Engel, James F., Martin R. Warshaw, and Thomas C. Kinnear (1979), Promotional Strategy, Homewood, IL: Irwin. W. Thomas Anderson, Jr. and Linda L. Golden (1984) ,"Lifestyle and Psychographics: a Critical Review and Recommendation", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 11, eds. Austin has an estimated population of 961,855 according to the 2020 U.S. Census. 125-337. Havighurst, Robert J. and K. Feigenbaum (1959), "Leisure and Life Style," American Sociologist, 64, 396-404. Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association. consumer analysis, Lazer's definition is tautological! While knowledge of cognitive processes and properties may improve, understanding and predictions of overt behavior, and facilitate formulation of marketing strategy, the relationship is equivocal and imperfect, as recent research has demonstrated. Stephen A. Greyser, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 130-139. THE LIFESTYLE CONCEPT IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES The origins of the lifestyle concept are obscure, but its roots are traceable to the works of poets, naturalists, and philosophers writing as early as the sixteenth century (Ansbacher 1976, p. 196). Three consumers, two lifestyle segments: Are these three consumers meaningfully different from a marketing or consumer behavior point of view? Hence, today, although ill-defined in the minds of most market analysts, lifestyle has come to be operationalized almost exclusively in terms of AIO by default. Tx. The result of sequential segmentation should be more accurate assessment of market potential and more efficient targeting of marketing strategy. Contemporary interpretations in the marketing literature generally define lifestyle to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties (cognitive style), including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions. There is a serious internal inconsistency in this definition, and others like it, which in turn implies major operational inconsistencies. The diversity of attempts to operationalize lifestyle mirrors the conceptual confusion confounding and impeding lifestyle research (see Exhibit 1). While (perhaps inadvertently restricting the term lifestyle to "the totality of behavior," Ansbacher concludes that "the broad range of life style includes cognitive style and response style" (Emphasis added, 1967, p. 203). The population density in Austin is 2404% higher than Texas. OPERATIONALIZATIONS OF LIFESTYLE IN MARKETING. Loudon, David L. and Albert J. Della Bitta (1979), Consume Behavior: Concepts and Applications, New York: McGraw-Hill. It is rare in the social sciences to cop a plea for simplicity. 900-901). It first documents the diversity and internal inconsistency of definitions and operationalizations of lifestyle in consumer behavior literature. Yet from the firm's perspective, one important denominator of patronage potential is congruence in overt behavior, irrespective of contrasts in cognitive style. Ansbacher, Heinz L. (1967), "Life Style: A Historical and Systematic Review," Journal of Individual Psychology, 23, 191-212. While (perhaps inadvertently restricting the term lifestyle to "the totality of behavior," Ansbacher concludes that "the broad range of life style includes cognitive style and response style" (Emphasis added, 1967, p. 203). 125-337. The suggested relationships are depicted in Figure l. Lifestyle is positioned as behavioral, and cognitive style is positioned as psychological and a subset of psychographic research. Rik Pieters, Tilburg University, The Netherlands. The City is named for Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas. Demographics Austin is in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties. Hawkins, Del J., Kenneth A. Coney, and Roger J. ", Journal of Marketing, vol. Engel, James F., Martin R. Warshaw, and Thomas C. Kinnear (1979), Promotional Strategy, Homewood, IL: Irwin. Rainwater, Lee, Richard P. Coleman, and Gerald Handel (1959), Workingman's Wife, New York: Oceana Publications. 204-206) discerns three "important common properties" of lifestyle: Unifying aspect: Lifestyle connotes internal consistency and unity, irrespective of specific percepts or responses (1967, p. 204). Bell (1958) stressed the symbolic contextual significance of consumption. Deutscher (1966, p. 135) succinctly summarized the implication: "Disparities between thought and action are the central methodological problem of the social sciences." EVOLUTION OF THE LIFESTYLE CONCEPT IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR. The term "psychographics" [refers to] studies that place comparatively heavy emphasis on generalized personality traits. Thus almost accidentally, the lifestyle concept has become operationalized among a certain group of researchers as activity, interest and opinion research conducted for a rather limited set of purposes and employing a rather limited set of techniques (p. 498). (1963), "Discussion," in Toward Scientific Marketing, ed. 9 (November), 465-467. Tx. The term "unified patterns of behavior" refers to behavior in its broadest sense. A logical and consistent implication of the above definition of lifestyle is that the domain of psychographic research by delimited in terms of cognitive style (cognitive processes or properties, including values, attitudes, beliefs, opinions, interests), that may be systematically linked to characteristic patterns of overt behavior. REFERENCES Andreasen, Alan R. (1967), "Leisure, Mobility, and LifeStyle Patterns," in Changing 'Marketing Systems, ed. Markin, Rom J. Jr. (1974), Consumer Behavior: A Cognitive Orientation, New York: MacMillan. Wells, William D. (1974), "Life Style and Psychographics: Definitions, Uses and Problems," in Life Style and Psycho- graphics, ed. austin texas psychographics. The most telling observation from Exhibit 1, however, is the paucity of published lifestyle literature addressing the three criteria qualifying the usefulness of any social science construct: (1) definitional consensus, (2) operational clarity, and (3) theoretical context. Pessemier, Edgar A. and Douglas J. Tigert (1966), "Personality, Activity, and Attitude Predictors of Consumer Behavior," in New Ideas for Successful Marketing, eds. Consumer analysts and market practitioners are interested in values, attitudes, beliefs, opinions and interests to the extent that they augment predictions of overt behavior, particularly search, shopping and consumption behavior, or permit pin-point targeting of marketing strategy. Festinger, Leon (1964), "Behavioral Support for Opinion Change," Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. Katona, George (1960), The Powerful Consumer, New York: McGraw-Hill. Lifestyle cannot help one to understand consumer behavior if lifestyle variables are a disorderly, nongeneral, nonhierarchical, or atheoretical set of vaguely related traits whose casual relationships to each other and to anything else are unspecified. Analysts who have preferred the term "lifestyle", on the other hand, have tended to focus either on broad cultural trends or on needs and values thought to be closely associated with consumer behavior (p. 319). New York: Oxford University Press. Lair, J. K. (1965), "Splitsville: A Split-Half Study of Television Commercial Pretesting," Dissertation Abstracts, 27, 9894-2895. Ferber, Robert and L. C. Lee (1974), "The Role of Life Style in Studying Family Behavior," Faculty Working Paper no. Lifestyle may or may not mirror cognitive style, contingent upon the effect of situational environmental influences operating. Defining and operationalizing lifestyle to encompass both overt behavior and cognitive style needlessly confounds the task of lifestyle segmentation. It is noteworthy that nowhere in Wells' article did he define or attempt to distinguish "lifestyle" from "psychographic" from "activity and attitude" research. Lifestyle may or may not mirror cognitive style, contingent upon the effect of situational environmental influences operating. Stephen A. Greyser, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 130-139. Rather, Adler's interpretation is relegated to the realm of psychographics or cognitive style. Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association. Substantial evidence points to a consistent positive relationship between cognitive processes and properties (cognitive style) and overt behavior (Lair 1965; Fencrich 1967; Udel 1965; Katona 1960, part II; Axelrod 1968). The term "life style"suggests a patterned way of life into which [people] fit various products, events or resources. Stephen A. Greyser, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 164-171. The paper then contrasts lifestyle and cognitive style conceptually and operationally, underscoring their intuitive, if imperfect, symmetry. Levy, Sidney J. For example, according to contemporary definitions, two consumers would be classed as exhibiting a similar lifestyle if, and only if, they are characterized by both parallel patterns of overt behavior and congruent cognitive styles. Thus, conceptually lifestyle is today generally defined to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties, including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions, and interests. Consequently, in interpreting lifestyle to include both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties, contemporary definitions of lifestyle frequently lead to operationalizations that are internally inconsistent. While Dorny's conceptual distinction, too, has apparently fallen on deaf ears, it at least recognizes a potential, if imperfect, symmetry between what he refers to as "mental" processes or properties (the province of psychographic research) and overt activities or behavior (the domain of lifestyle research). In the restricted range, in respect to individuals, characteristic perceptual styles, also known as cognitive styles, and response styles, as well as complex response styles have been discerned (Emphasis added, 1967, p. 203). Still, the terms psychographics and lifestyle remain largely undefined and indistinguishable in the marketing literature. Mills, C. Wright (1953), "Introduction," The Theory of the Leisure Class, New York: New American Library, vi-xix. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Austin city, Texas QuickFacts Austin city, Texas QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns LaPiere's (1934) classic study of racial prejudice in 1934 inaugurated a series of investigations and reviews reporting negative relationships between attitudes and behavior (Festinger 1966). While cognitive style may be reflected in overt behavior, the connection is imperfect and often asymmetrical because of the intervening of moderating influence of situational environmental variables or enabling conditions. Although the patient is critical, its condition is not terminal. The analysis and classification of activity or behavioral reports from the consumer which are frequently classified as "psychographics", should be given their own distinct term, such as "lifestyle" (pp. Market researchers conduct psychographic research by asking consumers to agree or disagree with activities, interests, opinions statements. The most significant demographic age group in this Intervening situational variables may cause lifestyle and cognitive style to be symmetrically or asymmetrically related. Market segments are definable in terms of individuals whose expected reactions are similar to similar marketing strategy (Kotler 1980, pp. Hawkins, Del J., Kenneth A. Coney, and Roger J. (1963), "Discussion," in Toward Scientific Marketing, ed. Hence, the lifestyle segment should be expanded to include all three consumers on the basis of behavioral parallelism. Lazer in 1963 echoed earlier convictions concerning the potential richness and synergistic value of the lifestyle concept for consumer analysis and coined the initial explicit definition of lifestyle appearing in the marketing literature. Equally importantly, the proposed distinctions should lead to greater definitional consensus, operational clarity, and more defensible linkages to existing research and theory in the social sciences. William M. Dobriner, New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 225-242. Yet, while the term lifestyle gained popular currency, it continued to defy conceptual and operational consensus (Ferber and Lee 1974). Kelley, Eugene J. Quite the contrary, behavioral and marketing analysis seem characterized by ever-increasing conceptual, operational, and methodological complexity, much of which seems needless. Intervening situational variables may cause lifestyle and cognitive style to be symmetrically or asymmetrically related. For example, according to contemporary definitions, two consumers would be classed as exhibiting a similar lifestyle if, and only if, they are characterized by both parallel patterns of overt behavior and congruent cognitive styles. Myers, James H. and Johnathan Gutman (1974), "Life Style: The Essence of Social Class," in Life Style and Psychographics, ed. Sometime during the 1960's a blend of these two traditions began to take shape. $53,937 Per capita income. An individual's life-style is a large complex symbol in motion. Segmenting first on the basis of parallel patterns of search, shopping and consumption behavior would result in lifestyle segments encompassing all potential prospects for the firm's products. In an unfashionable depiction of the ostentatious style of life (or "scheme of life," in Veblen's words) of the American noveau riche of the latter half of the nineteenth century, Veblen established a fashion of thinking about social, economic, and consumer behavior that has persisted (Mills 1953). (1966), "Words and Needs: Social Science and Social Policy," Social Problems, vol. Bell (1958), Rainwater, Coleman and Handel (1959), and Havinhurst and Feigenbaum (1959) inaugurated the lifestyle concept in the consumer behavior literature at the close of the 1950s, pointing to its potential significance in understanding, explaining and predicting consumer behavior and, hence, its importance as a focus for marketing strategy. The emphasis Ansbacher ascribes to the unifying property mirrors his conviction that lifestyle bridges cognitive style and response style. Psychographics is a form of market segmentation that groups consumers based on psychological traits that influence their consuming behaviors. Wilson, Clark C. (1966), "Homemaker Living Patterns and Marketplace Behavior - A Psychometric Approach," in New Ideas for Successful Marketing, eds. The conceptual and operational confusion continues. Use of the lifestyle concept as an analytical construct dates from Thorstein Veblen's turn-of-the-century classic The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899) and from Max Weber's landmark studies of status (1946, 1947). No approach is sacrosanct, yet some distinction in terms would allow for more productive advancement in lifestyle research and, equally importantly, in lifestyle segmentation. Indeed, the search for such systematic links has been much of the motivation behind the intensifying interest in lifestyle and psychographic research in the past two decades. Thomas C. Kinnear, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 405-411. Cognitive style is customarily defined as "one's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and perceiving" (Markin 1974, pp. work from home jobs no experience part time / pharmakeia in hebrew. EVOLUTION OF THE LIFESTYLE CONCEPT IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR Bell (1958), Rainwater, Coleman and Handel (1959), and Havinhurst and Feigenbaum (1959) inaugurated the lifestyle concept in the consumer behavior literature at the close of the 1950s, pointing to its potential significance in understanding, explaining and predicting consumer behavior and, hence, its importance as a focus for marketing strategy. While the term lifestyle has gained popular currency, it continues to defy definitional and operational consensus. None played so major a role in developing the life style concept and integrating it into our idiom and thought as the psychologist Alfred Adler. Stephen A. Greyser, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 151-164. Conspicuous by omission in each instance, however, was a definition of lifestyle. Far and away the most popular of operationalizations of lifestyle is the activities, interests and opinions (AIO) method pioneered by Wilson (1966), Pessemier and Tigert (1966), and Wells (1968). beliefs and interests. It suggests that consumer purchasing is an interrelated, patterned phenomenonproducts are bought as part of a "life style package" (p. 153). Defining Lifestyle in terms of characteristic patterns of overt behavior also suggests an intuitive symmetry between the domains of lifestyle and of psychographic research paralleling Dorny's dichotomy (Dorny 1971, pp. LaPiere, R. T. (1934), "Attitudes vs. 13, 82(December), 230-237. The emphasis in market segmentation is on consistencies in overt behavior, irrespective of contrasts in cognitive style, because the marketing practitioner is primarily interested in parallel patterns of search, shopping or consumption behavior. William D. Wells, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 317-363. Segmenting first on the basis of parallel patterns of search, shopping and consumption behavior would result in lifestyle segments encompassing all potential prospects for the firm's products. Contemporary interpretations in the marketing literature generally define lifestyle to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties (cognitive style), including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions. ed. Wells provides this historical perspective in his exhaustive "Psychographics: A Critical Review" (1975b): Starting with the classic study of Koponen (1960), investigators have repeatedly tried to correlate consumer behavior with scores obtained from standardized personality inventories. Ansbacher, Heinz L. (1967), "Life Style: A Historical and Systematic Review," Journal of Individual Psychology, 23, 191-212. Charles W. King and Douglas i. Tigert, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 200-201. The practical problem of pitching patronage appeals to consumers varying in attitudes and opinions, albeit behaviorally congruent, poses a needless obstacle. This has proven both a convenience and a "Catch-29" for market analysts. The resolution and reconciliation of these two problems built into conventional definitions and operationalization of lifestyle lies in sequential segmentation: Segmenting first on the basis of consistencies in overt behavior, the on the basis of congruence in cognitive style. In the above case, although exhibiting parallel search, shopping, or consumption behavior, one consumer would be excluded from the lifestyle characterizing the other two on the basis of contrasting cognitive style. 13. On the other hand, were all three consumer prospects included in the same lifestyle segment, targeting of marketing strategy would prove problematical because of contrast in cognitive style. Thus, conceptually lifestyle is today generally defined to encompass both characteristic patterns of overt behavior and cognitive processes and properties, including such dimensions of personality as values, attitudes, opinions, and interests. Little has changed in the ebb tide of interest in lifestyle research over the last five years. Best (1980), Consumer Behavior-Implications for Marketing Strategy, Dallas, TX: Business Publications. Weber's focus, like Veblen's, was upon collective lifestyles originated and perpetuated by status groups (Weber 1946, p. 187, 191, 300; Weber 1947, p. 429); however, lifestyle played only a minor role in Weber's writings. $1,873. Weber, Max (1946), Weber Essays in Sociology, eds. Wells, William D. (19751 ), "Psychographics: A Critical Review," Journal of Marketing Research, 12(May), 196-213. Weber, Max (1946), Weber Essays in Sociology, eds. Conversely, another consumer who behaves in the same fashion, yet holds quite different values, attitudes, beliefs, opinions of interests, would be designated as characterized by a contrasting lifestyle. W. Thomas Anderson, Jr., University of Texas at Austin. Two problems emerge: On one hand, the conventional interpretation of lifestyle leads to an unnecessarily narrow definition of market segment boundaries and, hence, to underestimates of market potential. Psychographics allow you to uncover the content topics that are likely to resonate with your customers. Highlight the brand's values. Psychographics also give brands the opportunity to highlight their values and align them with the customer's. This can help companies accomplish their branding goals. 345-355). Michael Gibbert, Universit della Svizzera Italiana, Esther Doriette Tamara Jaspers, Massey University It is noteworthy that nowhere in Wells' article did he define or attempt to distinguish "lifestyle" from "psychographic" from "activity and attitude" research. 1, 21 (September), 6-12. Wells, William D. (1968), "Backward Segmentation," in Insights into Consumer Behavior, ed. Beverlee B. Anderson, Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Consumer Research, 498. Restricting the definition of lifestyle to characteristic patterns of overt behavior underscores the intuitive, if imperfect, symmetrical reciprocity between cognitive style and lifestyle. Psychographics, Demographics, & Public Opinion - Public Relations - Subject and Course Guides at University of Texas at Arlington Public Relations J. S. Wright and J. L. Goldstucker. However, such an assumption flies in the face of the growing body of research examining their interaction. Actions," Social Forces, vol. Variously called "lifestyle", "psychographic", or "activity and attitude" research, this blend combines the objectivity of the personality inventory with the rich, consumer-oriented, descriptive detail of the qualitative motivation research investigation (p. 196). Operational, functional and constancy aspects: Lifestyle connotes consistent operations and actions or behavior over time (1967, pp. Festinger, Leon (1964), "Behavioral Support for Opinion Change," Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. $954. 28, #3(Fall), 404-417. Udel, Jon G. (1965), "Can Attitude Measurement Predict Consumer Behavior? Katona, George (1960), The Powerful Consumer, New York: McGraw-Hill. Psychographic and lifestyle research should proceed hand-in-glove, but progress in both will be facilitated by conceptual and operational precision and distinction. Quite the contrary, behavioral and marketing analysis seem characterized by ever-increasing conceptual, operational, and methodological complexity, much of which seems needless. Veblen, Thorstein (1899), The Theory of the Leisure Class, New York: MacMillan. Burn Boot Camp Franchising | Buy a Fitness Franchise Prior to joining the e-commerce industry, Leigh-Anne perfected her marketing skills at The University of Texas at Austin and CanIRank. Elsewhere, Wells (1974, pp. This is admittedly narrow as defining lifestyle as overt behavior does not allow for the broad, psychological Adlerian perspective of lifestyle. Operational, functional and constancy aspects: Lifestyle connotes consistent operations and actions or behavior over time (1967, pp. Yet there is mounting evidence to the contrary; indeed, evidence that changes in behavior may trigger changes in cognitive processes and properties, rather than the reverse (Zimbardo and Effesen 1970, Ch. The resolution and reconciliation of these two problems built into conventional definitions and operationalization of lifestyle lies in sequential segmentation: Segmenting first on the basis of consistencies in overt behavior, the on the basis of congruence in cognitive style. In his historical review of the lifestyle concept in the social science literature Ansbacher (1967) noted that the lifestyle concept has been applied in three different uses at three levels of aggregation. Use of the lifestyle concept as an analytical construct dates from Thorstein Veblen's turn-of-the-century classic The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899) and from Max Weber's landmark studies of status (1946, 1947). Both cognitive style and lifestyle are influenced by enabling conditions, which lie in the context of environmental constraints and opportunities. T. Parsons. J. S. Wright and J. L. Goldstucker, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 332-347. Psychographics refers to peoples qualitative characteristics. The term "unified patterns of behavior" refers to behavior in its broadest sense. Koponen, Arthur (1960), "Personality Characteristics of Purchasers," Journal of Advertising Research, vol. William D. Wells, Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 243-266. Psychographic and lifestyle research should proceed hand-in-glove, but progress in both will be facilitated by conceptual and operational precision and distinction. Loudon, David L. and Albert J. Della Bitta (1979), Consume Behavior: Concepts and Applications, New York: McGraw-Hill. P. 130). However, such an assumption flies in the face of the growing body of research examining their interaction. Dichter, Ernest (1964), Handbook of Consumer Motivations, New York: McGraw-Hill. Membership in ACR is relatively inexpensive, but brings significant benefits to its members. 13. Of particular relevance to the present analysis is Ansbacher's observation that: The concept of style may vary in range from a relatively limited segment to the totality of behavior when it becomes lifestyle. This is admittedly narrow as defining lifestyle as overt behavior does not allow for the broad, psychological Adlerian perspective of lifestyle. Much lifestyle research could better be termed "idiosyncracy research", since it uses the computer to group people with similar idiosyncracies (p. 37). It is composed of sub-symbols; it utilizes a characteristic pattern of life space [or the proximity of perceived constraints in the surrounding environment]; and it acts systematically to process objects and events [including products, services, and consumption itself] in accordance with these values (p. 141) Levy's definition prompted Kelley (1963) to postulate an important marketing implication of the lifestyle concept. Sequential segmentation on the basis of consistencies in cognitive style will permit the precise targeting of marketing strategy. Dichter, Ernest (1964), Handbook of Consumer Motivations, New York: McGraw-Hill. Accordingly either psychographic or lifestyle research may focus upon individuals, groups, or society as the unit of analysis depending upon the researcher's purposes.
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