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3-1 CHAPTER 3 THE CHANGING AMERICAN SOCIETY: VALUES
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3-2 Consumer Behavior In The News… Can You Rank the Top 3 Homebuyer Groups? Single Males Single Females Married Couples Source: J. Lisle, “Single Women Become A Force in Home-Buying,” The Wall Street Journal (WSJ.com), February 20, 2006.
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3-3 Consumer Behavior In The News… You were correct if you said: 1.Married Couples (59%) 2.Single Females (21%) 3.Single Males (11%) According to a Harvard Research Specialist: “Women are not seeing marriage as a first step to buying a home…” Source: J. Lisle, “Single Women Become A Force in Home-Buying,” The Wall Street Journal (WSJ.com), February 20, 2006.
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3-4 Changes in American Cultural Values Cultural values Cultural values are widely held beliefs that affirm what is desirable. cultural values Observable shifts in behavior, including consumption behavior, often reflect underlying shifts in cultural values. value shifts Therefore, it is necessary to understand the underlying value shifts in order to understand current and future consumer behavior.
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3-5 Changes in American Cultural Values Self-Oriented Values Environment-Oriented Values Other-Oriented Values
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3-6 Changes in American Cultural Values Reflect a society’s view of the appropriate relationships between individuals and groups within that society. Self-Oriented Values
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3-7 Changes in American Cultural Values Self-Oriented Values Religious/Secular Sensual Gratification/Abstinence Postponed/Immediate Gratification Hard work/Leisure Material/Nonmaterial Active/Passive
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3-8 Changes in American Cultural Values Religious/Secular Self-Oriented Values America is basically a secular society. A religious group does not control the education system, government, or political process and most Americans’ daily behaviors are not guided by strict religious guidelines.
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3-9 Changes in American Cultural Values Sensual Gratification/Abstinence Self-Oriented Values Early traditional America favored a more religious belief in the virtue of abstinence, but as America became more secular, sensual gratification became increasingly acceptable. Today, sensual gratification is somewhat less acceptable than in the recent past. While still perfectly acceptable to consume products for pleasure, the range of products and occasions for consumption has narrowed over time.
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3-10 Changes in American Cultural Values Postponed/Immediate Gratification Self-Oriented Values Americans are seemingly unwilling to delay pleasure. Virtually all major purchases are made on credit, and many of these involve credit card debt that is extremely expensive.
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3-11 Changes in American Cultural Values Hard work/Leisure Self-Oriented Values Americans continue their strong tradition of hard work, leading much of the industrialized world in hours worked.
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3-12 Changes in American Cultural Values Material/Nonmaterial Self-Oriented Values There is a strong material orientation in America, which has formed America into a consumption-driven society. Americans are working longer hours, in part, to afford material possessions! BUT… Voluntary Simplicity - there is evidence of role overload, burnout, and emotional exhaustion, causing some to rethink their priorities and try to simplify their lives.
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3-13 Changes in American Cultural Values Active/Passive Self-Oriented Values Americans value an active approach to life. Although less than half of all American adults exercise regularly, they take an active approach to both leisure and problem-solving activities. Children spend increasing amounts of time in scheduled activities.
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3-14 Changes in American Cultural Values Prescribe a society’s relationship to its economic and technical as well as its physical environment. Environment-Oriented Values
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3-15 Changes in American Cultural Values Environment-Oriented Values Cleanliness Tradition/Change Risk Taking/Security Problem Solving/Fatalistic Admire/Overcome Nature Performance/Status
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3-16 Changes in American Cultural Values Cleanliness Environment-Oriented Values Americans have long valued cleanliness, especially personal hygiene. A recent study shows that anti- bacterial hand sanitizers such as Purell are a new additional to the arsenal of products carried around by mothers.