Pessemier, Edgar A. and Douglas J. Tigert (1966), "Personality, Activity, and Attitude Predictors of Consumer Behavior," in New Ideas for Successful Marketing, eds. Hence, any given lifestyle segment would likely consist of subsegments consisting of consumers with common cognitive processes and properties or cognitive style (see Figure 2). Attitude formation and other types of subjective activity are not readily observable, but are behaviors nonetheless. Levy, Sidney J. 800.851.0962 | INFO@THERETAILCOACH.NET | THERETAILCOACH.NET | AUSTIN, TEXAS TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI 4 Income Range of Lifemode Summary Groups Bastrop, Texas + L1 AFFLUENT ESTATES Established wealth educated, well-traveled married couples + L2 UPSCALE AVENUES Prosperous, married couples in higher density neighborhoods Thus, the lifestyle concept has varied widely in content and in range in the social sciences, according to the unit of analysis or the analyst (Ansbacher 1976, p. 203). Thus, in defining lifestyle, Ansbacher draws no distinction between cognitive processes--thinking, feeling, perceiving -Cand overt behavior. More serious, however, is the fact that contemporary definitions of lifestyle may lead to mistaken market segmentation and, hence, mistargeting of marketing strategy. OPERATIONALIZATIONS OF LIFESTYLE IN MARKETING. One final note: It would be erroneous to construe a plea for simplicity in the interpretation of lifestyle as an indictment of the legitimacy of psychographic research. 200-201). Defining Lifestyle in terms of characteristic patterns of overt behavior also suggests an intuitive symmetry between the domains of lifestyle and of psychographic research paralleling Dorny's dichotomy (Dorny 1971, pp. Because lifestyle continues to defy definitional consensus, it can be conveniently customized to any analyst's purpose. Operational, functional and constancy aspects: Lifestyle connotes consistent operations and actions or behavior over time (1967, pp. Dichter, Ernest (1964), Handbook of Consumer Motivations, New York: McGraw-Hill. The diversity of attempts to operationalize lifestyle mirrors the conceptual confusion confounding and impeding lifestyle research (see Exhibit 1). The criteria that form these groups are psychographic profiles. Such profiles are effective primarily because they allow marketers to focus on specific values and preferences. To acquire enough data to form psychographic profiles, marketers typically use the following two methods: 194-196). We identified the top two psychographic groups in Austin to be Boomburbs and Up and Coming Families, followed by Metro Renters and Young and Restless (in Esri The origins of the lifestyle concept are obscure, but its roots are traceable to the works of poets, naturalists, and philosophers writing as early as the sixteenth century (Ansbacher 1976, p. 196). Weber, Max (1947), The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. Yes and no. A persistent thread through the marketing literature is the notion that lifestyle involves characteristic patterns of behavior (Andreasen 1967; Bernay 1971; Lazer 1963; Moore 1963; Myers and Gutman 1974). Lifestyle has been used in reference to: "an individual," "a group, where the members bear a psychological relationship to each other, and which has stability over time," and "a [generic] class or category, where the members have only the property in common on the basis of which they are classified" (Ansbacher 1976, p. 200). Reed Moyer, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 55-62. It is noteworthy that nowhere in Wells' article did he define or attempt to distinguish "lifestyle" from "psychographic" from "activity and attitude" research. This psychographic segmentation variable provides marketers with information about a target audience's beliefs, motivations, morals and overall outlook on On the other hand, were all three consumer prospects included in the same lifestyle segment, targeting of marketing strategy would prove problematical because of contrast in cognitive style. Implicit in such definitions is the assumption of a systematic symmetry between internallY held attitudes, beliefs, opinions, or interests and overt behavior (Engel, Warshaw and Kinnear 1979, p. 129). Wells provides this historical perspective in his exhaustive "Psychographics: A Critical Review" (1975b): Starting with the classic study of Koponen (1960), investigators have repeatedly tried to correlate consumer behavior with scores obtained from standardized personality inventories. by Carrie Marie Schneider February 6, 2013. On the contrary, while simplicity may facilitate clarity and possibly lead to greater consensus concerning the proper domain of lifestyle research, psychographic research remains a viable focus for market analysis insofar as examinations of cognitive processes or dimensions of personality further the cause of understanding, explaining, and predicting overt behavior, and refining market segmentation and marketing strategy formulation. Sometime during the 1960's a blend of these two traditions began to take shape. Contemporary interpretations in the marketing literature generally define lifestyle to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties (cognitive style), including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions. Felson (1975) perhaps best captured the critical, if not terminal, conceptual and operational condition of lifestyle. Restricting the definition of lifestyle to characteristic patterns of overt behavior underscores the intuitive, if imperfect, symmetrical reciprocity between cognitive style and lifestyle. 317-363) attempted to delimit and distinguish the domains of lifestyle from psychographic research. Enquire: +1 512-212-4186. Instead, to paraphrase from Talarzyk (1972, p. 465), "If you laid all of the people doing [lifestyle] research end-to-end, they would: (a) never reach a conclusion and (b) all point different directions." Professor Joe psychographic segmentation purpose of psychographics is to add attitude and behavior to demographics syndicated service vals offers marketers view While cognitive style may be reflected in overt behavior, the connection is imperfect and often asymmetrical because of the intervening of moderating influence of situational environmental variables or enabling conditions. Engel, James F., Martin R. Warshaw, and Thomas C. Kinnear (1979), Promotional Strategy, Homewood, IL: Irwin. H. H. Gerth and C. W. Mills, New York:: Oxford University Press. Hawkins, Del J., Kenneth A. Coney, and Roger J. Zimbardo, Phillip and Ebbe B. Ebbesen (1970), Influencing Attitudes and Changing Behavior, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Kotler, Philip (1980), Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, and Control, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Variously called "lifestyle", "psychographic", or "activity and attitude" research, this blend combines the objectivity of the personality inventory with the rich, consumer-oriented, descriptive detail of the qualitative motivation research investigation (p. 196). Lifestyle research is reminiscent of the parable of the elephant and the blind men of Hindustan. Loudon, David L. and Albert J. Della Bitta (1979), Consume Behavior: Concepts and Applications, New York: McGraw-Hill. While Dorny's conceptual distinction, too, has apparently fallen on deaf ears, it at least recognizes a potential, if imperfect, symmetry between what he refers to as "mental" processes or properties (the province of psychographic research) and overt activities or behavior (the domain of lifestyle research). #3(Winter), 235-256. This is admittedly narrow as defining lifestyle as overt behavior does not allow for the broad, psychological Adlerian perspective of lifestyle. The term "psychographics" [refers to] studies that place comparatively heavy emphasis on generalized personality traits. Intervening situational variables may cause lifestyle and cognitive style to be symmetrically or asymmetrically related. Becoming an Association for Consumer Research member is simple. Havighurst, Robert J. and K. Feigenbaum (1959), "Leisure and Life Style," American Sociologist, 64, 396-404. Yet, while the term lifestyle gained popular currency, it continued to defy conceptual and operational consensus (Ferber and Lee 1974). Yet, it would appear to be symptomatic of scientific pubescence, if not maturity, that the social sciences, and marketing in particular, periodically seek not only synthesis of findings, but also simplicity for the sake of conceptual and operational claritY. While knowledge of cognitive processes and properties may improve, understanding and predictions of overt behavior, and facilitate formulation of marketing strategy, the relationship is equivocal and imperfect, as recent research has demonstrated. Bell, Wendell (1958), "Social Choice, Life Style, and Suburban Residence," in the The Suburban CommunitY, ed. Conducting research and reviewing trends and personal statistics, like psychographic data, can help marketers learn what their ideal customer likes and cares Fencrich, J. M. (1967), "A Study of the Association Among Verbal Attitudes, Commitment, and Overt Behavior in Different Experimental Conditions," Social Forces, vol. 900-901). Yet from the firm's perspective, one important denominator of patronage potential is congruence in overt behavior, irrespective of contrasts in cognitive style. Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association. Beverlee B. Anderson, Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Consumer Research. 63-94). 45, #3 (March), 347-355. Still, the terms psychographics and lifestyle remain largely undefined and indistinguishable in the marketing literature. Actions," Social Forces, vol. T. Parsons. Contemporary interpretations in the marketing literature generally define lifestyle to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties (cognitive style), including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions. Unique and creative aspects: Lifestyle implies anoriginal and idiographic property (1967, p. 205). Income. WebPsychographics: Jason$is$into$ athle2c,$outdoor$ac2vi2es,$the$ latesttechnology$and$nightlife$DD$ especially$live$entertainment.$ It first documents the diversity and internal inconsistency of definitions and operationalizations of lifestyle in consumer behavior literature. Berkman, Harold W. and Christopher C. Gilson (1978), Consumer Behavior: Concepts and Strategies, Encino, CA:Dickenson Publishing Co. Bernay, Elayn K. (1971), "Life Style Analysis as a Basis for Media Selection," in Attitude Research Reaches New Heights, eds. Zimbardo, Phillip and Ebbe B. Ebbesen (1970), Influencing Attitudes and Changing Behavior, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. One final note: It would be erroneous to construe a plea for simplicity in the interpretation of lifestyle as an indictment of the legitimacy of psychographic research. In the restricted range, in respect to individuals, characteristic perceptual styles, also known as cognitive styles, and response styles, as well as complex response styles have been discerned (Emphasis added, 1967, p. 203). Lifestyle formed the centerpiece of Adlerian psychology; indeed, Adler wrestled with the concept for forty years. Burn Boot Camp Franchising | Buy a Fitness Franchise Prior to joining the e-commerce industry, Leigh-Anne perfected her marketing skills at The University of Texas at Austin and CanIRank. Yet, as Wells (1975c) concedes: The activity, interest and opinion research, and the term "life style", developed separately. Linda L. Golden, University of Consequently, in interpreting lifestyle to include both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties, contemporary definitions of lifestyle frequently lead to operationalizations that are internally inconsistent. Lifestyle cannot help one to understand consumer behavior if lifestyle variables are a disorderly, nongeneral, nonhierarchical, or atheoretical set of vaguely related traits whose casual relationships to each other and to anything else are unspecified. Amid the diverse interpretations and applications of the term, Ansbacher (1967, pp. Unique and creative aspects: Lifestyle implies anoriginal and idiographic property (1967, p. 205). Sometime during the 1960's a blend of these two traditions began to take shape. Kelley, Eugene J. Michael Gibbert, Universit della Svizzera Italiana, Esther Doriette Tamara Jaspers, Massey University The primary purpose of this paper is to revive and refine lifestyle as a theoretical and research tool and segmentation variable. Far and away the most popular of operationalizations of lifestyle is the activities, interests and opinions (AIO) method pioneered by Wilson (1966), Pessemier and Tigert (1966), and Wells (1968). Bell, Wendell (1958), "Social Choice, Life Style, and Suburban Residence," in the The Suburban CommunitY, ed. Apply Now. 345-355). Cognitive style is customarily defined as "one's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and perceiving" (Markin 1974, pp. Implicit in the foregoing definitional distinctions is the realization that while cognitive style and lifestyle perhaps operate in imperfect symmetry, the domains of psychographic and lifestyle research are logically symmetrical and complementary (Dorny 1971; Loudon and Della Bitta 1979, p. 98). Pessemier, Edgar A. and Douglas J. Tigert (1966), "Personality, Activity, and Attitude Predictors of Consumer Behavior," in New Ideas for Successful Marketing, eds. While Adler stressed the uniqueness of each individual, he nonetheless recognized similarities among individuals and their lifestyles (Ansbacher 1976. p. 192), suggesting the existence of lifestyle typologies (Ansbacher 1967, p. 203). The aggregate of consumer purchases, and the manner in which they are consumed, reflect a society's [or consumer's lifestyle (1963. Thus, conceptually lifestyle is today generally defined to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties, including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions, and interests. However, such an assumption flies in the face of the growing body of research examining their interaction. Thus, in defining lifestyle, Ansbacher draws no distinction between cognitive processes--thinking, feeling, perceiving -Cand overt behavior. Yet, as Wells (1975c) concedes: The activity, interest and opinion research, and the term "life style", developed separately. Havighurst, Robert J. and K. Feigenbaum (1959), "Leisure and Life Style," American Sociologist, 64, 396-404. Although quickly adopted as the most widely cited interpretation of the lifestyle concept in. In an unfashionable depiction of the ostentatious style of life (or "scheme of life," in Veblen's words) of the American noveau riche of the latter half of the nineteenth century, Veblen established a fashion of thinking about social, economic, and consumer behavior that has persisted (Mills 1953). Dorny, Lester R. (1971), "Observations on Psychographics," in Attitude Research Reaches New Heights, eds. Psychographics are data that collect and categorize the population by using IAO (interests, activities and opinions) characteristics. Rainwater, Lee, Richard P. Coleman, and Gerald Handel (1959), Workingman's Wife, New York: Oceana Publications. Theyre facts that would be easy to understand. An individual's life-style is a large complex symbol in motion. Wells, William D. (1975,), "Comment on the Meaning of LifeStyle," in Advances in Consumer Research, ed. Rather, Adler's interpretation is relegated to the realm of psychographics or cognitive style. Consumer analysts and market practitioners are interested in values, attitudes, beliefs, opinions and interests to the extent that they augment predictions of overt behavior, particularly search, shopping and consumption behavior, or permit pin-point targeting of marketing strategy. What few definitions are provided, range from the ridiculous to the sublime, from the tautological (Lazer 1963) to the logically inconsistent (Berkman and Gilson 1978), from the simple (Hawkins, Coney, and rest 1980) to the complex (Levy 1963). The almost total absence of any theoretical anchorage for lifestyle research is evidence in Exhibit 1 and also in the superficial and flimsy development of theoretical linkages to lifestyle where a theoretical frame of reference is invoked. What are psychographics? Sequential segmentation on the basis of consistencies in cognitive style will permit the precise targeting of marketing strategy. A persistent thread through the marketing literature is the notion that lifestyle involves characteristic patterns of behavior (Andreasen 1967; Bernay 1971; Lazer 1963; Moore 1963; Myers and Gutman 1974). Actions," Social Forces, vol. The City is named for Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas. Demographics Austin is in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties. Lazer in 1963 echoed earlier convictions concerning the potential richness and synergistic value of the lifestyle concept for consumer analysis and coined the initial explicit definition of lifestyle appearing in the marketing literature. The population density in Austin is 2404% higher than Texas. By defining lifestyle as overt behavior, lifestyle emerges as the characteristic behavioral consequence of the ongoing reconciliation of individual motivations and cognitive style with environmental constraints and opportunities, within the limits of enabling condition operating over time. Attitude formation and other types of subjective activity are not readily observable, but are behaviors nonetheless. Charles W. King and Douglas J. Tigert, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 189-195. There is a serious internal inconsistency in this definition, and others like it, which in turn implies major operational inconsistencies. Rik Pieters, Tilburg University, The Netherlands. $954. Compounding the conceptual confusion confounding lifestyle research is a semantic maze eclipsing the terms lifestyle and psychographics that remains unraveled. 16-Weeks. An individual's life-style is a large complex symbol in motion. WebProviding more than simple data reports of psychographic and Psychographic trends, The Retail Coach goes well beyond other retail consulting and market research firms Psychographics: Analysis of consumer lifestyles to create a detailed customer profile. 8, #1 (March), 3-17. ABSTRACT - While the term lifestyle has gained popular currency, it continues to defy definitional and operational consensus. The result of sequential segmentation should be more accurate assessment of market potential and more efficient targeting of marketing strategy. In an unfashionable depiction of the ostentatious style of life (or "scheme of life," in Veblen's words) of the American noveau riche of the latter half of the nineteenth century, Veblen established a fashion of thinking about social, economic, and consumer behavior that has persisted (Mills 1953). Moore, David G. (1963), "Life Style in Mobile Suburbia," in Toward Scientific Marketing, ed. Writing at the same time, Levy (1963) proposed a contrasting concept of lifestyle, one reminiscent of Adler's conviction that a fictionalized goal or theme pervades one's life providing structure to both self-concept and behavior. about 10 percent higher than the amount in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metro Area: $47,161. Moore (1963) suggested still another definition of lifestyle to bridge conceptual and operational interpretations of the term closely approximating those which have come into contemporary use. Indeed, the search for such systematic links has been much of the motivation behind the intensifying interest in lifestyle and psychographic research in the past two decades. Use of the lifestyle concept as an analytical construct dates from Thorstein Veblen's turn-of-the-century classic The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899) and from Max Weber's landmark studies of status (1946, 1947). 5, pp. J. S. Wright and J. L. Goldstucker, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 332-347. 200-201). consumer analysis, Lazer's definition is tautological! THE PATIENT IS CRITICAL, IF NOT TERMINAL Little has changed in the ebb tide of interest in lifestyle research over the last five years. Ansbacher, Heinz L. (1967), "Life Style: A Historical and Systematic Review," Journal of Individual Psychology, 23, 191-212. The analysis and classification of activity or behavioral reports from the consumer which are frequently classified as "psychographics", should be given their own distinct term, such as "lifestyle" (pp. work from home jobs no experience part time / pharmakeia in hebrew. The term psychographic (psycho = mental; graphic = profile) connotes the profiling of psychological processes or properties. Hawkins, Del J., Kenneth A. Coney, and Roger J. Membership in ACR is relatively inexpensive, but brings significant benefits to its members. Wells, William D. (1968), "Backward Segmentation," in Insights into Consumer Behavior, ed. 204-206) discerns three "important common properties" of lifestyle: Unifying aspect: Lifestyle connotes internal consistency and unity, irrespective of specific percepts or responses (1967, p. 204). 1, 21 (September), 6-12. Thus almost accidentally, the lifestyle concept has become operationalized among a certain group of researchers as activity, interest and opinion research conducted for a rather limited set of purposes and employing a rather limited set of techniques (p. 498). Lifestyle is an integrated system of attitudes, values, opinions and interests as well as overt behavior (p 497). Fencrich, J. M. (1967), "A Study of the Association Among Verbal Attitudes, Commitment, and Overt Behavior in Different Experimental Conditions," Social Forces, vol. Accordingly either psychographic or lifestyle research may focus upon individuals, groups, or society as the unit of analysis depending upon the researcher's purposes. WebLIFESTYLE AND PSYCHOGRAPHICS: A CRITICAL REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION. Online. In the restricted range, in respect to individuals, characteristic perceptual styles, also known as cognitive styles, and response styles, as well as complex response styles have been discerned (Emphasis added, 1967, p. 203). Wells provides this historical perspective in his exhaustive "Psychographics: A Critical Review" (1975b): Starting with the classic study of Koponen (1960), investigators have repeatedly tried to correlate consumer behavior with scores obtained from standardized personality inventories. 900-901). Equally importantly, the proposed distinctions should lead to greater definitional consensus, operational clarity, and more defensible linkages to existing research and theory in the social sciences. William D. Wells, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 317-363. $53,937 Per capita income. Mills, C. Wright (1953), "Introduction," The Theory of the Leisure Class, New York: New American Library, vi-xix. It details the logical symmetry and complimentarity between lifestyle and psychographic research, concluding that lifestyle and cognitive style can be usefully employed through sequential segmentation. Bell (1958) stressed the symbolic contextual significance of consumption. Veblen, Thorstein (1899), The Theory of the Leisure Class, New York: MacMillan. The confusion of the terms lifestyle with psychographics has further compounded these problems. Rather, Adler's interpretation is relegated to the realm of psychographics or cognitive style. Create a strategy. Koponen, Arthur (1960), "Personality Characteristics of Purchasers," Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 204-206) discerns three "important common properties" of lifestyle: Unifying aspect: Lifestyle connotes internal consistency and unity, irrespective of specific percepts or responses (1967, p. 204). Accordingly either psychographic or lifestyle research may focus upon individuals, groups, or society as the unit of analysis depending upon the researcher's purposes. The confusion of the terms lifestyle with psychographics has further compounded these problems. Thus, conceptually lifestyle is today generally defined to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties, including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions, and interests. Exhibit 1 provides a comprehensive review of definitions, operationalizations, and theoretical anchorages of lifestyle appearing in the marketing literature, along with the major proponents of each. Those are emotional issues that will 9 (November), 465-467. FIGURE 1 Clearly, this is but another perspective on the potential definition and operationalization of the lifestyle concept. Effective use of sequential segmentation requires clarification and differentiation of terms, consistent with contemporary consumer research findings on the relationship between cognitive processes and properties and overt behavior. The aggregate of consumer purchases, and the manner in which they are consumed, reflect a society's [or consumer's lifestyle (1963. FIGURE 2 SEQUENTIAL SEGMENTATION: LIFESTYLE AND COGNITIVE STYLE It is rare in the social sciences to cop a plea for simplicity. Udel, Jon G. (1965), "Can Attitude Measurement Predict Consumer Behavior? P. 130). It is composed of sub-symbols; it utilizes a characteristic pattern of life space [or the proximity of perceived constraints in the surrounding environment]; and it acts systematically to process objects and events [including products, services, and consumption itself] in accordance with these values (p. 141) Levy's definition prompted Kelley (1963) to postulate an important marketing implication of the lifestyle concept.