Chapter 9

The Influence of Culture on

Consumer Behaviour

Consumer Behaviour
Canadian Edition
Schiffman/Kanuk/Das
Copyright 2006
Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Opening Vignette
Canadians and Minivans
Is there a unique Canadian Culture?

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Culture
The

sum total of learned beliefs, values, and

customs that serve to regulate the consumer
behaviour of members of a particular
society.

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Key Characteristics of Culture

The Impact of culture is hard to identify

Culture is dynamic
Culture is shared
Culture is learned through enculturation and
acculturation
Culture offers order, direction, and guidance
in all phases of human problem solving
- e.g. When to eat, Where to eat

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9-4

Forms of Cultural Learning

Formal Learning

Informal Learning

Technical Learning
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How Culture is Communicated

Language

and symbols

Ritual
Sharing

of Culture

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Culture and Advertising

Is

it the role of advertising to socialize

readers on how to dress, decorate their
homes, choose wines and food for parties,
etc?
Vanity Fair
Martha Stewart Living
Wine Spectator
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9-8

Criteria for Value Selection

The

value must be pervasive.

The value must be enduring.
The value must be consumer-related.

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Canadian Core Values

and Individualism
Freedom
success
Activity
External
conformity
Efficiency and
Humanitarianism
practicality
Progress
Youthfulness
Material comfort Fitness and health
Achievement

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9-10

Canadian Versus American Core

Values
Core

values are not a Canadian

phenomenon
Differences between Canadian and
American values stem from differences in
founding values, experiences and
institutions
Are Canadian and American values
diverging?
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Comparison of Canadian and

American Values

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9-13

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Comparison of Canadian and

American Values contd

Canadians are less likely to say that religion is

important to them
There are more agnostics, atheists and secular
humanists in Canada than in the US
Canadians value the influence of immigrants more
than Americans
Canadians are more liberal in their values at
every age than Americans
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The Measurement of Culture

Content Analysis
Consumer

Fieldwork
Value Measurement Instruments

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Content Analysis
A method

for systematically analyzing the

content of verbal and/or pictorial
communication.
Frequently used to determine prevailing
social values of a society.

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Field Observation
A measurement

technique that takes place

within a natural environment that focuses
on observing behaviour (sometimes without
the subjects awareness).

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9-18

Field Observation
Takes

place within a natural environment

Performed sometimes without the subjects
awareness
Focuses on observation of behaviour

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Participant-Observers
Researchers

who participate in the

environment that they are studying without
notifying those who are being observed

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9-20

Value Measurement Survey

Instruments

Rokeach Value Survey (RVS)

A self-administered inventory consisting of eighteen
terminal values (i.e., personal goals) and eighteen
instrumental values (i.e., ways of reaching
personal goals).

List of Values (LOV)

A value measurement instrument that asks
consumers to identify their two most important
values from a nine-value list that is based on the
terminal values of the Rokeach Value Survey

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(continued)

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Figure 9-8 (continued)

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Culture and Marketing Strategy

Identify key cultural values that affect the

consumption of the product
Ensure the marketing mix appeals to these values
Examine changes in cultural values and adapt the
marketing mix if needed
Modify marketing mix to subcultures if the culture
is heterogeneous
Be aware of symbols and ritual
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