Download Chapter 12 Reference Groups and Family

Chapter 12
Reference Groups and Family
Consumer Behaviour
Canadian Edition
Schiffman/Kanuk/Das
Copyright © 2006
Pearson Education Canada Inc.
What is a Group?
 Two
or more people who interact to
accomplish either individual or mutual
goals
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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 behaviour.
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Types of Reference Groups
 Classified by:
– Membership
• Symbolic
– Extent of interaction
• Direct versus indirect
– Nature of attraction
• Aspirational versus dissociative
– Degree of formality
• Formal versus informal
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Types of Reference Group
Influence

Informational Influence
– When a member of reference group provides
information used to make purchase decisions

Normative Influence
– When we conform to group norms in order to
belong to that group

Identification Influence
– When we identify with, and internalize, a group’s
values and behaviours
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Factors Encouraging Conformity:
A Reference Group Must ...




Inform or make the individual aware of a
specific product or brand
Provide the individual with the opportunity to
compare his or her own thinking with the
attitudes and behaviour of the group
Influence the individual to adopt attitudes and
behaviour that are consistent with the norms of
the group
Legitimize the decision to use the same
products as the group
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Selected Consumer-Related
Reference Groups

Friendship groups
 Shopping groups
 Work groups
 Virtual groups or communities
 Brand communities
 Consumer-action groups
 celebrities
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Reference Groups and Marketing
Strategy

Recognize the extent of reference group
influence in a situation
 Identify the most effective type of reference
group influence
 Identify possible reference group members
to use in promotions
 Attempt to increase reference group
influence
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Households
Family Households:
Married couple,
Nuclear family,
Extended family
Households
Non-Family Households:
Unmarried couples,
Friends/ Roommates,
Boarders
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The Typical Household?

Canada: Nuclear family
 Thailand: Extended family
 USA: Not married, no children
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The Family Life Cycle

Traditional Family Life Cycle
–
–
–
–
–

Stage I: Bachelorhood
Stage II: Honeymooners
Stage III: Parenthood
Stage IV: Post-parenthood
Stage V: Dissolution
Modifications - the Nontraditional FLC
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Figure 12-6 Noteworthy Nontraditional
FLC Stages
Alternative FLC Stages
Definition/Commentary
Family Households
Childless couples
It is increasingly acceptable for married couples to
elect not to have children. Contributing forces are
more career-oriented married women and delayed
marriages.
Couples who marry later in More career-oriented men and women and greater
life (in their late 30s or later) occurrence of couples living together. Likely to have
fewer or even no children.
Couples who have first child Likely to have fewer children. Stress quality lifestyle:
later in life (in their late 30s “Only the best is good enough”
or later)
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Figure 12-6 (continued)
Alternative FLC Stages
Family Households
Single parents I
Definition/Commentary
Single parents II
Young man or woman who has one or more children
out of wedlock.
Single parents III
A single person who adopts one or more children.
Extended family
Young single-adult children who return home to
avoid the expenses of living alone while establishing
their careers. Divorced daughter or son and
grandchild(ren) return home to parents. Frail elderly
parents who move in with children. Newlyweds
living with in-laws.
High divorce rates (about 50%) contribute to a
portion of single-parent households
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Figure 12-6 (continued)
Alternative FLC Stages
Definition/Commentary
Nonfamily Households
Unmarried couples
Increased acceptance of heterosexual and
homosexual couples.
Divorced persons (no
children)
High divorce rate contributes to dissolution of
households before children are born.
Single persons (most are
young)
Primarily a result of delaying first marriage; also,
men and women who never marry.
Widowed persons (most are
elderly)
Longer life expectancy, especially for women; means
more over-75 single-person households.
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Dynamics of Husband-Wife
Decision Making

Husband-Dominated


Wife-Dominated
Joint
– Equal
– Syncratic

Autonomic
– Solitary
– Unilateral
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Consumer Socialization

The process by which children acquire the
skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to
function as consumers.
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Other Functions of the Family

Economic well-being
 Emotional support
 Suitable family lifestyles
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Family and Marketing Strategy

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Use the FLC for segmentation and positioning
Recognize the diverse consumption roles within
the family
Understand and use the dynamics of husband-wife
decision making
Understand and use the consumer socialization
role played by the family
Recognize the changing nature of Canadian
families.
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