationalreference groupscomprise idealized figures such as successful business people, athletes or performers

• Groups include people who more realistically represent the individuals’ current equals or near-equals

Associative Reference Groups

• group includes people that the individual would not like to belong to

Dissociative Reference Group

Friendship groups: a group of people, usually of similar age, background, and social status, with whom a person associates and who are likely to influence the person's beliefs and behavior.

Shopping groups Work groups: a group

within a workforce that normally works together.

Virtual groups or communities: individuals who work across time, space and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology.

The Internet has created many friendship and

shopping groups.

Saturn car owners who meet for reunions and barbecues

Harley-Davidson Owner Groups

Since Honda cannot compete on brand community,

they choose to emphasize the family.

Celebrities The expert The “common man”

Households

Family Households:

Married couple,

Nuclear family,

Extended family

Nonfamily Households:

Unmarried couples,

Friends/ Roommates

Increase in childless women More working mothers Changes in household spending patterns

Consumer

Socialization

The process by which

children acquire the

skills, knowledge, and

attitudes necessary to

function as consumers.

How do marketers influence consumer socialization?

Does this seem unethical? At what point would it be unethical?

Table 10.7 Eight Roles in the Family Decision-Making Process

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Influencers Family member(s) who provide information to other members about a product

or service

Gatekeepers Family member(s) who control the flow of information about a product or

service into the family

Deciders Family member(s) with the power to determine unilaterally or jointly whether

to shop for, purchase, use, consume, or dispose of a specific product or service

Buyers Family member(s) who make the actual purchase of a particular product or

service

Users Family member(s) who use or consume a particular product or service

Maintainers Family member(s) who service or repair the product so that it will provide

continued satisfaction.

Disposers Family member(s) who initiate or carry out the disposal or discontinuation of a

particular product or service

Husband-Dominated Wife-Dominated Joint Autonomic

Traditional Family Life Cycle

Stage I: Bachelorhood

Stage II: Honeymooners

Stage III: Parenthood

Stage IV: Postparenthood

Stage V: Dissolution

Modifications - the Nontraditional FLC

Child less couple

Couples who marry later in life

Couples who have first child later in life

Single parents

Extended family (kids return to parents to avoid expenses or after divorce)

Unmarried couples