Consumer Behavior

University of West Georgia

MKTG 5864 Spring 2007
Adamson Hall Room 115

Instructor: Dr. Deborah J. Webb Office Hours: M, W 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM

4:40 PM – 5:30 PM
and by Appointment
Office: Richards College of Business Room 168
Phone: (678) 839-5027 e-mail: dwebb@westga.edu

Prerequisites: Advanced courses in behavioral sciences or marketing or permission of the Department

Chair.

Required Texts:
Hawkins, Del I., Roger J. Best and Kenneth A. Coney (2004), Consumer Behavior, 9th Edition. Boston,
MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Cialdini, Robert (2000), Influence: Science and Practice, 4th Edition. Pearson, Allyn & Bacon.
Powerpoint Presentations.

Course Description:
A comprehensive analysis of the factors in human behavior which influence the choice and the use of
products and services offered in the for-profit and nonprofit organizations in our society.

Graduate Student Objectives:

1. To identify and explain important concepts, theories and research methods from the social sciences
that are useful for understanding the complexities of buyer behavior (LG 4).
2. To apply these concepts in marketing decision-making (LG 2, LG 6).
3. To critically evaluate business decisions from several perspectives (especially those of the consumer,
of society and of the firm) (LG 5, LG 6).
4. To enhance important skill sets including analytical and critical thinking, written and oral
communication and working in small groups (LG 1, LG 6).
5. To individually and collectively analyze and solve complex marketing problems with an emphasis
on a consumer orientation during class discussion and by completing two projects that require
research, analysis, written reports and oral presentation of the findings to the class: (1) Consumer
Behavior Research Paper and (2) Consumer Behavior Observational Research Study. (LG 1, LG 4,
LG 6).

Graduate Student Responsibilities:

1. Attend class, prepared to discuss and apply concepts from assigned readings.
2. Be responsible for the readings assigned in class and in the course syllabus, whether or not the
material is explicitly covered by the instructor during class.
3. Graduate students are expected to make regular, meaningful contributions to class discussions.
4. Turn in or meet all assignments on schedule.
5. Recognize that in addition to reading from the text and assigned readings, everything presented in
class by the instructor, guest speakers or other students will be considered for inclusion on the
exams.
Course Orientation:
We will use a variety of learning methods to study the interrelationship between theory and practice as
applied to consumer behavior. Often the importance of the concepts that will be discussed in this course
become more evident when discussed in light of real world examples. We will use a combination of
assignments, case analysis, individual and team exercises, videos or presentations to help facilitate the
learning process. I will lecture on occasion where the topic is amenable to that approach. However, I
have found that an interactive approach works best. This means that every student must be prepared to
participate. While I encourage voluntary participation, I will call on individuals who are reticent to
participate for whatever reason. Failing to be prepared for class, can, therefore, not only be
unproductive and damaging to your participation grade, but also embarrassing. Please help me keep this
from occurring by always being prepared and making a meaningful contribution to our class experience.

Course Evaluation:
Course grades will be calculated using the following percentages:

Exams (4 @ 17.5% each) 70%

Project 1(CB Research Paper) 15%
Project 2 (CB Observational Study) 10%
Participation/Attendance/Assignments 5%

Please Note: No extra credit or curving of grades will be included in the course evaluation.

Exams:
Examinations will be designed to test your understanding of consumer behavior by allowing you to
demonstrate your mastery of concepts, principles and terms used by marketing professionals. In
addition, you will be expected to integrate and apply these concepts, principles and terms to marketing
problems. Exams will be some combination of multiple choice, matching, essay and/or application
questions. Grades on all written communication will be based on content, structure, spelling and
grammar. Exams will cover both assigned readings and additional materials covered in class.

Exam and Due Date Policies:

Make-up exams will not be given except under highly extenuating, nonacademic circumstances
and with prior approval by the instructor. In the rare situation of a student who cannot take an exam
at the time scheduled, a makeup exam will be arranged only if two conditions are met:
(1) there is an emergency which the student discusses with me before missing the exam and
(2) documentation of the emergency situation is provided. These same two conditions must be met
for any late assignments to be accepted. Students not abiding by these policies will receive a zero.

Projects:
There are two projects required for completion of the graduate course:

Please Note: If the project is a team project, all team members are expected to actively participate in
and thoroughly understand all aspects of the project. Teams will evaluate individual members of the
group based on each one's contribution. The evaluations should fairly represent the contribution of each
team member. The project grade will be lowered for any member who by consensus did not contribute
equitably to the project.

1. Consumer Behavior Research Paper (i.e., White Paper) (15% of course grade)
Conduct a thorough literature review on one of the major topics covered in the course and
prepare a written report and class presentation synthesizing your research and its implications for
consumer researchers, nonprofit or for-profit marketing decision makers, and/or public
policymakers. The idea is to effectively research a consumer behavior topic including the extant
 theoretical and empirical research, integrate your findings and determine their implications for
affected practitioners.

Please submit a one-page project proposal detailing your topic choice by the last class of the
third week of class, January 24th. Once I have approved the project proposal, we will agree on a
due date for the paper and presentation and you will be evaluated based on how well you
accomplish the project as agreed.

The paper should be a maximum of 15 typed, double-spaced pages (12-point type) excluding
appendices. The presentation does not have to follow the organization of your report. Creative
presentations are encouraged.

2. Consumer Behavior Observational Research Study (10% of course grade)

After reading “Direct Observation of Purchasing Behavior” by Wells and Lo Sciuto (1966)
and Chapters 13 – 17 in the text, conduct an observational research study with a minimum of 20
observations of a facet of consumer behavior and prepare a written report (3 – 5 pages
maximum) and class presentation synthesizing your research and its implications for consumer
researchers, nonprofit or for-profit marketing decision makers, and/or public policymakers.
Detailed instructions are attached to this syllabus.

Please submit a one-page project proposal detailing your qualitative expectations and how
you will conduct the research by the day we return from Spring Break, March 26th. Once I have
approved the project proposal, you will be evaluated based on how well you accomplish the
project as agreed.

Participation/Attendance/Assignments:
Your attendance and active participation in class are an integral part of the learning experience for you
and your classmates. The class benefits from your relevant questions, insights and experiences. Both
the quantity and quality of participation will be taken into account. Participation will be based upon
how well you are prepared for class, your contribution to making the class a better learning environment
and the value and insight you demonstrate in class discussions. In addition, both out of class and in
class assignments will be made throughout the semester, which are designed to provide you with first
hand experience with various aspects of consumer behavior and to enhance understanding of the course
material. Assignments will be graded on the following scale: +, - or 0, which correspond to full, half or
no credit, respectively. As noted above, make-up assignments can only be made under extenuating,
documented circumstances just like make-up exams.

Students missing more than 3 classes may be administratively withdrawn from the course by
the instructor for excess absences. Administrative withdrawals follow the same grading
guidelines outlined in the registration bulletin.
Academic Honesty: Students are expected to recognize and uphold standards of intellectual and
academic integrity. The University assumes as a basic and minimum standard of conduct in
academic matters that students be honest and that they present for credit only the results of their own
efforts. Students should be familiar with the University's policy on issues such as:
· Plagiarism,
· Cheating on Examinations,
· Unauthorized Collaboration,
· Falsification,
· Multiple Submissions*.

Lack of knowledge of this policy is not an acceptable defense to any charge of academic dishonesty.

* It will be considered an act of academic dishonesty for a student to submit work done in any other
class for credit toward the completion of this course.

* Papers may be checked using plagiarism software.

University Policies: It is your responsibility to be aware and follow all guidelines and policies as
presented in the University Bulletin.

Please note: It is now University Policy that communications with students be through campus
email (i.e., My UWG). Therefore, all class communications with me should be through your
MyUWG account.

Notes:
The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course. However, deviations may be necessary.
It is your responsibility to stay informed of any changes that are made.

The PowerPoint Slides located on the Marketing and Real Estate’s Home Page are provided as an
aid not a substitute for the text or class attendance. Please be aware that we will be covering
material and completing exercises in class that will not be on the PowerPoint Slides.

Please come to class on time and turn off/mute all items that emit sounds and
noises that may interrupt the class (e.g. cell phones, pagers, watch alarms,
etc.).

Professional behavior is expected in the classroom. Comments regarding

course difficulty, class dismissal time, etc. are inappropriate. Talk to the
instructor privately if you have a concern.
Consumer Behavior MKTG 5864 Spring 2007 Dr. Deborah J. Webb
Tentative Class Schedule

Date Topic Readings

M 1/8 Course Overview & Introductions to One Another
Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy 1

W 1/10 The Consumer Decision Making Process: Postpurchase Processes, 18

Customer Satisfaction & Customer Commitment

M 1/15 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – No Class

W 1/17 The Consumer Decision Making Process: Postpurchase Processes, 18

Customer Satisfaction & Customer Commitment (continued)

Review of Research Methods: Primary and Secondary Appendix A

M 1/22 Marketing Regulation and Consumer Behavior; Ethics 20

W 1/24 (continued) 20
Proposal for Project 1 Due

M 1/29 Cross-Cultural Variations in Consumer Behavior 2

The Changing American Society: Values 3

W 1/31 The Changing American Society: Demographics and Social Stratification 4

The Changing American Society: Subcultures 5

M 2/5 EXAM 1 (Chapters 1-5, 18, 20, Appendix A)

W 2/7 Perception 8

M 2/12 (continued) 8

W 2/14 Learning; Memory & Product Positioning 9

M 2/19 (continued) 9

W 2/21 Motivation, Personality & Emotion 10

M 2/26 Attitudes and Influencing Attitudes 11

W 2/28 (continued) 11

TH 3/1 LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW WITH A GRADE OF 'W'

M 3/5 Self-Concept and Lifestyle 12

W 3/7 EXAM 2 (Chapters 8 - 12)

Consumer Behavior MKTG 5864 Spring 2007 Dr. Deborah J. Webb
Tentative Class Schedule

Date Topic Readings

M 3/12 Cialdini Video: Persuasion Cialdini Ch. 1

W 3/14 One "Weapon of Influence" - Reciprocation Cialdini Ch. 2

M 3/19 – F 3/23 Have a Nice and Safe Spring Break!

M 3/26 Commitment & Consistency Cialdini Ch. 3

Proposal for Project 2 Due

W 3/28 Honors Convocation – No Class

M 4/02 Social Proof Cialdini Ch. 4

Liking Cialdini Ch. 5

W 4/04 Authority Cialdini Ch. 6

M 4/9 Scarcity & Automaticity Cialdini Ch. 7 & 8

W 4/11 EXAM 3 (Cialdini 1-8)

M 4/16 The Consumer Decision Making Process: Situational Influences 13

W 4/18 The Consumer Decision Making Process: Problem Recognition 14

The Consumer Decision Making Process: Information Search 15

M 4/23 The Consumer Decision Making Process: Alternative Evaluation 16

& Selection

W 4/25 Outlet Choice vs. Product Choice 17

Project 2 Paper and Presentation Due

Final Schedule EXAM 4 (Chapters 13 – 17)

F 5/4 Section 01 M, W 1:50 PM – 3:10 PM:

Exam is from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Graduating Seniors in this section are
encouraged to take the exam on Monday, April 30th, with my other class as noted
below.

M 4/30 Section 02 M, W 3:20 PM – 4:40 PM:

Exam is from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

Please Note: Unless you are a graduating Senior in Section 01 taking the test early with
Section 02, you must take the exam when your class is scheduled to take the exam.
Otherwise, no switching among sections.
 Consumer Behavior (MKTG 4864, PSYC 4864)
Hawkins, Best, and Coney 2001 9/e
Learning Objectives

Begin Chapters for Exam 1 (Chapters 1 - 5, 18, 20, Appendix A)

Chapter 1
1. Know that actual marketing managers and public policymakers can and do use consumer behavior
concepts.
2. Understand the nature of customer value, the importance of providing superior customer value, and
the role that knowledge of consumer behavior plays in strategies to create customer value.
3. Understand the overall relationship between marketing strategy and consumer behavior (Fig. 1-3).
4. Understand that consumers can be viewed as problem solvers and decision makers seeking to
maintain or enhance their lifestyles.
5. Understand that knowledge of consumer behavior provides managers with a set of appropriate
questions and a guideline to action, not a blueprint or prescription for success.
Appendix A
1. Improve your ability to understand and evaluate research results.
2. Understand the steps involved in sampling decisions and the tradeoffs involved in each.
3. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of using the survey method.
4. Understand the experimental method.
5. Understand that there are commonly accepted techniques for designing a good questionnaire.
6. Appreciate the usefulness of depth interviews (including focus groups), projective techniques,
observation and physiological measures.
Key Terms: independent variable; dependent variable; treatment & control groups; types of attitude
scales (especially semantic differential & Likert scales)
Chapter 2
1. Understand what culture is, and why and how it is influential in terms of consumer behavior.
2. Know what is meant by cross-cultural variations in consumer behavior and why we study cultures
other than our own.
3. Understand what cultural values are and how they act to influence behavior.
4. Understand what is meant by cross-cultural variations in nonverbal communications and why this
understanding is important to marketers.
5. Understand the considerations managers face in approaching foreign markets.
Chapter 3
1. Understand that societies are evolving, multidimensional structures.
2. Develop an understanding of the critical importance that assumptions about the nature of society
play in marketing decisions.
3. See the absolute necessity for accurately anticipating shifts in society in order to develop or adapt
marketing strategies to changing conditions.
4. Understand how gender roles in the American society are changing and the implications these
changes have for marketing practice.
Chapter 4
1. Understand the critical role that demographics play in influencing consumer behavior.
2. Know the more important demographic changes that are taking place in the United States and be
able to relate these changes to appropriate marketing practices.
3. Understand the concept of social stratification, know the basic characteristics of social classes, and
the impact education, occupation, and income have on one's social status.
4. Understand how social classes are measured, how social class membership is determined, and the
measurement problems that marketing managers must deal with.
5. Realize the impact of social stratification on the consumption process, and understand how
marketing managers can utilize their knowledge of social class in developing marketing strategies.
 Chapter 5
1. Understand what subcultures are, how they are both different from and similar to the dominant
culture and when and how to develop unique marketing approaches to appeal to a subculture.
2. Understand that ethnic and other subcultures are heterogeneous and are composed of numerous
subgroups.
3. Develop an understanding of the racial, ethnic, nationality, religious and regional subcultures in
American society and the unique opportunities and challenges they present marketers.

Chapter 18
1. Understand the nature of postpurchase dissonance in terms of what it is, when it occurs, how it can
affect future decisions and what marketers can do to reduce it.
2. Recognize that it is important for marketers to know how consumers actually use and dispose of a
product.
3. Understand the role of expectations in customer satisfaction and their implications for marketing
strategy.
4. Know what alternative actions are available to consumers when dissatisfaction occurs and why it is
important to minimize customer dissatisfaction.
5. Understand the relationship between customer satisfaction, repeat purchases and customer
commitment or brand loyalty and the implications these concepts have for marketing strategy.

Chapter 20
1. Understand the nature of ethics and social responsibility and their role in marketing decisions.
2. Understand the nature of consumerism and its impact on marketing practice and government
activities.
3. Know the four major areas of marketing practice that are of continuing concern to consumer groups
and government officials and why they are of concern.
4. Be able to articulate and defend your own position with respect to the major regulatory issues.
5. Understand the nature of cause (social) marketing and how it is based on the same consumer
behavior principles as product marketing.

Begin Chapters for Exam 2 (Chapters 8 - 12)

Chapter 8
1. Understand the nature of perception, its role in information processing and the activities involved.
2. Understand the nature of exposure and how marketers can use this knowledge to develop
communications strategies.
3. Understand the nature of attention and how marketers can use this knowledge to develop
communications strategies.
4. Understand the nature of interpretation and how marketers can use this knowledge to develop
communications strategies.
5. Understand the critical importance of perception in the development of retail strategy, brand names
and logos, media strategy, advertising and package design and advertising evaluation.

Chapter 9
1. Understand the basic theories of learning and how they relate to each other in terms of the learning
situations they explain.
2. Know what factors determine the strength of learning.
3. Understand the characteristics and role of low- versus high-involvement learning.
4. Know the nature and functioning of memory.
5. Understand how marketers use learning and memory theories to develop product positioning
strategies.
 Chapter 10
1. Understand the nature of motivation, the role it plays in consumer behavior and how marketers can
use motives in developing marketing strategy.
2. Understand the approaches to determining which motives are behind the purchase of products and
brands as well as the difficulties in making such determinations.
3. Understand the nature of personality, the role it plays in the consumption process and how marketers
can use personality in developing marketing strategy.
4. Understand the nature of emotion, the role it plays in the consumption process and how marketers
can use emotion in developing marketing strategy.

Chapter 11
1. Understand what attitudes are and how they function.
2. Know the components of an attitude (cognitive, affective and behavioral) and the role each
component plays in developing marketing strategies to influence attitudes.
3. Understand the conceptual and managerial meaning of the multi-attribute attitude model.
4. Understand how components of the multi-attribute attitude model can be used in new product
development, branding, market segmentation and ad effectiveness evaluation.
5. Know the various ways communications characteristics can be varied to influence attitude.
6. Understand how attitudes can be used to segment markets (benefit segment) and develop or modify
products.

Chapter 12
1. Understand the nature of self-concept, the role it plays in the consumption process and how
marketers can use self-concept in developing marketing strategy.
2. Understand how consumption of products and services contributes to maintaining and/or enhancing
a particular lifestyle.
3. Understand how various internal, external and situational factors determine lifestyles.
4. Know what psychographics and AIOs are and how they are used to understand consumer lifestyle
and consumption behavior.
4. Understand the nature of lifestyle, geodemographic and geo-lifestyle concepts, how these tools can
be used in the development of marketing strategies along with the advantages and disadvantages of
each.

Begin Chapters for Exam 4 (Chapters 13 - 17)

Chapter 13
1. Know the 4 broad categories of situations involved in the consumption process.
2. Understand the relationship between the situation, the product and the consumer.
3. Know the 5 categories of situational variables presented, how each may influence consumer
purchase decisions and their implications for marketing strategy.

Chapter 14
1. Understand the impact of purchase involvement on the decision process and be able to differentiate
purchase involvement from product involvement.
2. Know the various types of decision making used by consumers.
3. Know what problem recognition is, how it occurs and how it fits into the consumer decision-making
process.
4. Understand how the importance of a recognized problem and the degree of discrepancy between the
desired and actual state each contributes to the motivation to solve the problem.
5. Understand how marketing strategy can be developed based on problem recognition and its effect on
the consumer decision process.
 Chapter 15
1. Understand the nature of information search, the differences between internal and external
information search, when each occurs and why.
2. Understand the nature of the awareness, evoked, inert and inept sets and the implications these
concepts have for marketing strategy.
3. Understand the "economics" of search in terms of the perceived benefits versus perceived costs of
search.
4. Understand the conditions that lead to greater or lesser amounts of external search.
5. Understand how marketing strategies can be developed based on the information search patterns
associated with habitual, limited and extended decision making coupled with the brand's position in
or out of the evoked set.

Chapter 16
1. Understand the nature of the alternative evaluation and selection process including what evaluative
criteria are, how they can be measured and how they are used by consumers.
2. Be able to develop marketing strategy based on a knowledge of a target market's evaluative criteria.
3. Understand the marketing strategy implications of sensory discrimination, the general accuracy of
individual judgments and the role of surrogate indicators.
4. Conceptually understand the various decision rules that consumers use and their implications for
marketing strategy.

Chapter 17
1. Understand that a critical part of the consumer decision process is outlet selection, which can
occur before or after brand evaluation, or simultaneously with it.
2. Recognize that the selection of retail outlets, while based on unique attributes (evaluative
criteria), uses decision rules similar to those used in brand selection.
3. Know the primary attributes consumers use in selecting retail outlets and how to build marketing
strategy based on this knowledge.
4. Understand the nature of in-store influences that affect product and brand choices and be able to
develop marketing strategy based on them.
 Project 2: Consumer Behavior Observational Research Study

After reading “Direct Observation of Purchasing Behavior” by Wells and Lo Sciuto (1966)
and Chapters 13 – 17 in the text, conduct an observational research study with a minimum of 20
observations or one hour (whichever is greater) of shopping behavior and the purchase decision
process. Observe shopping for one of the following:

(1) small appliance or electronics;

(2) groceries;
(3) shoes;
(4) sporting equipment;
(5) other product category you find particularly interesting (let’s chat).

Please Note: Observations cannot take place where you work.

Before going into the field, list the kinds of things you think you should try to observe, plan how
you will record your observations and create a record keeping document to record your
observations. Keep in mind that your assignment is to observe the shopping process, not the
ultimate product choice.

Prepare a written report (maximum of 3 – 5 double-spaced typewritten pages using 12 point font)
addressing the following:

(1) What were you expecting to find? (Include at least two qualitative expectations in
this section.)

(2) Describe briefly how you conducted your observations. Attach a copy of your data
recorded on your data collection instrument as an appendix.

(3) Explain your major findings. This should include a summary of the results of your
qualitative observations. Use at least two consumer decision-making concepts
discussed in the text in this discussion.

(4) Based on your observations (assuming you would find the same things after
observing a large sample that is representative of the people who shop for these
products), describe the implications of your findings for consumer researchers,
nonprofit or for-profit marketing decision makers, and/or public policymakers.