Reference Groups INFLUENCE ON CONSUMER
BEHAVIOUR-
MBA / BBA MARKETING MANAGEMENT
QUESTION PAPER APRIL 2018
PUNE UNIVERSITY
. A group “refers to two or more
individuals who share a set of norms, values, or beliefs and have certain
implicitly or explicitly defined relationships to one another such that their
behavior is interdependent
A group may also be defined as a
collection of individuals having a sense of relatedness, which arise out of
interaction among them.
a group is defined as two or more
people, with related status and roles, who interact on the basis of shared expectations
about each other’s behavior
defined it as a group consisting of
people with whom the individual looks to for association, information, and
standards of behavior. They can be formed on many bases, including: family,
work, professional, religion, civic, educational, and recreational.
as the group whose perspective a
person assumes in forming attitudes and visible behavior. Therefore, it is a
group that an individual is using as a guide for behavior in specific
situation.
1.
Groups importantly influence consumer
behavior. Almost everyone belongs to groups of some kind, large or small,
informal or formal, temporary or permanent.
2.
the groups you use to
measure the acceptability of what you do, can be termed as ‘reference group
3.
reference groups
determine the level of aspiration for an individual.
4.
Primary Reference
Groups- It is a group with which the person has regular face-to-face
association and contact and of whose values, attitudes, and standards of
behavior he follows.
5.
It may include family, playmates,
friendship groups in the neighborhood, peer groups, and closely tied work
groups.
6.
Characteristics of Primary
Reference Groups - These groups are small in size and individuals have
informal relationships with other members of the groups.
7.
These groups tend to
have more influence on us than do larger organizations to which we belong.
8.
These groups held
together not by formal rules but instead by the informal understandings shared
by the members.
9.
Husband while agreeing
to spend Tk.10,000/- to buy an ornament set by his wife will play the role of a
financial controller. Again he will play
different role while interacting with his wife as he expects a sacrifice from
his wife.
10.
The members of a
primary group communicate with each other extensively and without any
hesitation. We are least concerned about the word selection and the time we
take while communicating with the members of our primary groups, i.e. we communicate
very informally among us.
11.
Primary reference
groups help individuals in the development of their personalities to the
fullest. It is through the primary groups that the personality of the
individual is shaped
12.
Secondary Reference
Groups- Individuals may also belong to groups other than the primary groups.
13.
secondary reference
groups as those in which the relationship among members is relatively
impersonal and formalized such as political parties, unions, occasional sports
groups and so on
14.
The relationship among
the members of a secondary reference group is less emotional, formal, and
behavior pattern is structured and standardized which requires less personal
involvement.
15.
An individual may also
seek information from the reference group members about one or more factors affecting
purchase decision, such as where, how, and when to buy a particular product.
16.
Reference groups
influence more in purchase decisions of those products that are visible to
group
17.
Norms of the informal
groups are generally unwritten, but are well understood by the members
18.
Norms cover all aspects
of behavior relevant to the group’s functioning and violation of norms results
in sanctions
EXAMPLES
1.
A person for example, may
stop buying one brand of paracetamol and switch to another on the advice of
members of the reference group.
2.
An individual for
example, may choose a particular dress style because he or she likes to become
or be considered a member of a certain professional group. LIKE MILITARY DRESS,
POLICE DRESS, BLAZER, JEANS , T SHIRT, DHOTI KURTA, KHADI, SAREE, PUNABI DRESS,
3.
reference groups tell
the individual the items he should buy for his behavior to be considered
acceptable to the groups.
4.
The type of house where
he should live, clothing he should buy and wear, automobile he should drive all
are in fact influenced by his reference groups.
5.
even if you are annoyed
with your younger brother for some reasons or other, you cannot cut your relationship
with him permanently or call someone else your younger brother. On the other
hand, you may disassociate yourself with your employer if you do not like him.
6.
If your reference
group, for example, is your immediate neighbor, your levels of aspiration and
buying behavior will be influenced by their furniture, appliances, carpets, etc
7.
Implications of
Reference Group Influence for a Marketer Marketers sometimes try to use
reference group influence in advertisements by suggesting that people in a
specific group buy a product and are highly satisfied with it.
Quite a few factors determine how
much and how long one will conform to the norms established by his reference
groups. Following are some of the factors:
1.
Type of group pressure:
Pressures by the group may be exerted in direct or indirect ways. In case of
direct and overt pressure, individual is less likely to conform to group norms,
rather attempts to establish his or her own freedom. On the contrary, in case
of indirect pressure by the group, individual is more likely to conform to
group norms.
2.
Social involvement
associated with products: Some of the products are frequently used in the
presence of others such as cigarette. In case of buying such products,
consumers conform more to groups norms as they are related on their images.
3.
Similarity in
occupation: Consumers are found to conform to those groups’ norms whose members
have similarity in terms of occupation. Doctors for example, will conform more
to the norms of their professional associations.
4.
Group decision making
ability: Groups that are efficient in making decisions can expect their members
to conform more to the group norms.
5.
Impact of group
cohesiveness: If an individual finds a group more stable and attractive, he
will conform readily to that group’s norms than an unstable and unattractive
group.
6.
Value of the norm: If a
norm is considered valuable and rewarding, the individual will conform more to
that norm than others.
7.
Unanimity among group
members: If members of a group are found to hold same opinions on different
aspects, that group can expect more conformity to its norms by the members.
8.
Ambiguity of stimuli:
If an individual is found to be ambiguous on different stimuli, he will,
without doubt, conform to group norms regarding those stimuli.
9.
Result of group
interaction: Everyone associates with different groups with the hope of gaining
something-financial or social/psychological. If it is found that associating
with a group is profitable for the individual, he will readily conform to that
group’snorms.
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