C ONSUMER B EHAVIOR

Mktg 450
Winter 2004
(A) Balmer 209
(A )MW 10:30-12:20
(B) Balmer 304
(B) MW 1:30-3:20

Prof. Richard Yalch

Phone: 543-1944
e-mail: ryalch@u.washington.edu
Office Hours: MW 1:00- 1:15 &
3:30- 5:00
Office: 206 Mackenzie
Web: http://us.badm.washington.edu/yalch

REQUIRED TEXT:
(TEXT) Michael Solomon, Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having and Being. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall,
2004. 6th edition.
In addition to the textbook, there will be two packets of notes and readings available at the Rams Copy Center in the
University District.

Date
1 -5

Assignment ( readings are in packet)

1 Consumer Behavior as a Field of Study
TEXT, Ch. 1

1-7

2 Overview of Consumer Behavior - I

TEXT, ch. 9 & Ch. 13 (438-443)

1 - 12

Weiss, Michael, Inside Consumer Confidence Surveys, American Demographics

(February 2003), 23-29.

Jakob Nielsen, How Users Read on the Web Alertbox, October 1997. With session 2 notes.

3 Overview of Consumer Behavior -II

TEXT, ch. 9
Tybout, Calder & Sternthal, "Using Information Processing Theory to Design Marketing Strategies,"
Journal of Marketing Research (February 1981), 73-79.

1 - 14

4 Social Influences on Consumer Behavior I

TEXT, ch 5 (159-167), ch. 12 (pp. 424-430)
M. Goldberg, "A Quasi-Experiment Assessing the Effectiveness of TV Advertising Directed to
Children," Journal of Marketing Research, 27 (Nov 1990), 445-454.
LJ Shrum, R. Wyer & T. O'Guinn, "The Effects of Television Consumption on Social Perceptions:
The Use of Priming Procedures to Investigate Psychological Processes," Journal of Consumer
Research, 24 (March 1998), 447-458
Assignment due: evaluating on-line shopping using consumer behavior theory

1 - 19

5 No Class
MLK Day

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Date

Assignment ( readings are in packet)

1 - 21

6 Social Influences on Consumer Behavior II

Winter 2004

TEXT, ch. 15
Strauss & Howe, "The Cycle of Generations," American Demographics, (April 1991), 24-33, 52.
Morris Holbrook and Robert Schindler, "Some Exploratory Findings on the Development of
Musical Tastes," Journal of Consumer Research, 16 (June 1989), 119-124.
Generation X and Y readings on course web site
1 - 26

7 Social Influences on Consumer Behavior III

TEXT, ch. 13

1 - 28

8 Perception
TEXT, ch. 2
C. Wagner, Understanding the Cues in Color, Marketing Insights (out of print).

2-2

9 Brand Equity
TEXT, Ch. 3 (skim)
David Aaker & Kevin Keller, "Consumer Evaluations of Brand Extensions," Journal of
Marketing, 54 (January 1990), 27-41.

2-4

10 Needs and Motivations

TEXT, ch. 4
Steinberg & Yalch, "When Eating Begets Buying," Journal of Consumer Research (March 1978),
243-246.

2-9

11 Midterm Examination

2 - 11

12 Personality
TEXT, ch. 6 (pp. 186-197)
R. Faber & T. O'Guinn, "A Clinical Screener for Compulsive Buying," Journal of Consumer
Research, 19 (December 1992), 459-469.

2 16

13 No Class
Presidents Day

2 - 18

14 Behavioral Influences that Occur without Consumer Awareness

Text pp. 61-63
T. Moore, "Subliminal Advertising: What You See is What You Get," Journal of Marketing, 46
(Spring 1982), 38-47.
Media Presentation: Wilson Bryan Key interview on subliminal advertising.

2 - 23

15 Psychographics & Life Style

TEXT, ch. 6 (pp. 175-193)
see http://www.sric-bi.com/VALS/presurvey.shtml

Date
2 - 25

Assignment ( readings are in packet)

16 Attitudes
TEXT, Ch. 7

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Winter 2004

A. Burns, "Generating Marketing Strategy Priorities Based on Relative Competitive Position,"

Journal of Marketing, 3 (Fall 1986), 49-56.
3-1

17 Communications I
TEXT, Ch. 4 (pp. 124-130), Ch. 8 (especially pp. 258-267)

3-3

18 Communications II
A. Chattopadyay and K. Basu, "Humor in Advertising: The Moderating Role of Prior Brand
Evaluation," Journal of Marketing Research, 27 (November 1990), pp. 466--476.TEXT, ch. 5

P. Anand & B. Sternthal, "Ease of Message Processing as a Moderator of Repetition

Effects in Advertising," Journal of Marketing Research (August 1990), 345-353.

3-8

Projects Due

19 Directly Soliciting Behavior I

TEXT, ch. 7 (pp. 234-236)
Alice Tybout, Brian Sternthal and Bobby Calder, "Information Availability as a Determinant of
Multiple Request Effectiveness," Journal of Marketing Research, 20 (August 1983), 280-290.

3 10

20 Directly Soliciting Behavior II

M. Lynn, G. Zinkhan & J. Harris, Consumer Tipping: A Cross-Country Study, Journal of
Consumer Research, 20 (December 1993), 478-488.

3 - 15

FINAL EXAMS Covers material after the Midterm 8:30 - 10:20 Monday (A) March 15
2:30 - 4:20 Monday (B) March 15

Grading
Class participation and short assignments.................. 10%*
Group paper or project ................................................ 30%
Examinations .............................................................. 60%
* at least 0.5 grade reduction for more than 2 unexcused absences

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Winter 2004

Examinations
The two examinations will consist of multiple choice and essay questions. Major emphasis will be on
the material presented in class and the required readings. Comprehensive study guides and practice exam
questions will be provided prior to the examinations.

Term Paper or Project [due March 3rd]

Each student is required to complete a research project which can take one of two forms. Those selecting to
do a review paper generally select one of the topics listed in the next section of the course outline, formulate one or
more research questions, attempt to review all research relevant to the question, and write a 10-25 page paper
(preferably) using a word processor with a spelling checker. The paper should follow the guidelines provided below.
The more ambitious option (and the one providing a greater learning experience and more salable to future
employers) is to do an original consumer research project. The range of acceptable topics is large, but research related
to some of the studies discussed in the course has many advantages. Possibilities are to redo a study (referred to as a
replication) or to extend one along an interesting dimension.
Those choosing this option should receive approval for their project idea, will receive as much assistance
from the instructor as desired, and might receive everlasting fame and glory for their effort. For example, two
assigned readings are papers resulting from course projects (Wendy Bryce and Sandy Steinberg)

Review papers should be structured as follows:

1. State the research issue and illustrate through real world examples its worthiness for study.
2. Summarize the relevant research studies and important findings, organized in a meaningful
manner. For example, the key independent variables (e.g., divide studies in terms of those done in
a laboratory versus a field setting). Usually, a purely chronological order is not informative as to
how the research has progressed.
3. Discuss the unresolved questions, limitations of previous research, and possible future research
directions.
4. State the major implications for marketing practitioners. That is, what should mangers do or not
do according to the research reviewed?

Organization of a project report.

1. Describe the context for the research. Normally this would include real world examples of the
variables to be studied. For example, a project on the effects of couponing would cite examples of
the use of coupons.
2. State the research question and hypotheses. What do you expect to learn by conducting a study?
3. Describe the procedure followed. This would include identifying the participants (e.g., students or
nonstudents and how they were recruited), describing the dependent measures, and indicating
what manipulations if any were used. In addition, there should be a description of each
participant's experience.
4. Present the results and the appropriate statistical tests. If possible, provide all the data that were
collected.
5.

Discuss the implications of the research in terms of the questions and hypotheses stated in section
2.

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Winter 2004

Evaluation
Review papers will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
1. Completeness of the literature review, especially the discovery of rarely cited but important papers.
2. Proper understanding of the concepts and research methods employed.
3. Insightful and creative thoughts about a topic which might serve as the basis for future research.
4. Development of useful marketing implications.
[Introductio
n that
creates
interest in
topic]

5.

Meaningful organization of the paper and good transitions between sections.

Projects reports will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

1. Appropriateness of the project to the course.
2. Proper understanding of the concepts and research methods employed.
[Summary
of research
results
organized
by key
variables]

3. Insightful and creative design.

4. Understanding how to interpret the findings.

[Example of a review paper]

5. Clarity in presenting the procedure and data.

EFFECTS OF USING HUMOR IN ADVERTISING MESSAGES

.

1. Marketers frequently employ comedians or cast the product in a humorous way. For
example, VW pokes fun at its owners infatuation with their cars Drivers Wanted. A typical ad
has a new VW owner demanding that a disinterested spouse or friend sees one of the cars features.
The result is a disgusted rebuff. The Milk Council has gotten favorable attention for its Got Milk
campaign. On the other hand, humorous efforts frequently do not succeed (e.g., most Super Bowl
dot.com ads). Thus, the appropriate research questions is to determine under what circumstances
will adding humor to a persuasive message facilitate or hinder the effectiveness of the message?
2. Review of research testing humorous versus nonhumorous messages.
a. Issue: enhancement of source credibility
Finding: some enhancement, mostly on the minor dimension of attractiveness

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b. Issue: loss of comprehension because of distraction

Finding: minimal loss unless humor focuses attention away from the central message.
3. Unresolved questions
Humor has only been tested using a single exposure to the message in a highly controlled
environment. Thus, its value as an attention getter has been largely ignored. It would be advantageous
to test the effects of humor using multiple exposures in a less restrictive environment.

[Unresolved
issues &
limitations]

[Show how
review
produces
conclusions
that have
managerial
implications
]

4. Implications

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Advertising can use humor effectively, particularly as an attention getting device or to neutralize
negative feelings toward the product and sponsor. However, care must be taken in constructing such
messages because of possible problems like wearout. Further, adding humor to a basically
unconvincing presentation will not measurably enhance its persuasiveness.

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Examples of Student Research Projects

Survey Research
Question What do men and women fear about gift giving?
Method Survey of 25 male and 25 female students
Results .
Qualitative Research
Question - How do college women perceive the thinness of models compared to actresses?
Method - Focus group with 16 female college students
Results Content Analysis

Question - Has the lifestyles of women as portrayed in magazine advertising changed over time?
Method - Examined ads in McCalls magazine from 1970 to 1995
Results Observational Research
Question - Do men and women differ in their purchasing of nutritional food in supermarkets and
does this vary by income levels?
Method - stood by checkout counter in various stores and recorded the items purchased by men
and women
Results Experimental Research
Question How does the choice of music affect retail sales?
Method Music store played classical or jazz music (outdoors and indoors).
Results