Motivation and Values

Chapter 4

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• What are Paula’s motivations for being a vegetarian?

• How is vegetarianism being promoted and who is promoting it?

• How is the beef industry responding to this movement toward a meatless diet?

• How are values influencing individuals’ choices in consumption?

Opening Vignette: Paula

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Motivation & Values

• The forces that drive us to buy/use products…– Are usually straightforward– Can be related to wide-spread beliefs– Are emotional & create deep commitment– Are sometimes not immediately recognizable

to us

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The Motivation Process

• Motivation:– The processes that lead people to behave as

they do. It occurs when a need arises that a consumer wishes to satisfy.

• Utilitarian need: Provides a functional or practical benefit

• Hedonic need: An experiential need involving emotional responses or fantasies

• Goal:– The end state that is desired by the

consumer.

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The Motivation Process

• Drive:– The degree of arousal present due to a discrepancy

between the consumer’s present state and some ideal state

• Want:– A manifestation of a need created by personal and

cultural factors.

• Motivation can be described in terms of:– Strength: The pull it exerts on the consumer– Direction: The particular way the consumer attempts to

reduce motivational tension

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Ads Reinforce Desired States

• This ad for exercise shows men a desired state (as dictated by contemporary Western culture), and suggests a solution (purchase of equipment) to attain it.

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Motivational Strength

• Biological vs. Learned Needs:– Instinct: Innate patterns of behavior universal in a species– Tautology: Circular explanation (e.g. instinct is inferred

from the behavior it is supposed to explain)

• Drive Theory:– Biological needs produce unpleasant states of arousal.

We are motivated to reduce tension caused by this arousal.

• Expectancy Theory:– Behavior is pulled by expectations of achieving desirable

outcomes – positive incentives – rather than pushed from within

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Motivational Direction

• Needs Versus Wants:– Want: The particular form of consumption used to

satisfy a need.

• Types of Needs– Biogenic needs: Needs necessary to maintain life– Psychogenic needs: Culture-related needs (e.g. need

for status, power, affiliation, etc.)– Utilitarian needs: Implies that consumers will

emphasize the objective, tangible aspects of products– Hedonic needs: Subjective and experiential needs

(e.g. excitement, self-confidence, fantasy, etc.)

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Motivational Direction

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Instant Gratification of Needs

• We expect today’s technical products to satisfy our needs – instantly.

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Motivational Conflicts• Goal valence

– Positively-valued goal: approach

– Negatively-valued goal: avoid

• Deodorants & mouthwash

• Positive and negative motives often conflict with one another

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Motivational Conflicts (Cont’d)• Approach-Approach

– Two desirable alternatives– Cognitive dissonance

• Approach-Avoidance– Positive & negative aspects

of desired product– Guilt of desire occurs

• Avoidance-Avoidance– Facing a choice with two

undesirable alternatives

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Classifying Consumer Needs: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Figure 4.2

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Dutch Conception of Paradise

• A Dutch respondent’s collage emphasizes this person’s conception of paradise as a place where there is interpersonal harmony and concern for the environment.

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Criticisms of Maslow’s Hierarchy

• The application is too simplistic:– It is possible for the same product or activity to satisfy

every need.

• It is too culture-bound:– The assumptions of the hierarchy may be restricted to

Western culture

• It emphasizes individual needs over group needs– Individuals in some cultures place more value on the

welfare of the group (belongingness needs) than the needs of the individual (esteem needs)

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Discussion

• Devise separate promotional strategies for an article of clothing, each of which stresses one of the levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

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Consumer Involvement

• Involvement:– A person’s perceived relevance of the object

based on his/her inherent needs, values, and interests.

• Object: A product or brand

• Levels of Involvement: Inertia to Passion– Type of information processing depends on the

consumer’s level of involvement• Simple processing: Only the basic features of the

message are considered• Elaboration: Incoming information is linked to

preexisting knowledge

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Conceptualizing Involvement

Figure 4.3

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Increasing Involvement through Ads

• The Swiss Potato Board is trying to increase involvement with its product. The ad reads, “Recipes against boredom.”

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Consumer Involvement (cont.)

• Involvement as a Continuum:– Ranges from disinterest to obsession

• Inertia (Low involvement consumption):– Consumer lacks the motivation to consider alternatives

• Flow State (High involvement consumption):– Consumer is truly involved with the product, ad or web

site

• Cult Products:– Command fierce consumer loyalty and perhaps worship

by consumers who are highly involved in the product

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Cult Products

• Command fierce consumer loyalty, devotion, and worship– High involvement in a brand– E.g., Apple computers, Harley-Davidson

CLICK ON LOGO TO SEE VIDEO ABOUT

CONSUMERS’ DEVOTION TO HARLEY DAVIDSON

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The Many Faces of Involvement

• Product Involvement:– Related to a consumer’s level of interest in a

particular product

• Message-Response Involvement:– (a.k.a. advertising involvement) Refers to a

consumer’s interest in processing marketing communications

• Purchase Situation Involvement:– Refers to the differences that may occur when

buying the same product for different contexts

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Customizing for Product Involvement

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Purchase Situation Involvement

• Differences that may occur when buying the same object for different contexts– Social risk is a consideration– Gift as symbol of

involvement

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Measuring Involvement

• Teasing out the Dimensions of Involvement:– Involvement Profile:

• Personal interest in a product category• Risk importance• Probability of making a bad purchase• Pleasure value of the product category• How closely the product is related to the self

– Zaichkowsky’s Personal Involvement Inventory Scale

• Segmenting by Involvement Levels:– Involvement is a useful basis for market segmentation

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Table 4.1: Involvement ScaleTo Me (Object to be Judged) Is

1. important _:_:_:_:_:_:_ unimportant

2. boring _:_:_:_:_:_:_ interesting

3. relevant _:_:_:_:_:_:_ irrelevant

4. exciting _:_:_:_:_:_:_ unexciting

5. means nothing _:_:_:_:_:_:_ means a lot

6. appealing _:_:_:_:_:_:_ unappealing

7. fascinating _:_:_:_:_:_:_ mundane

8. worthless _:_:_:_:_:_:_ valuable

9. involving _:_:_:_:_:_:_ uninvolving

10. not needed _:_:_:_:_:_:_ needed

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Strategies to Increase Involvement• Appeal to hedonistic

needs• Use novel stimuli in

commercials• Use prominent stimuli in

commercials• Include celebrity endorsers

in commercials• Build consumer bonds via

ongoing consumer relationships

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Values

• Value:– A belief that some condition is preferable to its

opposite (e.g. freedom is better than slavery)

• Core Values:– General set of values that uniquely define a

culture• Value system: A culture’s unique set of

rankings of the relative importance of universal values.

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Core Values

• Every culture has its own set of values– E.g., individualism vs. collectivism

• Value system• Enculturation vs. acculturation

– Socialization agents: parents, friends, teachers– Media as agent

• Discussion: Core values evolve over time. What do you think are the 3–5 core values that best describe Americans today?

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Using Values to ExplainConsumer Behavior (Cont’d)

• List of Values (LOV)– Nine consumer segments/endorsed values– Values by consumer behaviors– E.g., those who endorse sense of belonging

read Reader’s Digest & TV Guide, drink & entertain more, and prefer group activities

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Means-end Chain Model

Florist Beauty Love True Friendship

ProductImportant Product Attributes

InstrumentalValues(flexible)

TerminalValues

Cheerful Happiness

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Materialism

• Materialism:– The importance people attach to worldly

possessions– Tends to emphasize the well-being of the

individual versus the group– People with highly material values tend to be

less happy– America is a highly materialistic society– There are a number of anti-materialism

movements

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Values of Materialists

• Materialists value visible symbols of success such as expensive watches.

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• Materialists are more likely to consume for status. Can you think of products and brands that convey status?

• There is a movement away from materialism in our culture. Can you think of products, ads, or brands that are anti-materialistic?

Discussion Question

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Consumer Behavior in the Aftermath of 9/11

• Need for balance…– 9/11 & consumer

values

• Redirecting focus from luxury goods to community/family

• Terror Management Theory

• Consumer privacy vs. security