In many courses, students are merely passive observers; they learn abut topics that affect them indirectly, if at all. Not everyone is a plasma physicist, a medieval French scholar, or a marketing professional. But we are all consumers. Many of the topics in this book have both professional and personal relevance to the reader, regardless of whether he or she is a student, professor, or businessperson. Nearly everyone can relate to the trials and tribulations of last minute shopping, primping for a big night out, agonizing over an expensive purchase, fantasizing about a week in the Caribbean, celebrating a holiday, or commemorating a landmark event, such as graduating, getting a driver’s license, or (dreaming about) winning the lottery.
In this edition, I have tried to introduce you to the latest and best thinking by some very bright scientists who develop models and studies of consumer behavior. But that’s not enough. Consumer behavior is an applied science, so we must never lose sight of the role of “horse sense” when we applied our findings to life in the real world. That’s why you’ll find a lot of practical examples to back up these fancy theories.
Section 1 Consumers in the Marketplace
Section 2 Consumers as lndividuals
Section 3 Consumers as Decision Makers
Section 4 Consumers and Subcultures
Section 5 Consumers and Culture