Principles of Marketing, 14e (Kotler)

Chapter 5 Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior

1) ________ is never simple, yet understanding it is the essential task of marketing management.
A) Brand personality
B) Consumption pioneering
C) Early adoption
D) Buying behavior
E) Understanding the difference between primary and secondary data
2) The consumer market is made up of which of the following?
A) individuals who acquire goods or services for personal consumption
B) households that purchase goods or services for personal consumption
C) businesses that purchase goods and services
D) A and B
E) all of the above
3) Economic, technological, and cultural forces are all ________ in the stimulus-response model
of buyer behavior.
A) buyer responses
B) stimuli
C) components of the buyer's decision process
D) buyer characteristics
E) buying attitudes
4) Of the following, the best starting point for understanding how consumers respond to various
marketing efforts is the ________ model of a buyer's behavior.
A) belief
B) subcultural
C) generational
D) stimulus-response
E) societal
5) Marketing stimuli consist of the four Ps. Which is NOT one of these?
A) product

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B) politics
C) price
D) promotion
E) place
6) The marketer wants to understand how the stimuli are changed into responses inside the
consumer's ________, which has two parts. First, the buyer's characteristics influence how he or
she perceives and reacts to the stimuli. Second, the buyer's decision process itself affects the
buyer's behavior.
A) culture
B) black box
C) belief
D) lifestyle
E) social class
7) In the model of buyer behavior, which of the following is NOT a major type of force or event
in the buyer's environment?
A) economic
B) technological
C) political
D) channel
E) cultural
8) ________ is the most basic cause of a person's wants and behavior.
A) Culture
B) Brand personality
C) Cognitive dissonance
D) Social class
E) Selective perception
9) Each culture contains smaller ________, or groups of people with shared value systems based
on common life experiences and situations.
A) aspirational groups
B) reference groups
C) subcultures

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D) membership groups
E) social networks
10) Which of the following is NOT considered an important American subculture by marketers?
A) Hispanic Americans
B) African Americans
C) mature consumers
D) opinion leaders
E) Asian Americans
11) This group of consumers tends to buy more branded products and to make shopping a family
event, with children having a big say in the purchase decision. In general, they are very brand
loyal, and they favor companies who show special interest in them.
A) Hispanic Americans
B) African Americans
C) Asian Americans
D) mature consumers
E) the upper middles
12) ________, the fastest-growing U.S. population subsegment, now number nearly 50 million.
A) African Americans
B) Hispanic Americans
C) Asian Americans
D) Mature consumers
E) Gays and lesbians
13) Although more price-conscious than other population segments, ________ consumers tend to
be strongly motivated by quality and selection. Brands are important. They seem to enjoy
shopping more than other ethnic groups do.
A) upper middle
B) African American
C) mature
D) Asian American
E) upper lower

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14) ________, the most affluent American demographic segment, now have more than $500
billion in annual spending power.
A) Hispanic Americans
B) African Americans
C) Asian Americans
D) Gays and lesbians
E) Gen Xers
15) Which of the following is NOT true of mature consumers?
A) The best strategy is to appeal to their active, multidimensional lives.
B) They are an ideal market for "do-it-for-me" services.
C) High-tech home entertainment products appeal to them.
D) They place more importance on brand names and are more brand loyal than members of other
age groups.
E) They are a good market for cosmetics and personal care products.
16) ________ are society's relatively permanent and ordered divisions whose members share
similar values, interests, and behaviors.
A) Social classes
B) Cultures
C) Reference groups
D) Subcultures
E) Lifestyles
17) What is one way that social class is NOT measured?
A) occupation
B) education
C) income
D) number of children in the family
E) wealth
18) Which of the following statements is true regarding social class in the United States?
A) Social class is determined primarily by income level.
B) Lines between social classes in the United States are fixed and rigid.
C) Social classes tend to show distinct product preferences in clothing and automobiles.

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D) Wealth is more critical than education level in measuring social class.
E) People are relegated to a permanent class layer in the United States.
19) Family is one of the ________ factors that influence consumer behavior.
A) cultural
B) social
C) personal
D) psychological
E) business
20) ________ are groups to which an individual wishes to belong, as when a young basketball
player hopes to play someday for the Los Angeles Lakers.
A) Membership groups
B) Aspirational groups
C) Leading adopter groups
D) Leisure groups
E) Social class groups
21) ________ are people within a reference group who, because of special skills, knowledge,
personality, or other characteristics, exert influence on others.
A) Opinion leaders
B) Habitual buyers
C) Social networkers
D) Stealth marketers
E) Laggards
22) Opinion leaders are also referred to as ________.
A) the influentials
B) the upper uppers
C) the middle class
D) the Rebounders
E) the buzz marketers
23) Many companies, such as JetBlue and Sony, enlist everyday consumers who are enthusiastic
about their brands to become ________, brand ambassadors who share their passion for a
company's products with large circles of friends and acquaintances in return for insider

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knowledge and other rewards.
A) leading adopters
B) brand evangelists
C) direct marketers
D) direct sellers
E) innovators
24) Companies that use brand ambassadors are participating in ________.
A) opinion leading
B) traditional marketing
C) buzz marketing
D) direct marketing
E) values marketing
25) Facebook and Second Life are both examples of ________.
A) buzz markets
B) opinion leaders
C) social networks
D) early adopters
E) word-of-mouth markets
26) The ________ is the most important consumer buying organization in society; the roles and
influences of different members have been researched extensively.
A) family
B) social class
C) membership group
D) subculture
E) reference group
27) A ________ consists of the activities people are expected to perform according to the persons
around them.
A) motive
B) role
C) lifestyle
D) life cycle

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E) tradition
28) A buyer's decisions are influenced by ________ such as the buyer's age and life-cycle stage,
occupation, economic situation, lifestyle, and personality and self-concept.
A) personal characteristics
B) reference groups
C) perceptions
D) attitudes
E) psychographics
29) People change the goods and services they buy over time because of the two changing
factors of ________.
A) belief and attitude
B) perception and personality
C) age and life-cycle stage
D) self-concept and learning
E) family and tradition
30) Consumer information provider PersonicX uses a life-stage segmentation system that places
U.S. households into one of 21 different life-stage groups. Which of the following PersonicX
groups consists of young, energetic, well-funded couples and young families who are busy with
their careers, social lives, and active recreation?
A) Taking Hold
B) Beginnings
C) Transition Blues
D) Our Turn
E) Golden Years
31) ________ is a person's pattern of living as expressed in her psychographics, including her
activities, interests, and opinions.
A) Personality
B) Culture
C) Lifestyle
D) Motive
E) Social class

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32) All of the following make up a person's lifestyle EXCEPT ________.
A) AIO dimensions
B) interests
C) dissonance-reducing buying behavior
D) opinions
E) work
33) A customer's lifestyle can be measured by using the AIO dimensions. What does AIO stand
for?
A) Activities, Interests, Opinions
B) Achievement, Involvement, Organizations
C) Accommodation, Investment, Orientation
D) Acknowledgements, Interests, Observations
E) Adoptions, Interests, Occupations
34) ________ refers to the unique psychological characteristics that distinguish a person or
group. It is usually described in traits such as self-confidence, dominance, sociability, autonomy,
defensiveness, adaptability, and aggressiveness.
A) Alternative evaluation
B) Belief
C) Culture
D) Personality
E) Self-awareness
35) Researchers have found that a number of well-known brands tended to be strongly associated
with one particular trait, such as Jeep with "ruggedness." Which of the following terms would a
marketer use to describe a specific mix of human traits that may be attributed to a particular
brand?
A) brand perception
B) product image
C) brand personality
D) brand concept
E) brand equity
36) Many marketers use the self-concept premise that people's possessions contribute to and

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reflect their identities; that is, "we are what we have." According to this premise, consumers
________.
A) buy products to support their self-images
B) do not identify with brand personalities
C) are affected by subconscious motivations
D) are attracted to products that expand their existing attitudes
E) conduct the information search
37) A person's buying choices are influenced by four major psychological factors. Which is NOT
one of these factors?
A) motivation
B) perception
C) alternative evaluation
D) learning
E) beliefs and attitudes
38) A ________ is a need that is sufficiently pressing to direct a person to seek satisfaction.
A) stimulus
B) perception
C) culture
D) motive
E) tradition
39) According to Freud's theories, people are ________ many of the psychological forces
shaping their behavior.
A) unaware of
B) self-conscious of
C) aware of
D) status-driven about
E) self-analytical about
40) The term ________ refers to qualitative research designed to probe consumers' hidden,
subconscious motivations.
A) perception analysis
B) subliminal motivation

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C) motivation research
D) need recognition investigation
E) depth research technique
41) A marketing research company asked members of a focus group to describe several brands as
animals. This is an example of ________.
A) hierarchical needs analysis
B) interpretive consumer research
C) status influence
D) buzz marketing
E) information search
42) Maslow's theory is that ________ can be arranged in a hierarchy.
A) stimuli
B) beliefs and attitudes
C) perceptions
D) human needs
E) decisions
43) Which of the following is NOT part of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
A) physiological needs
B) safety needs
C) stimulus needs
D) self-actualization needs
E) social needs
44) What is the LEAST pressing in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
A) physiological needs
B) social needs
C) esteem needs
D) self-actualization needs
E) safety needs
45) ________ is the process by which people select, organize, and interpret information to form a
meaningful picture of the world.
A) Personality

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B) Perception
C) Selective grouping
D) Learning
E) Self-actualization
46) People cannot focus on all of the stimuli that surround them each day. A person's tendency to
screen out most of the information to which he is exposed is called ________.
A) selective retention
B) selective distortion
C) selective attitude
D) selective attention
E) selective perception
47) People tend to interpret new information in a way that will support what they already
believe. This is called ________.
A) selective retention
B) selective distortion
C) selective attitude
D) selective attention
E) selective perception
48) People forget much that they learn. They tend to retain information that supports their
attitudes and beliefs. This is called ________.
A) selective attention
B) selective retention
C) selective attitude
D) selective distortion
E) perceptual vigilance
49) Some consumers worry that they will be affected by marketing messages without even
knowing it. They are concerned about ________ advertising.
A) alternative evaluation
B) subliminal
C) perceptual
D) hierarchical

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E) comparative
50) ________ describes changes in an individual's behavior arising from experience.
A) Lifestyle
B) Learning
C) Perception
D) Cognitive dissonance
E) Attitude shift
51) Learning occurs through the interplay of all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) drives
B) stimuli
C) cues
D) dissonance behavior
E) reinforcement
52) ________ are subtle stimuli that determine where, when, and how a person responds to an
idea.
A) Cues
B) Drives
C) Reinforcers
D) Personalities
E) Impulses
53) If a consumer's experience is rewarding, that consumer will probably use the product more
and more. The consumer's response to the product will be ________.
A) cued
B) variety-seeking
C) reinforced
D) dissonant
E) motivated
54) Applying ________, marketers can affect demand for a product by associating it with strong
drives, using motivating cues, and providing positive reinforcement.
A) subliminal advertising
B) social classes

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C) learning theory
D) need recognition
E) cognitive dissonance
55) A(n) ________ is a descriptive thought that a person has about something.
A) lifestyle
B) motive
C) belief
D) attitude
E) perception
56) A(n) ________ is a person's relatively consistent evaluations, feelings, and tendencies toward
an object or idea.
A) lifestyle
B) motive
C) belief
D) attitude
E) perception
57) When consumers are highly involved with the purchase of an expensive product and they
perceive significant differences among brands, they most likely will undertake ________.
A) habitual buying behavior
B) complex buying behavior
C) reflective buying behavior
D) dissonance-reducing buying behavior
E) variety-seeking buying behavior
58) When consumers are highly involved with the purchase of an expensive, infrequent, or risky
purchase but see little difference among brands, they most likely will undertake ________.
A) habitual buying behavior
B) complex buying behavior
C) reflective buying behavior
D) dissonance-reducing buying behavior
E) variety-seeking buying behavior

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59) When customers have a low involvement in a purchase but perceive significant brand
differences, they will most likely engage in ________.
A) complex buying behavior
B) dissonance-reducing buying behavior
C) habitual buying behavior
D) variety-seeking buying behavior
E) brand conviction buying behavior
60) The buyer decision process consists of five stages. Which of the following is NOT one of
these stages?
A) need recognition
B) information search
C) variety-seeking buying behavior
D) purchase decision
E) postpurchase behavior
61) The buying process starts with ________, in which the buyer recognizes a problem.
A) need recognition
B) information search
C) product awareness
D) product interest
E) alternative evaluation
62) If the consumer's drive is strong and a satisfying product is near at hand, the consumer is
likely to buy it then. If not, the consumer may store the need in memory or undertake a(n)
________.
A) brand personality
B) selective retention
C) postpurchase behavior
D) information search
E) product adoption
63) The consumer can obtain information from any of several sources. Which of the following is
NOT one of these types of sources?
A) personal

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B) commercial
C) attitude
D) public
E) experiential
64) The information sources that are the most effective at influencing a consumer's purchase
decision are ________. These sources legitimize or evaluate products for the buyer.
A) commercial
B) public
C) experimental
D) personal
E) attitudinal
65) Marketers describe the way a consumer processes information to arrive at brand choices as
________.
A) alternative evaluation
B) information search
C) purchase decision
D) situational factors
E) postpurchase dissonance
66) Blake is in the process of buying a new car. He is highly involved in the purchase and
perceives significant differences among his three favorite models. Blake's next step is most likely
to be ________.
A) postpurchase behavior
B) alternative evaluation
C) opinion leadership
D) cognitive dissonance
E) purchase decision
67) Generally, the consumer's purchase decision will be to buy the most preferred brand, but two
factors can come between the purchase intention and the purchase decision. Which of the
following is one of these factors?
A) postpurchase behavior
B) attitude of others

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C) cognitive dissonance
D) alternative evaluation
E) new product adoption
68) After the purchase of a product, consumers will be either satisfied or dissatisfied and engage
in ________.
A) variety-reducing behavior
B) alternative evaluation
C) postpurchase behavior
D) product expectations
E) information searches
69) The relationship between the consumer's expectations and the product's ________
determines whether the buyer is satisfied or dissatisfied with a purchase.
A) perceived performance
B) brand personality
C) recognition
D) consumer market
E) service quality
70) Almost all major purchases result in ________, or discomfort caused by postpurchase
conflict.
A) need recognition
B) cognitive dissonance
C) purchase decisions
D) legitimization
E) dissatisfaction
71) When a customer feels uneasy about losing out on the benefits of a brand she chose not to
purchase, she is experiencing ________.
A) selective retention
B) selective attention
C) selective distortion
D) cognitive dissonance
E) dissonance-reducing behavior

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72) Consumers learn about new products for the first time and make the decision to buy them
during the ________.
A) need recognition stage
B) adoption process
C) evaluation process
D) trial process
E) quality assessment
73) Which of the following is NOT one of the stages that customers go through in the process of
learning about and making decisions about a new product or service?
A) awareness
B) interest
C) evaluation
D) acceptance
E) trial
74) Which of the following is the final stage in the new product adoption process?
A) awareness
B) adoption
C) evaluation
D) acceptance
E) trial
75) Relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, divisibility, and communicability are all
examples of ________.
A) alternative evaluations
B) dissonance-reducing buying behaviors
C) product characteristics that influence rate of adoption
D) individual differences in innovation
E) postpurchase behaviors
76) Generation Xers, who were born between 1965 and 1976, share the childhood experiences of
higher parental divorce rates, recession, and corporate downsizing. They tend to care about the
environment and value experience over acquisition. Generation Xers make up a ________.
A) subculture

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B) social class
C) social network
D) life-cycle stage
E) lifestyle
77) A shoe company uses ads featuring the members of a country music band with the hope that
the band's fans will see them wearing the company's shoes and want to wear the same shoes. The
shoe company is hoping that fans of the band view the band as a ________.
A) membership group
B) reference group
C) status symbol
D) subculture
E) lifestyle
78) Rashmi Singh always knows about the trendiest fashions. She actively shares her knowledge
with a wide group of friends and colleagues about where to shop for cutting-edge fashion at great
deals, and her advice is often followed. Rashmi is an example of a(n) ________.
A) upper middle
B) membership group
C) opinion leader
D) brand personality
E) experiential source
79) Shane Sudendorf is an active member of her sorority, two intramural teams, and a service
organization at her college. She also actively participates on two online social networks, posting
information about her day along with her thoughts on music, food, fashion, and culture. From
this description, which of the following is the best way to describe Shane?
A) an opinion leader
B) a status symbol
C) a laggard
D) a Potential Rebounder
E) a brand ambassador
80) There is a trend in the United States toward rediscovering the flavor of regional cooking and
the use of locally grown ingredients. People are choosing to spend hours in the kitchen using

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only the freshest ingredients to recreate local culinary traditions. This change in ________ is one
of the reasons the number of farmers markets in the United States has increased by 70 percent in
the last eight years.
A) selective distortion
B) subculture
C) lifestyle
D) personality
E) life cycle
81) According to one analyst, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle can make you feel like "the
toughest, baddest guy on the block." Harley-Davidson promotes its motorcycles with images of
independence, freedom, and power. Harley-Davidson has created a(n) ________.
A) attitude
B) life-cycle stage
C) brand motivation
D) brand personality
E) brand self-image
82) A marketer of hair care products targeted at African American women created an advertising
message that told the women their hair could be worn any way they wanted as opposed to
wearing it straight. The message suggested the women did not need to conform to the
mainstream media definition of beauty. It is most accurate to say that this ad was based on an
understanding of ________.
A) social class
B) the family life cycle
C) self-concept
D) lifestyle
E) sensory marketing
83) Mark has long supported the actions and decisions of his city's mayor. However, many recent
news stories have raised questions about the ethics of the mayor's programs and initiatives. Mark
doubts that the mayor, in whom he has such faith, could behave unethically, and Mark tends to
distrust the information in the media. Mark continues to support the mayor. It is most accurate to
say that Mark has engaged in ________.

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A) selective distortion
B) selective attitude
C) selective retention
D) selective attention
E) perceptual defense
84) Juana looked at her September issue of O magazine and did not see anything of interest.
After her mother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she found the issue extremely interesting
because it offered advice on how to help people who are suffering from this problem. The issue
became quite interesting to Juana due to ________.
A) subliminal messaging
B) status factors
C) selective attention
D) shifting self-concept
E) unconscious motivations
85) Bob's job description had been changed. The rationale for the changes made no sense to Bob
when they were explained. Bob continued to perform most of his job duties as usual. He has
engaged in ________.
A) subliminal attention
B) selective attitude
C) selective interpretation
D) selective attention
E) perceptual defense
86) Stephanie and Jamal attended a sales seminar. Both left the seminar with differing opinions
about what was important to implement in their jobs. Both used the information in different
ways, according to what each already believed was important. They have engaged in ________.
A) selective distortion
B) selective attitude
C) selective retention
D) selective attention
E) perceptual defense

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87) George is buying his first house. He has found two houses that he thinks he likes. He is
highly involved in the purchase and perceives significant differences between these two houses.
George will likely undertake ________.
A) variety-seeking buying behavior
B) complex buying behavior
C) opinion leadership
D) dissonance-reducing buying behavior
E) marketing myopia
88) Pat thought he had received the best deal on his new car. Shortly after the purchase, Pat
started to notice certain disadvantages of his new car as he learned more about other cars
available. Pat is experiencing ________.
A) postpurchase culture
B) selective perception
C) postpurchase dissonance
D) purchase decision
E) information evaluation
89) For the past 10 years Bill and Margaret Kennedy have saved money to go to the Super Bowl
should their team, the Chicago Bears, ever win the NFC championship. This is the year, and
several tour companies offer attractive, but very similar, packages to the game. They want to be
certain to choose the best one. Bill and Margaret are most likely to exhibit ________.
A) complex buying behavior
B) dissonance-reducing buying behavior
C) habitual buying behavior
D) variety-seeking buying behavior
E) brand familiarity buying behavior
90) Carrie tends to purchase various brands of bath soap. She has never been loyal to a specific
brand; instead, she does a lot of brand switching. Carrie exhibits ________.
A) dissonance-reducing buying behavior
B) complex buying behavior
C) habitual buying behavior
D) variety-seeking buying behavior

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E) brand familiarity buying behavior
91) Lexus works to keep customers happy after each sale, aiming to delight the customer in order
to gain a customer for life. In this pursuit, Lexus is focused on which step of the buyer decision
process?
A) need recognition
B) information search
C) evaluation of alternatives
D) purchase decision
E) postpurchase behavior
92) An invitation to go skiing for the weekend forced Donna to look at her current wardrobe. She
decided she needed a much warmer coat. Donna was in which stage of the purchase decision?
A) product evaluation
B) situational analysis
C) need recognition
D) problem screening
E) information search
93) Donna wants to buy a new coat. During the ________ stage of her purchase process she will
ask her friends to recommend a store and/or a style of coat. She will search the newspaper for
coat sales, and she will visit nearby stores to see what is available in her price range.
A) product evaluation
B) alternative evaluation
C) need recognition
D) information search
E) purchase decision
94) Robert has taken up bicycle riding as a hobby and as a way to maintain his physical stamina.
He understands he will need to drink adequate water when he is bike riding. He wants to buy a
hydration system. Having gathered a great deal of information, he has decided to compare three
systems: Waterbags for Roadies, Supertanker Hydropacks, and Fast Water. Robert is in the
________ stage of his purchase decision.
A) problem recognition
B) evaluation of alternatives

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C) product choice
D) postpurchase evaluation
E) information choice
95) Leona purchased two bottles of wine from vineyards in Australia. When asked her opinion of
the wine, she said the burgundy wine tasted like alcoholic grape juice, but the Chablis had a crisp
taste that she really enjoyed. These statements were made during the ________ stage of the
purchase decision.
A) information search
B) situational analysis
C) alternative evaluation
D) purchase decision
E) postpurchase behavior
96) Cameron loves to know about and purchase the most up-to-date technological gadgets.
Among his friends, he is almost always the first to own the newest electronic product. Often the
products that Cameron buys become adopted by large groups of consumers, but occasionally
Cameron will purchase a product that is adopted by only a small portion of the population. To
which of the following adopter groups does Cameron belong?
A) innovator
B) middle upper
C) early majority
D) late majority
E) laggards
97) Which of the following would a marketer be LEAST likely to do to encourage habitual
buying behavior?
A) dominate shelf space
B) run frequent reminder advertising
C) keep shelves fully stocked
D) stress several key points in ad copy
E) focus on visual imagery and symbols in ad campaigns

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Refer to the scenario below to answer the following questions.

Selman & Saks, a maker of men’s and women’s razors and electric hair trimmers, had little
reason to become involved in the global arena. But after acquiring Wellman Enterprises, whose
largest division engages in a licensing agreement with a German firm to produce women’s
hosiery, managers at Selman & Saks wondered just whether a company-wide global focus would
be more profitable after all.
Managers at Selman & Saks studied Wellman’s licensing agreement in great detail. Though
seeing first-hand the benefits Wellman found with the licensing agreement, managers decided
that Selman & Saks would target the French market merely via exporting.
With the assistance of a domestic export department, the Selman & Saks razors and hair
trimmers entered France. For six months, sales were mediocre. But after that, sales suffered.
Opinions varied among numerous managers as to the cause of the failure. "Who knows the local
market better than people who live there?" was a comment heard throughout Selman & Saks.
"Maybe we needed an alliance with a French firm, or a licensing agreement, before racing to get
there."

98) Which of the following is the strongest reason that the owners of The Attic Trunk might NOT
want to completely discount the mature consumers as a still-viable target market?
A) Mature consumers wield considerable influence over purchases made by their children and
grandchildren.
B) Mature consumers account for almost half of all consumer spending in the United States.
C) Mature consumers are spending an increasing percentage of their income on specialty items
such as those originally sold by The Attic Trunk.
D) Mature consumers are interested in shopping where younger families shop in an effort to look
as young as they feel.
E) Mature consumers are less willing to shop around and change brands than younger consumers
are, so they will likely remain loyal to The Attic Trunk.

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99) Many families with children are now attracted to the shopping district in Forest Ridge. What
characteristics about families as consumer groups might the owners of The Attic Trunk want to
keep in mind?
A) Though more women hold jobs outside the home today than when The Attic Trunk first
opened, husband-wife involvement n the buying process has remained relatively unchanged.
B) Children have considerable amounts of disposable income and have a strong influence on
family buying decisions.
C) Women today account for 50 percent of all technology purchases.
D) Men today account for about 40 percent of all food purchases.
E) Women influence nine out of ten new home and vacation purchases.
100) It is most likely that each consumer segment attracted to The Attic Trunk would have which
of the following in common with the other consumer segments?
A) subculture
B) personality
C) AIO dimensions
D) life-stage
E) membership groups
126) Cultural factors exert a broad and deep influence on consumer behavior. The marketer
needs to understand the role played by the buyer's culture, subculture, and social class. Compare
the roles of culture, subculture, and social class.
Answer: Culture is the most basic cause of a person's wants and behavior. Each culture contains
smaller subcultures, or groups of people with shared value systems based on common life
experiences and situations. Subcultures include nationalities, religions, racial groups, and
geographic regions. Many subcultures make up important markets. Social classes are society's
relatively permanent and ordered divisions whose members share similar values, interests, and
behaviors. Unlike nationality or ethnic subculture, social class is determined by a combination of
many variables, such as occupation, income, education, and wealth.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 135-139
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 5-2

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127) Many subcultures make up important market segments. Examples of four such important
subculture groups include Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and mature
consumers. Describe the general characteristics of each of these groups.
Answer: Hispanic American consumers tend to be very brand loyal, and they favor companies
who show special interest in them. They are also very family-oriented and tend to make shopping
a family affair. African American consumers are more price-conscious than other segments; they
are also strongly motivated by quality and selection. African Americans seem to enjoy shopping
more than other ethnic groups. Asian American consumers are the most affluent U.S.
demographic segment and are the second-fastest-growing population subculture, after Hispanic
Americans. Asian American consumers are very tech-savvy and are the most brand conscious of
all the ethnic groups. Mature consumers are better off financially than are younger consumer
groups. They are an attractive market for travel, restaurants, consumer electronics, financial
services, and healthcare services.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 136-138
AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity Understanding
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

26
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
128) A consumer's behavior is influenced by social factors, such as the consumer's small groups,
family, and social roles and status. Explain the differences among these social factors.
Answer: Small groups to which a person belongs have a direct influence on what a person buys.
Reference groups serve as direct or indirect points of comparison or reference in forming a
person's attitudes or behaviors. An aspirational group is one to which the individual wishes to
belong. Reference groups expose a person to new behaviors and lifestyles, influence a person's
attitudes and self-concept, and create pressures to conform that may affect the person's product
and brand choices. Opinion leaders are also included in reference groups. The group closest to
consumers is the family, the most important consumer buying organization in society. Marketers
are interested in the changing roles and influence of each family member, particularly as male
and female purchasing roles evolve and children wield more purchasing influence. Within
groups, including families, the position of an individual is defined by role and status. A role
consists of the activities people are expected to perform according to the persons around them,
while status is the general esteem given to that role. People tend to choose products that fit with
their roles and status.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 142-144
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 5-2

129) Each person's distinct personality influences his buying behavior. Personality is usually
described in terms of traits. What are these traits, and how do they affect the way people
purchase items? Give at least one example.
Answer: Personality is described in terms of traits such as self-confidence, dominance,
sociability, autonomy, defensiveness, adaptability, and aggressiveness. Personality can be useful
in analyzing behavior for certain products. Consumers are likely to choose brands with
personalities that match their own. For example, someone with a sophisticated personality might
be attracted to a more sophisticated product, such as a BMW, while someone with a more rugged
personality might be attracted to a more rugged product, such as a Jeep.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 146-147
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application

27
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
Objective: 5-2

130) Explain Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Answer: Maslow suggested that our unfulfilled needs motivate us and that our needs are
arranged in a hierarchy. The hierarchy of needs includes physiological, safety, social, self-
esteem, and self-actualization needs. Maslow suggested that we meet the bottom-level, basic
needs first before moving up the hierarchy. Until more basic needs such as safety are fulfilled, an
individual has little interest in higher-level needs such as esteem and self-actualization.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 148
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

28
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131) Compare and contrast the four types of buying decision behavior exhibited by consumers.
Answer: Consumers exhibit complex buying behavior when they are highly involved in a
purchase decision and perceive significant differences among the choices. Consumers will
engage in a learning process as they gather and analyze information about their choices before
making a purchase. When a consumer is highly involved with a purchase but does not perceive
significant differences among her choices, she will most likely engage in dissonance-reducing
behavior. This behavior involves less time learning about each product's attributes, and a
consumer is more likely to make a choice based on a good price or convenience. Habitual buying
behavior and variety-seeking behavior are exhibited when a consumer has a low involvement
with the product. When the consumer sees little difference between brands, she will most likely
engage in habitual buying behavior, buying the most familiar brands out of habit. When the
consumer perceives some significant brand differences, she is more likely to engage in variety-
seeking buying behavior, doing a lot of brand switching without a great deal of evaluation before
purchase.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 151-152
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

132) Describe some important strategies for a marketer of a high-involvement product.

Answer: Marketers must understand the information-gathering and evaluation behavior of their
high-involvement customers. This involves helping customers learn about the product attributes
and their relative importance, as well as clearly differentiating the brand's features. Marketers
might use long copy in print media to satisfy the customer's need for information. Marketers
must also motivate salespeople to influence the customer's choice. To discourage customers'
postpurchase dissonance, after-sale communications from the marketer should help customers
feel good about their purchase decision.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 151
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 5-3

29
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
133) Listing them in the proper order, what are the stages in the buyer decision process?
Describe each.
Answer: In the need recognition stage, consumers become aware of a new problem or need.
Then, consumers seek information about products to meet that need in the information search
stage. In the alternative evaluation stage, consumers use the gathered information to compare and
contrast the choices. Consumers do not use the same evaluation process in all buying situations;
sometimes they may make careful, logical calculations and other times they may rely on intuition
and buy on impulse. Consumers then make the purchase decision, buying the product. The last
component of the process is postpurchase behavior, which is determined by any difference
between the consumer's expectations for the product and the perceived performance of the
product.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 152-154
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-3
134) Identify and describe the stages in the adoption process.
Answer: In the awareness stage, consumers become aware of the new product but lack
information about it. Then, consumers seek information about the new product in the interest
stage. In the evaluation stage, consumers consider whether trying the new product makes sense.
Consumers try the product on a limited basis in the trial stage. Finally, consumers decide to make
full use of the product in the adoption stage.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 156
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-4

135) Identify the product characteristics that influence the rate of adoption. Explain how each
characteristic affects the rate of adoption.
Answer: The five most important product characteristics that influence the rate of a product's
adoption are relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, divisibility, and communicability.
Relative advantage is the degree to which an innovation appears superior to existing products;
the greater the perceived relative advantage, the sooner the product will be adopted.

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Compatibility is the degree to which the innovation fits the values and experiences of potential
consumers; high compatibility leads to quick adoption. Complexity is the degree to which the
innovation is difficult to understand or use; the greater the complexity, the slower the adoption
rate. Divisibility is the degree to which the innovation may be tried on a limited basis; the higher
the divisibility, the slower the rate of adoption. Finally, communicability is the degree to which
the results of using the innovation can be observed or described to others; high communicability
lends itself to a higher rate of adoption.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 157-158
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-4

136) What role do the four Ps play in consumer behavior?

Answer: The four Ps are the marketing stimuli that affect buyer behavior: marketers use product,
price, place, and promotion to attract the targeted consumers.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 134
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-1

137) Give an example of a cultural shift that may impact the marketing of products or services.
Answer: Answers will vary. Currently, the shift toward greater concern about health and fitness
has generated increased marketing of exercise equipment and gear.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 136
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 5-2

31
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
138) Why might the Hispanic American market be a viable targeted group for a new marketer of
products?
Answer: Hispanic Americans are the fastest growing U.S. subculture and they tend to favor
companies who show special interest in them, attributes a new marketer of a product could
capitalize on.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 136
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 5-2

139) In what way might a marketer rely on opinion leaders?

Answer: Opinion leaders can influence other larger groups of consumers to be attracted to a
marketer's products.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 139
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

140) How does marketing through online social networks differ from more traditional
marketing?
Answer: Marketers hope to use social networks to interact with consumers and become a part of
their everyday lives instead of relying on the one-way commercial messages of more traditional
media.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 141
AACSB: Use of Information Technology
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

141) Explain why typical husband-dominant or wife-dominant products of the 1970s may no
longer be regarded as typical.
Answer: Changes in the traditional family structure, such as more women holding jobs outside
the home and more single-parent households, have changed the traditional buying roles over

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time.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 143
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

142) Explain the concept of brand personality.

Answer: A brand personality is the specific mix of human traits that may be attributed to a
particular brand.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 147
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

33
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
143) Explain why selective attention is not controllable by a marketer.
Answer: A marketer cannot guarantee that a consumer will pay attention to or remember a
specific ad; people use selective attention because it is impossible for them to pay attention to the
thousands of marketing stimuli they experience each day.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 148-149
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 5-2

144) Explain how selective distortion is somewhat controllable by a marketer.

Answer: Marketers can attempt to understand consumers' mindsets and how these will affect
perceptions of advertisements.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 149
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 5-2

145) Explain how selective retention affects what consumers remember about marketing
messages.
Answer: Due to selective retention, consumers are more likely to remember positive messages
about the brands they already favor and more likely to forget positive messages about the
competing brands.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 149
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-2

146) Explain the role of marketers in the information search step of the consumer decision-
making process. Give an example of how the marketer might execute this role.
Answer: The role of marketers in the information search step of the consumer decision-making
process is to make the information consumers want and need about their product easily
accessible by the consumer.

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Diff: 2 Page Ref: 153
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-3

147) Explain how marketers may be able to reduce postpurchase cognitive dissonance.
Answer: Marketers should make every effort to enhance after-sale communications, providing
evidence and support to help consumers feel good about their purchases.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-3

35
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
148) Why should marketers set up systems that encourage customers to complain about
products?
Answer: Most customers never share their complaints with marketers; without this information,
it is difficult for a company to identify how it can improve.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 154
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-3

149) What strategy should a marketer use upon learning that consumers are not buying a product
because they do not perceive a need for it?
Answer: Marketing might launch an advertising campaign that shows customers how the
product can solve their existing problems and meet their existing needs.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 157
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-4

150) What are the differences between innovators and early adopters?
Answer: Innovators are more willing to take on risk; early adopters try new ideas early on but
are much more deliberate.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 157
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Skill: Application
Objective: 5-4

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Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.