Psychographic

About: Psychographic is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1307 publications have been published within this topic receiving 39696 citations.

Repositioning Brands with the Web-Based Product Positioning Map Graphics Package

Abstract: The Web-based Product Positioning Map (PPM) Version 2.0 graphics package enables competing participant teams to generate product positioning maps for each of their nine strategic business units (SBUs) based on simulation results for each decision period. Participants can selectively generate product positioning maps for competing brands for the current period and brand trajectories for every period, every two periods, or every four periods till the current period. Next, participants use sample VALS2 data to identify potential heavy-user segments and to study their VALS psychographic profiles and purchase motivations. Then, they supplement the psychographic profiles with purchase and media behavior information based on external research, decide whether the target segments are price-, quality- or value-conscious, and reposition their brands relative to competing brands through appropriate marketing strategies. Based on reviewer feedback, an online survey of participants at the end of the Fall 2012 semester revealed that the PPM Version 2.0 Package is easy to use and helpful in identifying the current position of each of their SBUs relative to competitor brands. Participants indicated that the PPM Package adds substantial value to their Strategic Market Planning and Marketing Strategy learning experience.

Exploring the implications of cultural diversity for environmental learning at an African aquarium

Abstract: Zoos and aquariums, which are visited by over 700 million people each year, can play a vital role in exposing and sensitising visitors about the importance of environmental conservation and encourage them to engage in environmentally responsible behaviours after their visit. To attract visitors, zoos and aquariums offer a range of experiences that focus on the viewing of live animals. These may include animal presentations, personal interactions between staff and visitors, opportunities to physically interact with the animals and, most commonly, the use of interpretive signage. Most zoo and aquarium experiences are aimed at increasing visitors’ awareness of, interest in and concern for environmental issues. To improve the design of visitor experiences, research is needed to evaluate the impact of a visit on visitor environmental learning outcomes, which are a major part of the zoo and aquarium raison d’etre. In this regard, literature indicates that little work has been undertaken to explore the impact that culture (and in the case of multicultural audiences, cultural diversity) has on visitors’ zoo and aquarium conservation learning experiences. Such information is of particular relevance to uShaka Sea World, located in the multicultural city of Durban, South Africa, where educational experiences have traditionally been modelled on Western best-practice without consideration of the increasing numbers of visitors from diverse cultural backgrounds. Accordingly, this thesis aims to build a better understanding of the needs of South African visitors to uShaka; to investigate the influence of culture on their on-site experiences and conservation learning; and to use such information to inform the design of culturally inclusive environmental learning experiences. This research involved the collection of primarily quantitative data from 748 visitors, representative of three cultural groups. Pre- and post-visit questionnaires were designed to identify relevant demographic, psychographic and cultural characteristics of visitors, as well as to provide information on how visitors experienced the site, and the impact of the visit on environmental learning measured immediately after the visit. The extent and nature of the impact of cultural group on visitor learning was assessed. The focus on cultural differences necessitated an extensive assessment of cultural equivalence of meaning, and adjustment for culture-specific response styles. Comparisons between the three cultural groups revealed differences on a range of learning outcomes, which could not be explained by confounding with other demographic variables, or by culture-specific response styles. Cultural group was, however, a relatively weak predictor of learning outcomes. Psychographic constructs, in particular motivational variables and connection to nature, were much stronger predictors of learning. The results of this study suggest that, while culture does have an impact on environmental learning, psychographic constructs explain much of this effect, as well as explaining a significant amount of additional variance. The findings of this study have important theoretical, methodological and practical implications for researchers interested in the influence of cultural background on environmental learning. The research describes the first analysis of the differences and similarities in visitor characteristics, experiences and environmental learning of three South African cultural groups. The study addressed the complex role of nature connectedness in environmental learning amongst multiple cultures. It has also provided insights regarding the communication of conservation messages and the use of message recall as a measure of environmental learning. By providing evidence of the importance of addressing cultural equivalence of meaning and culture-specific response styles in multicultural research, the study has contributed methodologically to the design of more culturally sensitive instruments by providing future researchers with suggestions to manage the methodological challenges of multicultural research. Implications for the design of culturally responsive environmental learning activities are discussed and recommendations for future research are presented.

Fashion attitudes and buying behaviors of cross-cultural college students toward apparel products

Abstract: The purpose of this research study was to compare and contrast the fashion attitudes and buying behaviours of college students at a Midwestern university in the United States and at a metropolitan university in China toward apparel products, and to clarify the factors that contribute to differences and similarities among the two markets. Data were obtained from 317 American and Chinese college students with an age range of 18 to 24 years. The consumer decision-making characteristics related to fashion attitudes were supported by the buying behavioural results in this study. Although similarities overweighed differences overall, several subtle differences were identified in buying characteristics by country. The study confirmed that globalization and cultural background factors including demographics and psychographics have an impact on characterizing fashion attitudes and buying behaviours between American and Chinese college student consumers. Implications of the findings suggest to marketers of US apparel firms that several appropriate globalization and management strategies can be implemented for gaining successful market presence in China.

Accounting for Word-of-Mouth Effects in Preference-Based Market Forecasts

Abstract: Consumers differ in their involvement in new product purchase decisions. Opinion leaders usually show a higher involvement in their purchase decisions than other consumers. This leads to a higher stability in their answers when being asked about their preferences. An important question that previous research has not analyzed yet is whether and how to capture this finding in preference-based market forecasts. The authors study these aspects for a representative sample of 364 consumers in the mobile phone market of a large European country. They find that assigning higher weights to the preferences of opinion leaders in aggregate market forecasts results in estimates that are more consistent with observed market shares than forecasts in which all consumers are given equal weights. The authors further test different measures of opinion leadership and find that sociometric indicators outperform psychographic constructs to account for the outcome of opinion leadership in preference-based market forecasts. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.