Ethnicity,acculturation, and the importance of product attributes

This investigation examined the relationship between subcultural group membership and the importance of various product attributes in purchase decisions. Subcultural group membership was defined on the basis of Hispanic ethnicity and level of assessed acculturation. The results indicate that cost considerations such as price and the availability of credit best distinguish these groups. This is particularly meaningful, given that these results persist even when income level is statistically controlled. The second major purpose of the investigation was to test the appropriateness of the traditional progressive learning model of acculturation within the specific buyer behavioral context of product attribute importance. The findings clearly indicate support for this model.     

Subcultural influences on family decisionmaking

This investigation assessed Mexican-American and Anglo wives' perceptions of family decisionmaking roles for the purchase of eight different goods and services. This comparison was used to explore the impact ethnic subculture plays in consumer behavior. The findings indicate that ethnicity significantly affects wives' perceptions of family decisionmaking roles for expensive items, and that this is not just due to common associations with other variables. This is an under researched area in which cross-national differences and basic socioeconomic disparities are often inaccurately attributed to culture.     

Choice in Computer-Mediated Environments

In the last several years, the increased diffusion of computer andtelecommunications technologies in businesses and homes has produced newways for organizations to connect with their customers. These computermediated environments (CMEs) such as the World Wide Web raise new researchquestions. In this paper, we examine the potential research issuesassociated with CMEs in five areas: (1) decision processes, (2) advertisingand communications, (3) brand choice, (4) brand communities, and (5)pricing.     

Compulsive consumption and credit abuse

This paper presents evidence of a type of consumption which can be called compulsive. It further demonstrates that this type of consumption is related to certain aspects of materialism, but not possessiveness. This suggests that the actual consumption experience may possess aspects akin to those observed in other abusive behaviors, but may be essentially unrelated to desires for material objects for their intrinsic qualities.

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Zwanghafter Konsum und Kreditmißbrauch

Zusammenfassung Thema des Beitrages ist solches Konsumentenverhalten, das als zwanghaft bezeichnet werden kann. Berichtet wird über eine Untersuchung, in der 129 zwanghaft handelnde Konsumenten mit einer gleichgroßen Kontrollgruppe nicht auffälliger Konsumenten verglichen wurden. Dabei zeigte sich, daß zwanghaftes Konsumverhalten zwar mit bestimmten Aspekten materialistischer Einstellungen, nicht jedoch mit Besitzorientierung in Beziehung steht.Das legt die Vermutung nahe, daß aktuelle Konsumerfahrungen ähnliche Eigenschaften haben können wie andere abweichende Verhaltensweisen auch. Sie können deshalb nicht mit dem Wunsch nach materiellen Gütern um ihrer selbst willen erklärt werden.

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Ronald J. Faber is Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Research Division at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Minnesota, 111 Murphy Hall, 206 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Thomas C. O'Guinn is Associate Professor of Advertising and Business Administration at the Department of Advertising, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 119 Gregory Hall, 810 South Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.The authors would like to thank the University of Texas College of Communication and the James Webb Young Fund of the University of Illinois for their financial support. We would also like to thank Sandi Gostin and Carla Perez, M.D. for their expertise and gracious assistance in the collection of the data.