Habitus and Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example

HABITUS AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR by Habitus A French sociologist called Pierre Bourdieu initially illustrated the Habitus conception. His theory addresses the way individuals behave in the society referred as the social room by Bourdieu. Bourdieus (1994) elucidates the concept of the social room (Fowler 1997, p. 67) is manipulated by different societal relationships such as parents, guardians, and close friends. Additionally, Bourdieu laments that the social room is formed by the common beliefs, and understanding of right and wrong. In his analysis, Chandler (2013) explains that Habitus is engaged to examine and investigate how individuals in a particular society are associated with each other by way of close ties. He stresses the importance of family relationships and states that it shapes the way individuals behave and perceive things. Habitus involves reasonable behavior shaped by social room elements that take place at a personal level and primarily jointly and the elements thus simultaneously forms the standard ways of behavior (Williams & Bourdieu 1980, P.214 cited in; Nash 2003, P.49). In this regard, adolescents are molded when being brought up by these standard accepted forms of behavior. These standard ways become the societal norms, and subsequently become part of their familial traditions, which influence the adolescents behavior and perceptions, therefore gaining knowledge of what is good and bad. Individuals in the society judge others based on their beliefs and standard societal norms of what is considered right or wrong, and individuals behaving contrary to the accepted norms will be thus judged. In addition, Habitus sets the principles and standards on the level of consumption of various products. Habitus additionally facilitates generation of political views and opinions through its various agents. According to Lizardo (2004), Habitus can be regarded as a collection of elements and personalities brought together by an integrated way of living. Habitus is classified as a collection of element provisions of existence to standardize the behavior of a group of people in common rejoinder to the said elements. In addition, Habitus is regarded as a socially constructed structure that has included the social environments settings and, therefore, controls how Habitus agents react and understand the society, and consequently affect other individuals. Bourdieus understanding of Habitus is a rather ancient notion and, therefore, does not incorporate World Wide Web sources (Lizardo 2004). On the other hand, the writer explains that the agents can be any elements that manipulate individuals and the individual’s perception of societal elements that are acceptable or non-acceptable. Consumer Socialization and Behavior According to Ward (1974), consumer socialization is the process through which young individuals obtain an education, skills, and attitudes pertinent to their operating as end users in the market. Socialization is a wide phrase encompassing the entire process through which a person grows by way of transacting with other individuals, his or her particular models of socially acceptable traits and understanding (Ziegler & Child 1969, cited in Ward 1974. p 2-3). (Moschis & Churchill 1978) Who are experts in the field of consumer socialization have the same opinion that it involves the process of understanding how to develop into a consumer. An individual can learn how to become a consumer in a number of ways. One popular method is through the process of cognitive development where an individuals adapt to their environment and emphasizing more on the environmental and personal elements. Proponents of the cognitive development theory state that growth takes place through numerous levels that arise in the course of the period between formative years and teenage years. Cognitive development stage ends in the late period of a teen’s life. Another learning technique is by way of the socialization process. Socialization involves the process of adapting and acquiring knowledge through social teachings that emphasize on the influences of various separate sources referred to as agents of socialization. Socialization agents vary from individuals to companies and other societal elements such as events. In every society, interaction facilitates relationships amongst individuals and organizations. The degree of influence is determined by the frequency of contact between persons and organizations and the dominance of the socialization agent. There are various socialization agents that affect or influence the child within the societal context namely role models, fashion and learning institutions. However, McNeal (1979) identified three social agents to be the ones with the most influence on teenagers about consumerism and they include friends, family, and the TV. The three social agents have been found in the past to have the most influence regarding consumer-purchasing decisions New studies have shown the internet to be a major social agent that influences consumer decisions. Through the internet, consumers can interact with one another by way of formations of virtual communities where they find avenues to interact with one another on a wider scale. The created Virtual communities of consumption act as gateways for individuals to exchange ideas and perceptions. Persons who are shy and thus unable to communicate with other people directly have an opportunity to express themselves and interact with one another. The increased use and application of the internet as a communication tool can be seen as an impending socialization agent. The availability of wealth of information on the internet provides teenagers with an easy and cheap way of acquiring knowledge thus facilitating in their learning (Lachance, Beaudoin & Robitaille 2003). The World Wide Web has immensely contributed to the recently acquired culture of knowledge acquisition. The internet platform gives an opportunity for the teenagers to share ideas and experiences, discuss, learn, and have an effect on other individuals consumption trends (Hayta 2008). Social analysts claim that teenagers engage in games, read the news, and buy stuff through the internet to a large extent, thereby enhancing consumption learning through the digital equipment and the various online media platforms. Martin and Bush (2000) say that the Internet has become a key socializing agent to teenagers that it is analogous to mass media, friends, and the parents in terms of significance. In spite of the numerous findings on the emergence of the internet as a major socializing agent for the teenagers, many researchers have failed to investigate the interdependence of the internet to the other factors. In most cases, through the virtual community, consumers can disburse information through word of mouth. This technique is used to transfer information from one individual to the other. (Khan and Farhat 2012) reveals that the method is also regarded as straightforward, reliable, and trustworthy in contrast to using sales agents and the company website. In as much as companies invest heavily in market sensitization and advertising, word of mouth is regarded as the most effective of them all. Scholars lament that word of mouth accounts for more than two-thirds of the overall companys sales. EWOM (Electronic Word of Mouth) is the expression coined to stand for the internet’s use of word of mouth. Communications done through the World Wide Web have been expressed as aimed many persons, accessible to other users for lengthy times and unknown (Jones & Kim 2010). Studies within the research of the word of mouth have discovered several numerous reasons to why users make use of it. Scholars argue that consumers feel pressurized about products and by a way of expressing the thoughts and the feelings that users have, they pass on the tension or release it accordingly. Researchers claim that individuals who are knowledgeable about products engage in the Word of Mouth process to offer something to the person who has not had any experience with the product. Additionally, certain individuals in the society desire to look knowledgeable than their peers in certain areas. Therefore, such individuals will contribute to discussions freely with an intention of gaining attention and being recognized by others. Persons giving information to others intend on giving advice to their friends to make the decision-making process easier especially when carrying out shopping activities. Such individuals also intend on making certain that their friends do not experience the same difficulty in carrying out the process, and this will ultimately make the rage, resentment and disappointment withdraw. Parents Teenagers are consumers in a number of ways. Teenagers have personal requirements and modernized needs that have almost become comparable to basic needs. Additionally, teenagers have funds available for their use through handouts from their caregivers and parents. According to Martin and Bush (2000), teenagers and adolescents adopt a particular decision making process whereby they plan in advance for their spending, look for relevant information, execute the purchase often with their funds and ultimately pass through the post-purchase stage with assessments of the purchased products. Parents are regarded as vital elements that play a big influencing role on their children especially in consumption matters. Parents from the initial stages of the childs development introduce the young ones to consumption practices by tagging them along when going out for shopping. Parents are normally referred to as the first agents of consumer socialization process. Parents introduce their children to the purchasing process for the first time while also encouraging them to buy merchandise for the first time (North and Kotzé, 2010). In addition, parents influence their children by capping the purchasing process by limiting the amount of money each a child possesses, and they have a dynamic participation in enlightening various methods of consumption. Children also entrust their parents with giving them the best information about products. Therefore, parents are thus regarded as the primary originators of information, closely followed by close accidences and friends and the media. Studies also show that adolescents regarded their parents as knowledgeable users and of a huge influence in the course of learning, and in other product areas. In particular, fathers were regarded as more knowledgeable that the mothers, especially in digital and electronics goods (Kuhlmann 1983). The research indicated that children learned expenditure prerequisites from their parents, implying that they are guided on how to purchase the most basic of elements by their parents. Other researchers argued that children learned the rational section of consumption from their parents. Research also shows that a childs consumption tendencies tend to revolve around their parents consumption behavior and trends. When children learn how to consume by observing and imitating what their parents do, the process is referred to observation learning. Learning by way of observation not only covers their parents but also the childrens role models whom they constantly try to emulate (Nash 2003). As earlier mentioned, people do possess influence over others as a result of their ability to reprimand and rewards with their recurrent contact. Parents have significant levels of influence on their children through control of these mandates to offer rewards and punishment and because of the frequency with which they have contact with their teenagers. The parents influence is classified as direct as well as indirect. Parents influence their childs consumption behavior by taking up certain key measures that are purposed for inserting some societal value in the child. Some comments made by the parent are intended to give their children some well-intended lessons on consumption and the value for money, for instance, comments such as, "you will understand the essence of money." Parents additionally influence their childrens consumer tendencies and trends by limiting the frequency of coming into contact with information sources apart from themselves, other sources such as the internet and the television (Pieters & Bijmolt 1997). Their parents also subjectively and indirectly influence children. Their personal behavior’s, behavioral trends and character traits affects their children in some way. Children spend a lot of time with their parents. In this encounters, they tend to imitate their parents actions through repeated observation. Therefore, the children behavior is affected by their parents level of expenditure. In this regard, marketers can obtain vital information on the trends of the parents consumption levels. They well informed when they replicate production through creation of child products versions (North & Kotzé 2010). For example, minicomputers, and mobile phones. Children whose consumption is influenced indirectly their parents consumption ultimately develops brand loyalty. Teenagers identify well with peer groups. Additionally, they wish to develop individually distinct identities. Research also discourages teenage stereotyping behavior especially where it is claimed that teenagers are anti-family. Family is considered an essential component in a teenagers life. It is also regarded as the cornerstone of most teenage consumption behavior, usually through observation of parents consumption behavior. Bibliography Chandler, B. (2013). The Subjectivity of Habitus. 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