Cognitive anthropology and the problem‐solving behaviour of green consumers

• This paper examines the contextual aspects of problem‐solving behaviour of ‘green’, environmentally oriented consumers. It is argued that by profiling the consumer in cognitive terms, a more robust understanding of green consumer behaviour can be provided.
• To illustrate this, we draw upon the cognitive anthropological concepts of practical thinking and bricolage. These are used to integrate ‘context’ into a model of cognition via qualitative, interview‐based research which examined how consumers assess the environmental friendliness of supermarket products.
• In order to increase external validity two respondent groups were compared, British and German consumers. Different levels of successful and unsuccessful practical thinking and bricolage were identified.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of price discounts on green consumerism behavioral intentions

Green consumerism encourages consumers to demonstrate environmentally friendly behavior for protecting the environment and health of human beings. For example, if consumers wish to purchase take‐out beverages, they are encouraged to bring their own cups or water bottles rather than use disposable cups. This study, through 2 experiments, discussed the use of price discounts for encouraging green consumerism behavioral intentions. Experiment 1 examined the relationships among a green promotion setting, perceived nonmonetary and monetary sacrifice, and purchase intention toward the list price. The results of hierarchical regression models based on 120 valid questionnaires showed that perceived nonmonetary sacrifice fully mediated the relationship between a green promotion setting and the purchase intention toward the list price. Experiment 2 investigated the relationship between price discount levels and frames and a green or general promotion setting used by take‐out beverage shops. The results of the analysis of variance based on 900 valid questionnaires demonstrated that (i) the variation in consumer purchase intention in response to green consumerism promotion was lower than that in response to general promotion; (ii) the price discount threshold used in green consumerism promotion was 20%, which was higher than that in a general promotion setting; and (iii) consumers preferred a percentage discount offered during green consumerism promotion; however, they preferred a discount with a specific dollar amount in a general promotion setting. These results provide suggestions for improving green marketing and green consumerism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

“I'm an ogre so I'm very hungry!” “I'm assistant ogre”: The Social Function of Sibling Imitation in Early Childhood

Siblings' imitative behaviors were investigated in 39 middle‐class dyads during six 90‐min home sessions at both Time 1 (M age: older sibling = 4.4 years; younger sibling = 2.4 years) and Time 2 (2 years later). Although younger siblings imitated most often at T1 and T2, older siblings' imitation increased proportionally over time in comparison to younger siblings. Findings highlight the affiliative nature of imitation that occurred during reciprocal play interactions, via positive responses, and the content of the imitation. Finally, age was controlled by comparing first‐born siblings aged 4 at T1 to second‐born siblings aged 4 at T2. Findings demonstrated that sibling imitation had distinct characteristics despite the age match and partner effects. Sibling imitation is a dynamic, interactive social behavior and may be a powerful source of learning for young children.

Highlights

• The role of sibling imitation in ongoing play in early childhood is highlighted.
• Sibling imitation is a dynamic and affiliative behavior that promotes interaction during play.
• Naturalistic observations of sibling imitation document that it is a powerful source of learning for young children.

     

Boycott or buycott? Understanding political consumerism

• This research addresses the question of how boycotting (punishing business for unfavorable behavior) differs from buycotting (rewarding business for favorable behavior). This analysis of 21 535 adults from the 2002/2003 European Social Survey (ESS) compares the effects of social capital, altruism, and gender on different categories of political consumers. Logistic regression analyses reveal that boycotters do indeed differ from buycotters. Specifically, women and people who are more trusting, involved in more voluntary associations, or more altruistic are more likely to buycott than boycott. These differences support the inclusion of both boycott and buycott measures in future studies of political consumerism.

Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The roles of self‐discrepancy and social support in young females' decisions to undergo cosmetic procedures

• Advertising appeals emphasizing unrealistic body images are increasingly linked to depression, loss of self‐esteem, and unhealthy eating habits. Understanding the motivation of young and vulnerable populations to undergo cosmetic procedures can help modify marketing and public policy practices. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this paper confirms the motivating role of self‐concept discrepancy in young women seeking cosmetic procedures. It also reveals conflicting moderating influences of different types of social support on the relationship between self‐discrepancy and choice of cosmetic procedures. Our findings show that family‐based social support attenuates the effect of perceived actual‐ideal self‐discrepancy on the choice of cosmetic procedures, while social support from friends amplifies this effect. Actual‐ought discrepancy appears to negatively affect the propensity for cosmetic procedures. Discussion of the findings and implications for public policy and marketing managers are presented.

Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of type of instruction,animacy cues,and dimensionality of objects on the shape bias in 3‐ to 6‐year‐old children

Robust evidence exists for the shape bias, or children's tendency to extend novel names and categorize objects more readily on the basis of shape than on other object features. However, issues remain about the conditions that affect the shape bias and its importance as a linguistic device. In this research, we examined how type of instruction (common noun naming, proper noun naming, same kind, and goes with), animacy of objects (animate, inanimate), and dimensionality of objects (two‐dimensional, three‐dimensional) affect the shape bias in 3‐ to 6‐year‐old children. Overall, all children showed strong use of the shape bias with categorization (same kind, goes with) instructions, the former in line with the shape‐as‐cue theory. Additionally, the shape bias was quite robust in the inanimate condition, regardless of type of instruction or dimensionality of objects. However, in the animate condition, a proper noun naming instruction coupled with an animate object cue reduced the shape bias across both two‐ and three‐dimensional objects. Implications of these findings are presented.

Highlights

• This study assessed the “shape bias,” a linguistic strategy young children routinely use when confronted with the task of extending a novel name from one object to another.
• Novel name extension and categorization tasks were used in this study.
• Shape bias was affected by the type of instructions, animacy of objects, and dimensionality of objects.

     

Young children's self‐benefiting lies and their relation to executive functioning and theory of mind

It is well established that children lie in different social contexts for various purposes from the age of 2 years. Surprisingly, little is known about whether very young children will spontaneously lie for personal gain, how self‐benefiting lies emerge, and what cognitive factors affect the emergence of self‐benefiting lies. To bridge this gap in the literature, we situated children between 2 and 4 years of age in a zero‐sum game where children must lie to their opponent if they wanted to win a desirable reward. We found that the majority of young children did not lie even when they experienced personal losses repeatedly. However, some children spontaneously lied during the game; as the game progressed, more children lied. Further, we found that children's theory of mind understanding and executive functioning in terms of a combination of inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility had significant positive and unique correlations with how frequently children lied for personal gain. The present results taken together with the existing findings regarding children's lies for self‐protection and politeness purposes suggest that the act of lying begins early in life. Further, its emergence and development are influenced by children's specific cognitive abilities in the domains of theory of mind understanding and executive functioning.

Highlights

• The study investigated whether very young children will spontaneously lie for personal gain.
• This study used a zero‐sum game to elicit children's self‐benefiting lies. Results showed the majority of young children did not lie, and it is related to children's theory of mind understanding and executive functioning.
• The act of lying begins early in life, and its emergence and development are influenced by children's specific cognitive abilities in the domains of theory of mind understanding and executive functioning.

     

Tuning in and tuning out: media multitasking among young consumers

• While commercial media are increasingly attended to in multitasking contexts, advertising research is dominated by sequential marketing communication models where the consumer is a passive receiver of one type of media at a time. This study examine's media multitasking behaviors and experiences among young consumers. Media multitasking is the practice of participating in multiple exposures to two or more commercial media forms at a single point in time, including traditional, online, social, and entertainment media. Prior research argues that multitasking results in diminished comprehension and performance. Through a qualitative approach with a sample of 64 young consumers involving interviews and collages, this study highlights the paradoxical experiences of media multitasking. The authors develop a conceptual model that explains the personal benefits and costs associated with media multitasking, and proposes its impact on consumers' motivation, ability and opportunity (the MAO model) to process commercial media content. Further, the study suggests an inverted‐U relationship between media multitasking and the MAO model and proposes four behavioral coping moderators to this relationship.

Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Market mavenism and consumer self‐confidence

• The purpose of this study was to test hypothesized associations between market mavenism and consumer self‐confidence (CSC). A survey of 190 US consumers provided the data. The results showed significant relationships between mavenism and several dimensions of CSC, and regression analysis emphasized the relationships with two of these: information acquisition (confidence in the ability to obtain and use marketplace information) and social outcomes decision making (confidence in obtaining positive reactions from others). These findings both enrich our knowledge of the psychology of market mavenism by suggesting some motivations for these behaviors and suggest marketing strategies can be fine‐tuned to appeal more effectively to this important segment of consumers.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A cross‐cultural analysis of German,Chinese and Indian consumers' perception of web site adaptation

• The aim of this study is to provide empirical evidence, using the theory of planned behavior, as to whether local consumers prefer culturally adapted web sites or standardized web sites The study contributes to the existing literature by showing that consumers from Germany, China, and India prefer web sites adapted to their local culture, and that culture influences consumer beliefs, attitudes, and purchase intention on the web.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Too cheap to chug: frugality as a buffer against college‐student drinking

• Beyond its probable effect on preventing financial problems, frugality may contribute to consumer well‐being in other ways. Using survey data collected from American undergraduates, in this paper we demonstrate that frugality is negatively associated with several types of alcohol use. These relationships hold even when sex and impulsivity are controlled. To further substantiate the link between frugality and college‐student drinking, we confirmed that typical amount spent on alcohol mediates the relations between frugality and each type of drinking we assessed. These results are consistent with suggestions that young adults' drinking‐related choices are subject to price considerations and that policy makers may be able to leverage such considerations to prevent excessive drinking.

Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How to facilitate immersion in a consumption experience: appropriation operations and service elements

• An entire research current has taken on the mantle of analysing the growing quest on the part of contemporary consumers for immersion into varied experiences. But there has been little empirical analysis of this process of immersion and the experience it produces. This paper introduces and develops the subjective operations that consumers undertake in their efforts to be submerged in the consumption experience. It uses empirical research based on introspective reports filed by consumers who attended a series of classical music concerts. The results suggest that, rather than being an immediate process, immersion in a consumption experience is more progressive. To facilitate this progressive process, greater attention must be paid to the management of those service elements that will have an impact on the so‐called operations of appropriation.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring consumers' health meaning categories: towards a health consumption meaning model

• Health marketplace offers a lucrative business for many companies. However, there is a gap in consumer research in understanding what health as a target of consumption really means to consumers. The subtleties and multiplicity of meanings rural and urban (both younger and older) consumers attach to health in their everyday lives are empirically explored in this article. Findings of a focus group interview‐based interpretive analysis are reported. It was found that meanings consumers associate with health are profound and multi‐faceted (identification of several health‐meaning categories) with some evidence for age‐ and area‐of‐ residency‐related health‐meaning differences. The article is concluded by advancing theory‐building in consumer research in the form of developing a tentative framework model that can be used to analyze health consumption meanings.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Ex-Patient/Practitioner's Comments on Professional- and Consumerisms,with Poetry

SUMMARY

This article, more like a stream of consciousness or conversation, touches on a personal story and leads to a clinical/political stance. It seeks to convey some of the difficulties in the field's quest to practice “consumerism,” the inclusion of mental health service recipients and ex-patients in all aspects of the mental health system. It tells part of the author's story as an ex-patient who has professionalized in the field, and offers readers the chance to ponder their roles relative to the recent phenomenon of asking consumers to participate. It concludes with poetry meant to be read as a letter to mental health workers from a composite client who seeks their support.     

Effects of US‐based franchising in the developing world: a middle‐eastern consumer perspective

• This paper investigates the impact of US‐based franchising in the Middle Eastern context of Egypt. In a review of the franchise literature, micro‐ and macro‐level effects are identified and categorized across social, economic, cultural, political, and marketplace dimensions. A qualitative analysis using focus groups of Middle Eastern consumers was conducted. Clear evidence of “consumer agency” as a transformative force in the globalization process is revealed. In addition to confirming consumer agency findings from previous research, this study also indicates a sequential progression of product adoption over time along Eckhardt and Mahi's (2004) consumer agency categories. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.

Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theory‐of‐Mind development and early sibling relationships after the birth of a sibling: Parental discipline matters

This study investigated relations among children's Theory‐of‐Mind (ToM) development, early sibling interactions, and parental discipline strategies during the transition to siblinghood. Using a sample of firstborn children and their parents (N = 208), we assessed children's ToM before the birth of a sibling and 12 months after the birth, and sibling interactions (i.e., positive engagement and antagonism) and parental discipline strategies (i.e., child‐centred and parent‐centred discipline) at 4 and 8 months in the first year of siblinghood. Structural equation modelling analyses revealed that children's ToM before the birth of the sibling predicted children's positive engagement with the infant sibling, whereas children's antagonistic behaviours towards the infant sibling negatively predicted children's ToM at 12 months, but only when mothers used low levels of child‐centred discipline. These findings emphasize the role of parents in the development of young children's social‐cognitive understanding in the context of early sibling interactions.

Highlights

• This study investigated relations among firstborns' Theory‐of‐Mind (ToM), early sibling relationships, and parental discipline during the first year of siblinghood.
• Multigroup analyses showed that ToM predicted higher sibling positive engagement, and early sibling antagonism predicted poorer ToM when mothers used low child‐centred discipline.
• Parental discipline plays an important role in the development of young children's social understanding and sibling relationships as early as the first year of siblinghood.

     

Tomorrow's consumer — the shifting balance of power

What are the prospects for consumerism? Often despised as self‐indulgent, consumers are frequently motivated by altruism and their needs to express their identity, to build relationships, to obtain fulfilment and even to find a substitute for religion. Mass‐customisation is producing fundamental change, revolutionising attitudes to choice, with a key role for agents (human and online) in helping people choose. Consumer power will grow and brands will be under pressure from rising consumer expectations. While retailers fight back with targeted marketing and special offers, brands will need to serve consumer needs as much as suppliers. Online shopping could transform consumer behaviour, driven by cost saving and convenience and spurred on by competition. Will retailers protect their traditional channels or go online because they are afraid not to? ‘Etailing’ will need to create consumer trust, so regulation will be critical, possibly leading to legal responsibilities for quality on Internet service providers (ISPs) and portals and with systems to help new entrants build a track record of reliability, thereby increasing competition, choice and consumer power. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications.     

‘Mr. MASS motivations himself’: explaining Dr. Ernest Dichter

• During the 1950s and into the 1960s no marketing consultant was better known than Dr. Ernest Dichter (1907–1993). Business leaders, advertising professionals, journalists, and even academics attributed to Dichter near‐magical powers to penetrate to the very heart of consumer motivations with his unique psychoanalytic version of ‘Motivation Research’. Social critics saw him as a menace to free societies.
• Much of what he claimed, however, was inaccurate and needs to be critically checked against other sources, as will be done here, where archival and other primary sources are evaluated to explore Dichter's career and his legacy.
• Dichter exploited the esteem of psychoanalysis yet was not particularly well versed in it himself. He was hardly the ‘father’ of Motivation Research (MR) but rather took from its originators without acknowledgement. His work represented only part of MR.
• On the positive side, Dichter's creative and intuitive approach enabled him to portray consumer behavior in ways that celebrated mass affluence, enriched popular mythology, and still influences advertising creatives.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Reflection on the Growth and Decline of the Korean Protestant Church

This article examines the reasons for the growth and decline of the Korean Protestant Church during the following five periods:

• In the early period of settlement (1884–1909), growth originated from the emancipation motif, modern values, the Christian's moral life, the Revival experience, Bible study, and the prayer culture. The Korean church did not polarize evangelism and social action.
• During Japanese domination (1910–1945), growth came from the respect of the people toward the church. The church served the nation, consoled and healed the minds of the people, and gave brave witness of their faith in God. However, political persecution, economic devastation, socialist influences, and finally the coercion of the Shinto shrine worship to the church blocked church growth.
• During the recovery time (1945–1960), the social anomie after the nation's liberation and the Korean War ironically became a seedbed for church growth. However, the church improperly made her image pro‐government and pro‐America.
• During the time of industrialization and urbanization (1960–1995), Korean Protestantism achieved great growth and the highest percentage. Most of the Korean Protestant churches in cities, taking advantage of the mass rural–city migration, were actively involved in evangelism and church planting. University mission organizations and military missions were most active. Yet, they did not do well in terms of holistic evangelism. On the other hand, the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), the Urban Rural Mission (URM,) the minjung churches and others carried out social mission work.
• After the time of urbanization (1995–2005), church membership began to decrease. The Protestant church‐planting policy in city areas became inappropriate. In addition, the church's political conservatism fell out of favour with the young generation.