Page 47 - DMGT506_CONSUMER_BEHAVIOUR

Consumer Behaviour

Notes The next step is the exploration of the unique motivations that relate to the product category.
What psychological needs the product or service does fulfil? Does the product have any social
relevance or implication? Does the product relate to one's status aspirations, to competitive
drives, to feelings of self-esteem, to security needs? Does the product have deep symbolic
significance, etc? Some of these motives must be inferred since respondents are often unaware of
why they do what they do or do not wish to disclose.
The last important dimension that needs to be understood is the business environment, including
competitive forces, brand perceptions and images, relative market shares, the role of advertising
in the category, and trends in the marketplace. The respondent is most likely to know only part
of this business environment, but understanding the business context is critical to the
interpretation of consumer motives in a way that will lead to useful results.

Marketers have realised that motivation research has some shortcomings. Sample sizes of
consumers are small and hardly representative of the total market and the findings are based on
subjective analysis. Based on the same data, two different analysts can possibly produce different
reports offering subjective explanation for consumer behaviour under consideration.

Motivations for Watching Television
Case Study
Committed/Ritualised
This involves viewing one's favourite programmes on a regular basis. The programmes
have become like friends. The following quote exemplifies this motive:
"When you watch ….. the same newscasters, they become like friends. You watch the 11 o'clock
news and he says "Good night," and you feel like saying "Good night, Charles."
Mood Improvement
Many people view television to elevate their moods or to escape from cares and worries:
"You work, you come home ….. the same old dull routine every day. (TV) sort of takes you
away from your every day working life and lets you forget about your own problems for
a while. It's a security blanket ….. a decompression chamber, immersion in a fantasy
world for a few moments, a few hours."
Information/Cognitive Benefit

Television is used to keep viewer up-to-date on current events, to provide new and
interesting information, to acquaint viewers with people and places they would not
otherwise encounter, and to provide "food for thought."

Social Learning
Viewers use situations shown on television to examine their own behaviours and as a
source of guidance:

"You have done something to somebody and you didn't even think it was wrong - it never even
crossed your mind. You look at a programme and you think, "How could he say that to somebody?"
And you think, "Gee, I said something like that to this person just the other day."
Contd...

42 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY